self-confident Hermione? (no SHIP) (was Cho; It's time to defend Ginny!)

[heiditandy]

No: HPFGUIDX 52449

ArtsyLynda wrote:
> 
> > Hermione is independent,
> > strong-willed,
> > totally self-confident, very mature for her age.

Susanne replied:
> 
> I've seen several people mention that they see Hermione as
> very self-confident.
> 
> Is this how most readers interpret her personality?
> 
> Because I'm not so sure. Her over-drive to learn and be the 
> best could also be a cover for insecurity.

I agree with Susanne 100% here, at least as Hermione was characterised
in Book 1. If Hermione was very self-confident, then she wouldn't've
been so rattled, first year, at Ron's comment about her having no
friends - in fact, she wouldn't've been working so hard to prove that
she wasn't a dunderhead and wouldn't've alienated many of her classmates
in those two months. 

However, I think that her obsessions about schoolwork no longer stem
from the same kinds of insecurity she had as an ickle firstie - her
personal character (as different from the concept of "literary
characterisation") would be incongruously immature if that were still
her primary motivator. Now, I think there is likely some competativeness
with her classmates and the goal of retaining her place atop the class,
which is different, conceptually, from insecurity. 

I do, however, see Hermione in Book 4 as mature for her age, and can be
strong willed and independent, and simultaneously, sensitive about
certain things, hence, the crying she does throughout all four books. 

That crying, IMHO, is not a sign of immaturity, although perhaps I'm
saying that because I'm the type who cries at Big Emotional Moments,
when frustrated or when my feelings have been severely hurt, and I don't
want to think that means that I'm lacking in growth or development. I
want to think it means that I'm sensitized and reactive, which at least
sounds better. 

And I used "can be" to denote the strong will and independence, because
for Hermione, it's not an absolute. She can be strong willed and/or
independent about things that necessitate logic or are not personal to
her, or which are academic arguments. However, we've seen her will wane
on occasion, on things that matter a lot to her, like Harry's safety, or
his and Ron's friendship, or the fate of Buckbeack. She's not precisely
weak-willed on those subjects, but her emotions come into play more than
her strength of will does. 

Heidi