[HPforGrownups] HPforgrownups Re: What do you like best about the HP books?

[Irene Mikhlin]

No: HPFGUIDX 73253



kiricat2001 wrote:

> And, there is the question of how JKR seems to think she has written 
> characters, judging by what she says in interviews, with how readers 
> perceive the same characters.  She has described Snape as a sadistic 
> teacher who abuses his power.  And, yet, lots of readers think Snape 
> is a wonderfully complicated character who has ample backstory to 
> explain whatever inadequacies he may have as an adult.  And, they can 
> find all sorts of explanations as to why his teaching style is maybe 
> not that bad.  
> 
> JKR has said she likes Sirius and she cried when she killed him off.  
> And a number of people on this list said either, 1) they didn't care 
> about Sirius, so the death didn't bother them, or 2) they don't like 
> Sirius, so thank god he was the one who died, or 3) gee, she said 
> this was the death of a major character, but it was only Sirius, so 
> what's the big deal...
> 
> Well, are those readers missing the point, or has JKR not written 
> those characters well enough to make people see them the way she 
> purportedly does?
> 
> I'd give JKR no more than a C+ or B- for characterization.

I could not disagree more. It's exactly the sign of well-written, 
three-dimensional character that he (she) is able to take a life of his 
own and make different and unintended impressions on the readers.
If the character conveys exactly what the authors planned and nothing 
more, this character is just a one-trick pony.

Irene