TOILET BREAKS AND BATHS

[Edis]

No: HPFGUIDX 69682



Some discussions on going to the bathroom...

Can we check to see if there are US/British differences in text here?

"Going to the bathroom" is regarded by many UK English speakers as an 
Americanism when the term means "go to the Toilet". Going to the 
bathroom would mean actually taking a bath,in water, mermaid 
spectators and all... The British edition books at any rate talk 
about the Boys and Girls Toilets, and its to the Girls Toilets (not 
bathrooms) that Hermione goes to weep in PS. 

JKRs books are quite upfront about wizards having bodily functions - 
remember Harry's reaction (in GOF) to the thought of Moaning Myrtle 
being flushed into the lake along with a load of shit... this clarity 
is not always evident in fiction, for children or otherwise. For 
example in the Swallows and Amazons series (by Arthur Ransome) the 
children go off to isolated islands or up on the moors camping and 
lots of details on getting fresh water and firewood but never a 
mention of digging latrines..

OTOH JKR does, by having a boy as POV lead character, avoid the Heidi 
Problem.  (Over the Heidi series the heroin covers the same age range 
as Harry does without experiencing menstruation.... ) 

Edis