[HPforGrownups] Re: Hermione & the Boys

[Meredith Wilson]

No: HPFGUIDX 11331



** Hmm ... I think it's actually fairly common for lots of 11-12 yr old
** girls to be "bossy," but I would guess most of them outgrow that
** tendency.  I think that's the case with Hermione.

I definitely concur here.  It is true that some people don't outgrow it, but
a lot of pre-teen/teen girls have a bossy/know-it-all air about them.
 
** > This is a major point of divergence between us - we really 
** do not read
** > the arguments in PoA the same.  Regarding the Firebolt, I feel that
** > Harry and Ron were being equally stubborn.  Both prolonged that
** > argument.
** 
** Yes, but Harry wanted to make up long before Ron did -- I think maybe
** even before Hagrid said something to them (although I can't 
** recall that
** for certain & am too lazy to look it up at the moment - <g>).

The biggest problem here (as I remember it here at work without books
nearby) is that we don't see nearly as much into what Ron thinks during all
of this.  We see/hear Harry talking to Hermione about it, and we see Ron
hanging out with other people, but we don't really get to hear much about
Ron internally during the fight.
 
Again, pre-teen/teen boys (and even my husband and his friends who are
definitely older than 14, but don't act like it a good part of the time <g>)
have a huge sense of 'pride.'  Whether they're wrong or not, they just can't
bear it to have to admit it.  That's why there are so many jokes about men
not asking for directions, etc.  

As a tag-on, please know that I am in no way anti-men.  I, in fact, adore
men. :)

Meredith