H & Hr, Percy & Penelope,Fleur

[frankielee242]

No: HPFGUIDX 41429


HF wrote:
> >>I think at times like this it's useful to pull out Freud's famous 
> maxim (one he never seemed to abide by): "Sometimes a cigar is just
a cigar" especially when dealing with scholarly critique.>>

Aldrea replied: 
> And I find this maxim entirely true when applied to the sexuality in 
> the HP books thus far.  Really, and people were commenting on how 
> obvious the graveyard scene was on their *first* reading.  Just 
> boggles my mind...

Most of Freud's theories have been de-bunked. Good thing too, or I'd
never be able to tell my boss I liked his tie.

One of the greatest aspects of the HP books (I'm sure this has been
said hundreds of times before) is the interaction between people. If
you ignore the magical abilities, these stories are about the
day-to-day lives of a group of school kids busy growing up and of the
assorted adults they encounter.  Every last character is a unique,
flawed, non-politically correct, *real* individual human being. Fudge
is a racist. Hagrid drinks on occasion. Fleur is very much aware of
her appearance. McGonagall "has never let her hair down" (GoF). Snape
is a complete mess.

I'd rather discuss the motivations and foibles of the characters
within the realm of these stories than attempt to deconstruct the
underlying metaphors for sexual frustrations and prejudicial
tendencies of the author and contemporary society.  But that's just
me. Fire away.


Earlier, Aldrea wrote: 

> Yes, now-a-days, getting caught kissing results in quite loud shouts 
> of "OOoooh!" Or "PDA! PDA!".  And I didn't find Percy and Penelope's 
> situation as chaste, really, what with Percy being the shy, rule 
> abiding type and all.

I agree completely-- Percy in his seventh year (once Fred and George
have gotten tired of teasing him about it) doesn't seem particularly
shy about being in  a relationship. Most other people don't- Fred asks
Angelina to accompany him to the ball by hollering across the common
room. After the ball we find out that Cedric and Cho walk around
holding hands. It's seems anything past holding hands takes place
somewhere out of the public eye. Like in a rosebush.

However, for pointing and hollering "OOOOOoooh!" at any display of
affection, public or otherwise, at Hogwarts, you'd wind up the
recipient of a hex, jinx or curse like poor Bertha Jorkins... Any
speculations as to whom she caught snogging behind the greenhouse?
Based on basic rules of grammar, I have the sneaking suspicion we're
ment to assume she caught Florence with Snape... 

 
Later HF wrote:
> >>I would also imagine that this says a lot about Fleur, that the 
> most important person in her life is her little sister >>

And, Aldrea replied:
> I think this did *a lot* more for Fleur than talking about her 
> shooting her Veela charms towards Cedric, warding off a gaggle of 
> boys, or getting chased out of the bushes. =P

The mental image of Fleur and Davies falling out of the shrubbery when
Madame Maxime yelled at Hagrid left me in helpless tears of laughter.

Speaking of individual foibles and motivations, I can't find anything
wrong with a woman who is aware of herself-- from appearance to
abilities. You don't have to like Fleur, and a number of people,
Hermione included, don't. Beneath the flowery (sorry) exterior,
though, she is one tough broad with her priorities straight.


Side note:

At the end, Aldrea wrote:
> ~Aldrea, who has yet to be seventeen....but it really can't be *that* 
> bad(I hope).

A few years from now, you are going to look back and LAUGH. My last
and youngest brother is now eighteen. Through my in-laws, I have a
niece and two nephews aged sixteen. I get to watch them struggling
through the various agonies adolescents from the beginning of time
have struggled through. All anyone who's been through it can do is
watch and laugh. Ruefully sometimes, but laugh none the less.


Frankie, from Bill Weasley's vantage point ("Is that mad knight still
around?")