Ginny's development

[David]

No: HPFGUIDX 72158

Penny wrote:

> As for Ginny, yes, she is a stronger character, albeit through an 
unsatisfactory handling of her from my perspective.  Ooh, Ginny is a 
prankster like Fred and George!  Ooh, Ginny has a sense of humor!  
Ooh, Ginny has lots of friends!  Ooh, Ginny has boyfriends!  Ooh, 
Ginny is a talented Quidditch player!  Ooh, Ginny is super woman!  
Please.  Could we have had some *hint* of all that Ginny in previous 
volumes, please?  I do like the stronger and improved Ginny, don't 
misunderstand.  But, I as a reader feel cheated about how she was 
developed in one fell swoop into such an overwhelming super-star.  
So, while H/G is, IMO, in pretty much as strong a position as H/H, 
I'm no closer to being in favor of H/G than ever before.  It doesn't 
feel at all right to me.  So, I'll continue to hope that I'm right 
and it's actually H/H in the end.    

I feel this is overstating it a little, in two ways.

First, while there is much about the detail of OOP Ginny that could 
not have been predicted with certainty, many readers were able to 
figure out, despite her lack of screen time in POA and GOF, that she 
is in fact a major character.  There certainly are hints of her 
forceful character, in standing up to her mother, and her worth, 
notably that Hermione has time for her.  And we were given fair 
warning that she is interested in boys.

Second, she is not a super-star.  Certainly not overwhelming.  She's 
just come into focus.  I'm not sure whether OOP really leaves the 
impression of a strong, integrated, fun-loving, feisty Ginny, but if 
it does, IMO that's misdirection too.

I think we now have plenty of evidence from other characters that 
apparently forgotten weaknesses may reappear in future.  So I think 
it quite likely that we will see again the Ginny who wondered if she 
could ever get Harry Potter to notice her - not that that's a H/G 
point, just that desire for attention may reassert itself in a new 
way.  And the girl who pestered her mother for a sight of him on the 
train may reappear.  And the one who wondered if she'd be expelled.

How about a Ginny who's just certain she's going to fail all her 
OWLs?  F&G's legacy is not all good.

David, who thinks *some* weak female characters are not a bad thing