Hermione's anger (was R.E hermione as mirror of Snape)

[davewitley]

No: HPFGUIDX 38949

Marina:
> > > But none of these actions were the result of her losing 
> > self-control,were they?  In each case, Hermione was doing what 
> > she thought was necessary to achieve a specific goal.  

Pippin:
> >I wasn't just thinking of acting in a fit of temper. I was 
thinking of letting anger take one to extremes. 

Marina:
> But that's just it, Hermione doesn't let anger take her to 
extremes.  
> When she set Snape on fire in PS/SS, or drugged Crabbe and Goyle in
> CoS, she didn't do it because she was angry at them, she did it
> because she thought it was the most efficient way to achieve what 
she
> wanted.  

I hadn't really thought about this before, but in COS, Hermione's 
anger *is* the driving force in the Polyjuice incident.  Both Ron and 
Harry express reservations, and Hermione overcomes them, not by 
reasoned argument indicating this is the only course possible to act 
against a grave threat to the school, but by threatening to lose her 
temper.  She intimidates them.  And, yes it's achieving what she 
wants, but she wants it because she is angry with Draco over his 
Mudblood insults.

Extreme? A matter of opinion.  But classic 'rational actor' 
behaviour? I don't think so.

David