Author avatars

[serenadust]

No: HPFGUIDX 57631

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "David" <dfrankiswork at n...> 
wrote:
> This Binns thread reminds me of something.
> 
> At times arguments (usually in the shipping arena) are based on 
the 
> notion of the author avatar, and the idea that if we can locate 
> JKR's own identity with a character (usually taken as Hermione) 
then 
> we can conjecture JKR's own wishes and project them onto the 
> character to guess at future events in (or after) the series.
> 
> While I doubt the validity of this form of reasoning, I also think 
> it is largely mistaken to consider Hermione as JKR's avatar in the 
> books.
> 
> I understand JKR to have said that she has based Hermione to some 
> extent on her own teenage self: in other words, she has looked 
back 
> to the person she was and used that as a quarry for 
> characterisation.  I think that's quite different from using 
> characters as vehicles for aspects of her *current* self.
> 
> I think it is true that Hermione's social concerns reflect 
something 
> of herself that JKR puts into the books.  That, to me, though, is 
> relatively minor both in Hermione's character and JKR's 
> preoccupations.

<snip examples of Dumbledore, Peeves, and Binns reflection of JKR>

> Any other opinions out there as to whom JKR identifies with?


Actually, I've always thought that Ron's reaction to his family's 
poverty reflects JKR's own feelings about the period of time when 
she was very poor.  In her interview in The Guardian, July 8, 2000

http://books.guardian.co.uk/Print/0,3858,4037903,00.html

she talks about how devistated she was when she saw how much another 
child had in terms of material possesions in comparison to her 
daughter.

I agree with you that Hermione, while sharing many of JKR's own 
foibles at the same age, is not JKR's atavar (or even her "Mary Sue" 
to the fanfic afficionados).  My impression is that her own 
attitudes and feelings are reflected in Harry, as well as many of 
the other characters.  

Good post, David!

Jo Serenadust