Stereotyping

[susanmcgee48176]

No: HPFGUIDX 86691

> 
> As an aside, I  like his dwarves - staunch, brave, outspoken, 
violent,
> just like a good prop-forward, but his elves make me cringe. Such
> compassion and goodness needs to be severely punished IMO. 


Okay, so masculine stereotypes are cool, but feminine stereotypes are 
verboten? Is that what you're saying?


> 
> Similarly, so do the *new* stereotypes so often found in current 
fiction.
> To me, they are such 'right on', politically approved and 
immaculate 
> reflections of the image many proslytising activists seem to want 
to 
> promote that I wonder if a new and insidious form of censorship is 
> being  imposed in the name of balance.
> 
> I wonder,  what would  the chattering classes say if books like 
Lord of
> the Flies, Heart of Darkness, Great Expectations, etc. etc. were  
to be 
> published now. Lots of comments about lack of well-fleshed out
> female characters? No strong positive female roles in Dickens latest
> epic? Unacceptable because all the female  leads have negative
> characteristics? 
> 
>
Yup..I'd say Dickens represents a time when women were chattel...I 
can read Dickens easily because he is a product of his times...but 
these days I expect that my favorite authors, if they are talking 
about the 20th or 21st century will be slightly more enlightened 
about the status of women...

> 
> 
> > 
> > In JKR's case, it's self-evident that she's opposed to racism and
> > discrimination against people who are different in any way (with 
the
> > possible exception of the giants, who do seem rather subhuman--
Hagrid
> > and Madame Maxime as half-giants not included). I for one think 
her
> > politics are a little too transparent and that the House Elf 
business
> > comes a bit too close to allegory (it seems too closely patterned 
on
> > American pre-Civil War slavery just as Voldemort is patterned in 
part
> > on Hitler, by JKR's own admission).>>>


And it's obvious that Hermione, the character who JKR identifies with 
most closely is on a path to free those slaves. OoP is pretty clear 
about that.

 > 
> Hmm. I wonder if I'm reading you correctly. Or vice versa.
> My original complaint was not with any supposed stereotypes 
perpetrated
> by  JKR, (I made more or less the same point about the three 
elves), but
> with the stereotypes that some of the posters want to impose on JKR 
in
> order to make her  tale *better*. This I would consider a heinous 
crime.
> It's her story, she'll write it her way and if you (the fans) don't 
like it, tough.
> Accept it for what it is and if you think you can do better, go 
right ahead.
> Complaints about the fate of imaginary beings, gender balance or 
poor
> role models seem pointless, especially as the tale has some way to 
go
> before the loose ends are tied and all is revealed.
> 
> It all  hinges on personal attitudes. I refuse to allow anyone to 
determine
> what I think and what I should believe. Maybe I'm a freak, an 
anachronism.
> But the current trend in society of imposed mental hygiene -  think 
this 
> or you are to be shunned or castigated - makes me take a contrary 
view 
> just to be bloody-minded.>>>

Oh no, you're not a freak. Lots of us refuse to be told what to 
think....for example, as a radical feminist, I don't object to Molly 
at all..in fact I love her and Arthur....great relationship, great 
nurturing, great family, lots of warm, fuzzy, wonderful stuff..
I've been a stay at home mom myself for a while, due to employment 
problems, debilitating illness of partner, major illness of partner's 
mother, and my own mother's death...and it's incredibly hard work.

Molly's terrific. Real live feminists, you know the ones that are not 
vilified and barbecued and lied about by the media, are very 
supportive of women who work inside the home. Remember, we're the 
ones who coined the phrase "work outside the home" to be respectful 
of mothers and household managers....And in fact, I think, a MONUMENT 
deserves to be erected to SINGLE mothers...how they manage I cannot 
imagein....

Anyway...my objection to JKR's portrayal of women was that up unti 
the OoP all the women were defined by their relationships to 
men..with one exception..Hermione..and one might argue......

I think JKR must have read my earlier posts, because she sure as hell 
as broken out of THAT mold in OoP...now if everyone was not overtly 
heterosexual....sigh....

Susan in Michigan

P.S. Happy to send you a few beers..what's your favorite?

> 
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