Hermione's fear (WAS Lupin's sense of humor )

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 84113

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "corinthum" <kkearney at s...> 
wrote:
> Jen wrote:
> >If so, then they wouldn't let Hermione face a 
> > boggart in her end-of-term exam (where she *said* she saw 
> McGonagall 
> > telling her she failed--I don't buy that!).
> 

Cornith:
> Why not, out of curiosity?  Hermione fears failure.  A boggart 
> obviously can't appear as such an abstract concept, so he takes 
the 
> most current form of it, i.e. failure of the current task, her 
exams.
> 
> I don't have any problem believing that to be Hermione's worst 
fear.  
> If a person begins to be identified by success, as Hermione is, 
both 
> by herself and by others, then failing to live up to expectations 
> (either her own or others') can be devastating.  


Jen: Logically, I have no reason to doubt Hermione would be most 
afraid of failure. We even have canon from PS/SS, something Bohcoo 
quotes in this thread, when Hermione says being expelled is worse 
than being killed.

It's just...why do we never see her facing off against a boggart? 
That's what bothers me. She doesn't get a chance in class, and her 
other experience with the boggart is hidden. Why would JKR do that? 
Yes, it's from Harry's POV so we don't see Hermione in the trunk 
doing her exam...it just seems secretive to me. Also, even if 
McGonagall is who Hermione really saw, it seems extreme that 
she "burst out again, screaming" (POA, US, cahp. 16, p. 319) and was 
difficult to calm down. Maybe JKR was taking a poke at herself since 
she identifies with the Hermione character--how deep the fear of 
failure runs in certain high-achieving people.

Another thing that bothers me: Hermione isn't the same girl in POA 
as she was in in PS/SS. Grades and success are crucially important, 
but they aren't the only thing she lives for anymore. In fact, 
here's a qoute to support that: "Books! And cleverness! There are 
more important things--friendship and bravery and--oh Harry--be 
careful!" (SS, chap. 16, p. 287). 

Jen, off to find the most recent thread on this subject from a month 
or two ago....