[HPforGrownups] Cho; It's time to defend Ginny! (some SHIP)

[ArtsyLynda at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 52441

Penny Linsenmayer:

> But, if you compare Ginny to members of the Trio in the previous book, 
> you'll find Ginny's characterization to be really off.  Well, maybe let's 
> compare oranges to oranges and not compare Ginny to Harry or Ron.  Let's 
> just compare Ginny's behavior and dialogue in CoS with Hermione in PS/SS.  
> Or, compare PoA Ginny with CoS Hermione.  In each case, Ginny appears to me 
> to have been characterized as drastically younger than she is 
> chronologically speaking.  This is glaringly true with PS/SS, where I would 
> never have imagined that she would be 10 yrs old!  This isn't Ginny's 
> "fault" per se; I just find Rowling's characterization of her to be very 
> odd really.  
> 

I think Ginny comes off as much less mature than Hermione at the same age 
too, but I see this as normal.  Hermione is an only child -- when only 
children aren't spoiled brats like Dudley and Draco, they're often very 
mature and well-mannered because they're around adults so much more than kids 
from a big family are.  Ginny is the youngest child of a huge family and the 
only girl, which means she was probably babied more by her parents (a girl 
after so many boys?  Who wouldn't baby her more?  :->) and her brothers 
obviously look out for her too.  Her lack of maturity comes from being 
allowed to be a child longer, IMHO.  I used to teach school, and I could tell 
fairly soon which kids were only children or the oldest child or the youngest 
child -- it shows if you know how to look.  JKR was a teacher too, and no 
matter what age she was teaching, these differences are apparent to those  
who look for the reasons behind certain behaviors.  So I have no problem with 
Ginny being the way she is (I'm the baby of my family, despite the fact I'm 
ancient now, but Ginny could very well have been me in most of the ways she's 
been shown to behave so far).  Hermione is independent, strong-willed, 
totally self-confident, very mature for her age.  I expect Hermione to be a 
great success because of those attributes.  JKR has done a wonderful job of 
making each character totally age-appropriate, and even appropriate for where 
they are in the family, IMHO.

Lynda 
* * *
"Don't let  the Muggles get you down." Ron Weasley PoA


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