Rita Skeeter ( WAS: Re: Hermione's growth)

[slgazit]

No: HPFGUIDX 82691

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Sharada <bumchum22 at y...> wrote:
> I have one other feeling....We haven't sen the full
> evilness of Rita. She may be as mean as Umbridge, just
> that we dont know to equal depths about the two to
> come to a conclusion. IMO Umbridge is a step more evil
> that Rita, but Rita can be motivated(provoked) to
> excell Umbridge.

There is strong evidence that Rita for all her foulness is a much 
better person than Umbridge. Both women are confronted with Harry 
stating that he saw Voldemort comes back. Both don't believe a word 
of it. Umbridge sentences him to several week-long torture sessions 
to break him. Rita is willing (admittedly under duress, but still) to 
conduct a faithfull interview and by all indications - her pressing 
him to give her every little detail - ends up believing him. Contrast 
that with Umbridge's reaction to his story when it is finally in 
print.

So while I agree with Ron that "poisonous toadstools don't change 
their spots", I also think that Rita is redeemable. Perhaps the year 
that Hermione sentenced her to think over her actions, not to mention 
the sensational success of the only story she wrote during that year 
(and probably the only article she ever wrote without adding any 
spoof) will help making her a better person and a better journalist. 
I can't see Umbridge becoming a better person however much 
traumatised she was at the end of OoP.

Salit