Fleur's Intelligence

[ourobouros_1999 at yahoo.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 13212

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., Penny & Bryce Linsenmayer <pennylin at s...> 
wrote:
<snip>
> I disagree that the mere fact that she's the BeauxBatons Champion 
means
> she is *not* stupid.  What if she happens to be the most 
intelligent of
> the BeauxBatons bunch but isn't really all that bright?  

Er.... I don't think JKR, even considering the longstanding enmity 
across the Channel, would make the French all stupid. 

What if the
> Goblet of Fire doesn't really evaluate one's intelligence?  I don't 
see
> where we've any proof that intelligence is necessarily a critical 
aspect
> of being selected as a school champion.  And, as far as I can tell,
> Fleur is *not* depicted as being particularly bright.  

Yes, I agree that Fleur doesn't do anything extremely intelligent. 
Neither Krum nor Cedric are protrayed as being the Hermiones of their 
classes either. They must have a certain level of competence, 
however, to be champions, which probably means that Fleur isn't an 
airhead. I don't think Mme Maxime would have picked someone without 
any talent. 

<snip>
> But, my overall impression is that she is vapid, shallow.  

I thought she was unpleasant, rude, and shallow as well. She struck 
me as the sort who knows she's good-looking, and skates by on it. But 
these traits, while not incompatible with stupidity, do not 
necessarily indicate unintelligence. 

Charmian