Ron and Hermione in OOTP

[txjen70]

No: HPFGUIDX 64093

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Peter Shea <bebche2 at y...> 
wrote:
> Okay, I have to get this out of my system. I'm disappointed with 
the treatment of Ron and Hermione in OOTP.
>  
> I am glad Ron and Hermione were given prefect status (although why 
Ron was made a prefect is anybody's guess). However, I would have 
preferred that JKR had allowed some quality time for Ron and 
Hermione to develop. In GoF we got to see the empathy and budding 
political awareness of Hermione as well as the psychological and 
class struggles of Ron. On top, GoF offered a glimpse into a 
potential intimacy between the forever sparing Friends of Harry.
>  
> In OOTP, a year goes by without any sign of their complicated 
relationship developing. It seems extremely implausible that 
everyone around them (including Ron's younger sister) has discovered 
dating while the two of them seem stuck in a pre-GoF mode, with 
Hermione talking like a pedant and Ron solely preoccupied with 
Quidditch.
>  
> Comments?
> 
> 
> 
> Peter Shea
> 
> ---------------------------------
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> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I too was disappointed by the lack of development of Ron and 
Hermione.  Yes external things happened to them in the book, but 
where was the character development?  SUre there was some in regards 
to Ginny and Neville, but still not over whelmingly so.  It then 
dawned on me that 1) - this book was a sign of Harry isolating 
himself from them.  And 2) - Harry is not a very good friend.  He 
has his reasons to think selfishly, I know.  And his age of course 
plays a factor.  But no where does he really get concerned about the 
lives of his friends.  He is mostly impatient with them and/or upset 
with them.  And I think this will lead to bigger reprecussions in 
6&7.