Uber-perfect Cedric / Other Characters

[Marie Jadewalker <marie_mouse@hotmail.com>]

No: HPFGUIDX 51578

I originally wrote:

<<We may find out something not-so-nice about Cedric in the following 
books, but I would be somewhat surprised if we did. I know it can be 
a bit annoying to have uber-perfect characters, but I think Cedric 
was portrayed as being so perfect precisely *because* JKR knew he was 
going to be the first student death. To me, it's somewhat analogous 
to Beth in _Little Women_ -- she's somewhat idealized because you 
later feel more sorrow at her death.>> 
[edited]
 
Vojaca replied:

<<Well, maybe *not* something no-so-nice, just something that would

make him less veela-like/god-like.  The annoyance, when it comes down 
to it, is because I didn't get a chance to know more about him.  All 
we basically had were Harry's thoughts on him - and I know that 
there's really no way Harry could have gotten to know him, them being 
in different houses and Harry busy fighting evil and all.  I don't 
argue with the fact that Cedric is innocent.>>

Okay, I see what you meant.  Sorry for misinterpreting you.  I agree 
that it would be nice to know a little bit more about Cedric.  The 
more you know about a character, the more you feel for them (well, 
somtimes...)  

[snip]

<<About Cedric's death:  I was *very* shocked when he died.  It was 
so fast.  I remember when I was first reading the book, it shocked me 
so much that I sort of snapped out of the dream-like state I get into 
when I read the books. I had to read that part again a few more times 
just to make sure that I wasn't reading it wrong.  And it made me 
sad.  But not sad because Cedric was *innocent* - sad because I 
didn't get to know him, and I really really wanted to.  *sigh* I'm so 
selfish.>>

me again: 
I agree completely about the death.  It was so sudden that I had to 
do a double-take.  I think it was meant to show Voldemort's evil more 
than anything else.  Brave, innocent Cedric didn't get any kind of 
ceremonial death at all -- almost just like an insect to be swatted 
at.  I think maybe (pure speculation) that since JKR knew his death 
was going to be so ignoble, she wanted his life to be grand.  I 
understand your feeling of annoyance at not getting to know him 
better, though.  Cedric's death was a pity and a shock, but it didn't 
resonate as deeply with me as one of the minor characters we know a 
bit better would have -- for example, one of the twins.  We don't 
know them all that well, but we have seen both good and bad aspects 
of their personalities.  

> I wrote:
<<Well, we at least got one less-than-ideal view of Cedric through 
Harry's jealousy (brainless etc). And I think that Cedric's 
essentially good nature goes with the themes of innocents (unicorns) 
dying first from PS/SS and Dumbledore's final speech in GOF:
 [edit]
Vojaca replied:
<<The "brainless" comment Harry made about Cedric I tend to dismiss, 
because of the fact that he only said that after the fact that he 
found out Cedric was going to the Yule Ball with Cho.  And we know 
that Cedric's is not brainless - His name would never have come out 
of the Goblet if he was.  Actually, if my memory serves me right, 
anything negative Harry has to say about Cedric is if it has to do 
about Cho Chang.>>  

Me again:
You're right, of course.  I know Harry's negative thoughts about 
Cedric had a whole lot more to do with Harry's jealousy than Cedric 
himself.  In fact, I think we were supposed to pity Cedric a bit in 
that scene since Harry's obviously accusing him baselessly.  I only 
included it because it was one comment about Cedric that wasn't 
positive.  (I know now that that's not necessarily what you wanted.)  

Vojaca:
<<<Cho Chang annoys me too
in the same way Cedric annoyed me:  
Because I don't know anything about her.  If she dies 
before we get a chance to see what she's like, I will absolutely go 
bonkers. 

I agree.  It would be nice to know more about her than that she's 
pretty and nice enough to let Harry down easily.  Also, if she and 
Harry become friends (whether or not it's romantic at all) that's 
probably our best opportunity for learning more about Cedric.  
 
[Snip my misinterpretation -- sorry again.]


<<Maybe in the next book there'll be a part about people fondly 
remembering that great guy Cedric.  "Remember that time I woke up and 
found all my socks hanging from the chandeliers in the Hufflepuff 
common room?"  or something like that, instead of what we got in the 
earlier books.  I really doubt it, though.>>    

I like that idea.  It's certainly something that *could* happen if 
Cho and Harry become closer.  I don't know that they're likely to 
given their history, but a scene like that might be really nice.  

<<Cedric's father OTOH
he's like the opposite of  Cedric, with all 
his boasting and show of emotion.  He annoys me, too.  =)>>

Yeah, well, I thought he was a jerk at the beginning of GOF, but at 
least he didn't accept the prize money when Harry offered it to 
him.   

<<Come to think of it, most, if not all of the characters annoy me in 
one way or another.  The ones we don't really know annoy me because I 
want to know who they are;  the bad guys annoy me because I want to 
know why they become bad guys;  the good guys annoy me because until 
the end of the book, I'm just - well, suspicious of every single one 
of them until the end, when of course we'll all know everything. (So 
maybe "annoyed" is not the right word..."impatient" might be the 
proper word for me *laughs*)  Which is the exact reason why I love 
the books so much.  Why I love all the characters.  I have a love-
hate relationship with the whole series!  To the point that I get 
emotional about it, and I'm not afraid to let the world know!!  Yes, 
I'm crazy, I know  =)>>

LOL.  I know what you mean.  Every character frusterates you at some 
point or other because you want to know what they're thinking, what 
their motivations are, and what's going to happen to them in the 
future.  I'm sure you're with us all in counting down the days 'til 
we get a few more pieces of the puzzle.  :-D
 

> vojoca
> -who knows people think it's crazy to be so attached to the HP 
> books.  Maybe other HP fans don't think so, but other people 
> certainly do; especially those who witnessed the heated argument my 
> friend and I had at work about Prof. Dumbledore in book five, which 
> ended in him storming off and me crying.  *laughs sheepishly, and 
> hides face in shame*   =)

Awww, I'm sure there aren't many people around here who think you're 
crazy.  I don't anyway.  I've had and witnessed serious arguments and 
incredible excitement because of these wonderful books.  

~Marie, who feels a bit sappy right now.  ;-)