Opening the Chamber of Secrets (on Lockhart)

[joym999 at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 11291

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Neil Ward" <neilward at d...> wrote:
> IMO, Gilderoy Lockhart is one of the most singularly unpleasant 
characters JKR has written and, perhaps, one of the reasons this book 
comes up a little short of the others.  He is so completely self-
obsessed, that it becomes stifling, in spite of the humour.  Of 
course, he is a caricature, but he represents a kind of shallow, 
delusional vanity that is all too common in our convenience-driven 
world.  
[snip]
> JKR sure vented some spleen on that character...
 
Let me take this occasion to repeat one of my pet theories.  JKR has 
said in interviews that Lockhart is the only character actually based 
on someone she knows.  I was wondering why she would even say that, 
as people who know her could probably figure out who she was talking 
about and word would inevitably get back to that individual, when I 
read something about her ex-husband (see below).  It struck me then 
that Lockhart is probably based on her ex-husband.  It is considered 
fairly socially acceptable to say nasty things about your ex, whereas 
if you say nasty things about other acquaintances its often 
considered rude, and JKR doesnt seem like the rude type.  And she was 
only married to this guy very briefly, and admits it was a big 
mistake.

Anyway, the story about JKRs ex is that some British tabloid 
interviewed him and he claimed that he had influenced the Harry 
Potter books.  When the reporter asked JKR about this, she responded 
that her ex had about as much influence on Harry Potter as she had on 
the Tale of Two Cities.

Well, anyway, thats my theory.

--Joywitch