JKR prone to old preconceptions about females?

[aldrea279]

No: HPFGUIDX 41115

Claudia:
>>And I think we can 
agree on the fact that boys fit better into a physically imposing 
team than girls...>>

Hmm...the thought of Millicent Bullstrode coming at me on a broom 
isn't really all that appealing, either... =P


Claudia(quoting Darrin):
>>>To me, that's a 
> statement about the enlightenment of the "good" houses versus 
> the "bad" house.

I think it's rather a question about which means you use to achieve 
your goal, not a question of having girls in a team per se.>>
Well, going by Quidditch it is.  But if you link Slytherin to 
Voldemort and his DE's(as the link is so often made), then they do 
reflect upon each other.  No female Quidditch players, no female 
DE's. Is this a reflection of the "bad guy" way of thinking?


Claudia:
>>But *why* aren't many females in those crucial positions you speak 
of?>>

*cough* Well, to be in a crucial position in the series, I think the 
character either has to be pretty close/influential to Harry. And 
being that Harry is a young boy that can face down the dark lord that 
killed his parents three times but takes weeks to figure out how to 
ask out a girl....well, I think that to him the male characters might 
appeal more.  


Claudia:
>>But that still doesn't answer 
the question why there's no mention of Lily's friends...>>

I'm kind of half-way hoping that the new female DADA teacher will be 
a school friend of Lily's, although that might seem a little 
redundant-  teacher's that keep popping up and revealing themselves 
as old acquiantences of Harry's parents.


Claudia(quoting Darrin):
> Molly Weasley. This woman might be the strongest in the books.>

>>Definitely. That's why I didn't mention her in my examples even 
though she fulfills the female stereotype of being a housewife and 
mother. And she's the closest to a mother-figure Harry has, IMO a 
very important thing seeing how love-deprived Harry had to grow up.>>

Am I the only one that got a little teary at the end of GoF when 
Harry got his first motherly hug from her? *g*


Claudia:
>>She(Hermione)'s good at school - but otherwise... (the sole 
exception being her 
solving Snape's logic puzzle in PS)>>

Well...does Hermione really have a chance to shine?  She's basically 
in the same boat as Ron, although she doesn't ever bring it up.    
She's the cleverest witch in her year, and I say that's quite an 
accomplishment.  She also has enough bravery in her to get put into 
Gryffindor(she sounded to me like a sure fit for Ravenclaw when I 
first read about her), so I think Hermione can do quite a bit if 
given the chance.  


Claudia:
>>Prof McGonagall,>

She doesn't have an active role so far. Yes, she may be second in 
command at Hogwarts but as far as we know that could only be due to 
the years she's been teaching at Hogwarts. So far we don't know of 
any special deed of hers.>>

Well, we don't know what deed got Snape in good with Dumbledore, but 
that doesn't change the fact that due to Dumbledore's character and 
his own, it's obvious he must have done something very convincing.  
I'd say the same goes with McGonagall.  If second in command went to 
whoever was there the longest, then I'd say Professor Binns or 
Professor Flitwick look like they might be older than her.  
McGonagall also plays a key part in Dumbledore's Light Side team, it 
seems; when things went down with Crouch!Moody Dumbledore had Snape 
and McGonagall there to help him. And I think that says something 
about their characters and their roles.


Claudia:
>>I never denied that. But despite their weaknesses the male 
characters 
are in the spotlight, are the memorable, controversial characters, 
the females aren't.>>

I agree with you, Claudia, that the female characters aren't as 
developed as the male characters are...but, again, I think this is 
because of the PoV we're seeing things with.  If we saw the 
Potterverse through Hermine's eyes, I'm sure we'd see more of 
McGonagall's character(Hermione really seems to be developing a 
relationship with her) and less of Sirius or Remus.  But maybe since 
Harry is going into adolescense and this is supposed to be when guys 
really "notice" girls we'll have the female characters developing 
more. =P


~Aldrea, who wants to know who Harry's godmother is...