[HPforGrownups] Re: H/G and other unobvious SHIP alternatives

[Penny Linsenmayer]

No: HPFGUIDX 52157

Hi --

Ah, quick correction needed here, before I get fed to the wolves:

<<<But speaking of what's obvious, it is assuming rather a lot to think 
that Hermione is "the woman we're all rooting for down deep."  Even 
if all readers *did* love Hermione to distraction, which is clearly 
not the case, surely that wouldn't mean we'd all want her to end up 
in a romance with Harry?  I adore and identify with Hermione, and I 
just want her to be (a) alive, (b) happy, and (c) not evil.>>>>>>>

I was actually speaking in generalities, rather than about Hermione specifically.  The gal I root for down deep *is* Hermione, but I clearly know that isn't the case for everyone.  We have lots of Ginny fans in this group, definitely.  But, IMHO, Hermione is clearly the more fully-developed character and the one the reader might be more apt to identify with and "root for."  I think what I'm trying to say, though muddling it very badly indeed, is that a reader might reasonably expect the author to have set him/her up to like and care about the "heroine" or the "love interest of the hero" over the course of the story, even if the author doesn't intend for these two characters to fall in love and live happily ever after until the end of the story.  And, *I* definitely don't think JKR has gone to any great pains to do this for Ginny, and she could easily have done so.  It wouldn't have taken much effort to depict her in some of the family scenes or show more of her interacting with the other characters.  For example, I saw Ron's crush on Hermione a mile off -- Rowling rather skillfully and subtly set the wheels for that in motion as early as CoS, IMHO.  

What it boils down to for me in some respects is that we have two very obvious one-way crushes going on here.  Ron -----> Hermione, and Ginny ------------> Harry.  Harry very obviously could care less about Ginny at this point, but, as Rowling says, he's only 14 and has plenty of time to change his mind.  Hermione's feelings for Ron, Harry, Krum or anyone are quite obviously open to a variety of interpretations.  <g>  

Anyway.  I do *not* believe that all readers identify with and root for Hermione or that, even if they do identify with/root for her, would want her to end up romantically involved with Harry.  It's just that if Ginny is to be that person, I don't think Rowling has put the foundation in place.  She'll have to play catch-up, and it would, IMHO, have been far more effective to have H/G foreshadowed subtly all along, if it is to happen.  

Penny  


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