JKR the non-conformist

[asandhp]

No: HPFGUIDX 57591

Dear All,
 
I'm interested in a survey of JKR's many ways of flouting or twisting 
literary conventions. Some of these have been mentioned on this list 
before, such as the way Harry's hero status flies despite the fact 
that he hasn't won any of his battles on his own, and seems destined 
always to need the help of his friends.
 
Some others include Harry's extreme lack of introspection and self-
analysis, in contradiction to the typical teenage hero who, ever 
since the `70's, has been suffering from angst (rarely bangst) and 
self-searching to an equally extreme degree.
 
A third example is JKR's initial opening to the series, the first 
page of PS/SS, which openly and directly introduces us to the main 
characters and the setting, in contradiction to the opaque, teaser 
openings popular (and even considered necessary) since the early 
decades of the 20th century. She even hyperbolizes her directness on 
p.2, US hardcover, writing (I'm approximating, since my books are 
lent out), "On the gray and dreary Tuesday that our story begins
."
 
Fourth example: Narratives have been using the weather as mood-setter 
forever. JKR reverse-parodies this in the above quote, when she 
writes (again approx.), "there was nothing in the gray, dreary skies 
to cause anyone to suspect that strange and unusual things were about 
to happen." All through the series, she persistently paints weather 
portraits that have nothing whatsoever to do with the mood, though 
they often help the plot.
 
I am sure that there are dozens more such examples. This subject 
fascinates me like no other in HP, and I'd love it if you experts 
could toss out many, many more cases, to eventually be compiled in 
Fantastic Posts, allowing HP scholars to study JKR's non-conformist 
writing for generations to come.
 
Thanks in advance,
 
The Admiring Skeptic