[HPforGrownups] Re: JKR & Ron/Hermione, H/H converging

[Susanne]

No: HPFGUIDX 49784



Hi,

Tuesday, January 14, 2003, 10:01:10 AM, Jim wrote:

> As Hermione and Ron become more an item, Ron may become
> jealous 
> of all the time Hermione spends with Harry.  This could become a 
> source of tension between Ron and Hermione, overlaid by Ron feeling 
> he isn't of equal footing in the Trio.

But there's no sign of Ron being jealous of the time
Hermione spends with Harry alone, or with both Harry and
Ron.
He *may*, but again, he may not.

And Ron is not stupid. He seems to be used by JKR to ask the
questions some of the readers may need to have answered, but
I really don't see him as incapable of keeping up with Harry
and Hermione.

Ron is shown as envious of things that fall into Harry's lap
without Harry actually doing anything special to deserve
them (and yes, Harry has had a miserable life with the
Dursleys and deserves pretty much anything he gets offered
in the way of love and support, but I am an adult, not a
kid/teenager), but Ron doesn't show jealousy of Hermione's
knowledge/intelligence or Harry's.

> Harry has noticed Hermione for the first time.  When I read the Yule 
> Ball passage in Chapter 23 I was surprised I hadn't been more 
> impressed.  There were sparks there. This is seen through Harry's 
> eyes, and JKR tells us it's something he never noticed before, and I 
> say he won't forget it.

I think he already *has* forgotten it.

If not, I'd have
expected him to at least have a little thought here or there
about Hermione beyond the friendship.
Nothing big, but noticing her lovely smile, or thinking how
he likes her hair, even if it's not sleeked up.

Just a tiny thing a couple of times to build on later, but
after the first astonishment that Hermione could actually
look pretty (in Harry's eyes) has worn off, he never thinks
of her in a flattering way again.

> Susanne, in message 48723:"Emotionally, Hermione has a lot to learn.
> She doesn't always have a good concept about other people's
> feelings and how to make them feel better, instead of worse." 

> That was true once but history now, IMO.  No one else has grown more 
> in this series than Hermione has, not even Harry.  The know-it-all 
> little busybody is gone, driven out by a mission, leaving a rapidly 
> maturing young woman with compassion and moral courage (physical 
> bravery under construction).

Well, yes, she is maturing, but reading the parts with Harry
and Hermione interacting again, I see a lot of room for
improvement. Harry and Hermione just don't seem to quite click on
an emotional level.

> Susanne, 48723 again:"And Harry doesn't show much appreciation for 
> Hermione's help."

> I believe Harry does appreciate everything Hermione does for him,
> and 
> the understanding is past the verbal level.  He doesn't need to say 
> anything, and Hermione doesn't need to hear it.  They're past that.

This makes things easy, I guess ;)

I'm sure Hermione would still like to hear she is
appreciated every once in a blur moon, and I'm not convinced
at all that they are both quite at the non-verbal level,
yet.

Harry's treatment of Hermione, especially when she is trying
to help him, makes me angry sometimes.

Though she *does* tend to hassle him and go on and on, until
he can't stand it anymore.

That's what I mean by saying they don't quite click.

While Hermione certainly means well, she needs to stop
trying to run peoples' lives too much.
                 

> To me, it comes down to maturity.  Hermione is remarkably mature (in 
> the best sense) for a fourteen/fifteen year old,
>  and Harry's
> experiences are changing him, too, while Ron is more of a normal 
> fourteen/fifteen year old boy.  There's nothing wrong with that, but 
> it pushes Harry and Hermione closer together.

You mean, "normal" boys just never change?
Or just a bit slower, maybe?

I think Ron has still a chance to grow up, and not
perpetually stay at the same level, while Harry and Hermione
forever leave him behind ;)

-- 
Best regards,
 Susanne                           mailto:siskiou at earthlink.net