Hermione's rude comment (Lavendar and Parvati on Hermione)

[feetmadeofclay]

No: HPFGUIDX 74654


> Well, let me phrase my thought in another way. You're a thirteen
> year old girl. Two girls that you DO NOT like by any stretch of
> the imagination are dreamily talking about a guy they think is
> soooooo cute.... sigh. 


Excuse me but why should Hermione hate Parvati and Lavendar?  They 
haven't done anything much to her other than not really be her friend 
and that is hardly cruel.  Simply they aren't alike  I know in most 
schools girls like that would be cruel little snots and mock Hermione 
or make her life hellish.  But fact is that hasn't happened at 
Hogwarts. And likewise Neville is treated rather nicely.  The only 
girl who mocks Hermione is Pansey.  

So why should Hermione mock them?  They didn't seem to mock her for 
having a crush on Lockhart.  And really wasn't that the same thing?  

>> "Oh, I don't know. I don't think he's so great." "What do you
> MEAN?? He's the dreamiest!" they squeal at you. 

But Hermione added a snide racist comment to the mix.

Pippin: NO!" Hermione screamed. "Harry, don't trust him, he's been 
helping Black get into the castle, he wants you dead too--*he's a 
werewolf*!" (emphasis Rowling's) 

Try changing "werewolf" to the ethnic signifier of your choice and 
see how it sounds. 

I think Rowling is trying to show us just how insidious prejudice 
is. Even a well-meaning person like Hermione can fall prey to 
stereotyping.

Golly: But then it really doesn't work as a lesson because Rowling 
never pulls it through for us.  With the werewolf we learn that 
Hermione was wrong and this was before she stopped entirely trusting 
her schoolbooks. Hermione now knows better than this.  Either that or 
her character isn't growing at all.  Which is the worse literary 
sin?