Harry Potter and the "Big Read" - Part 2 (long)

[melclaros]

No: HPFGUIDX 83120

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "junediamanti" 
<june.diamanti at b...> wrote:
 Among these was Andrew Davies 
> who is well known as a dramatist from classical literary sources- 
> for example, he was behind the adaptation of Pride and Prejudice 
> made a few years ago and very successful.  Andrew was utterly 
> scathing in his evaluation of JKR. <snip> that all her characters 
were stock - 
> nothing more. 

<snip> 
 
> 
> "Was anyone else downright insulted by Andrew Davies attitude on 
> last nights television programme?  While not for a moment implying 
> that anyone should be restrained from their opinions, I felt he 
went 
> way too far in his comments about J K Rowlings writing.  

<snip>


> The programme was about "reading" as opposed to highbrow literary 
> punditry and his snobbish remarks were emotive and unnecessary.  I 
> felt this was just the usual stance that the so-called literary 
> community tends to take about the fantasy genre as a whole and not 
> just Rowling's work.  


I'll just add a brief impression here since I did not see the 
programe in question and have no knowledge of this topic other than 
what you've presented us with here, June. Thanks for bringing it up.

I will tell you I'm scratching my head  a bit over the "stock 
character" comment, not that many of JK's characters *aren't* stock, 
but Andrew Davies? Pride and Prejudice? I love Jane Austen and I 
adored the BBC production of same--I have the entire thing on tape. 
But WHAT, if not STOCK are many of Jane Austen's characters? Mr and 
Mrs Bennett are about as "stock" as you can get--and I love both of 
them. Miss Darcy? The Arch Sister? Come ON, Andrew! Do we need move 
on to Mr Fawningvicar (name escapes me) and the Ohsogood best friend 
who marries him--Lizzie's cast-off suitor--because she can expect no 
better? And DON'T get me started on Jane.

Ok, now there I've gone on a rant about flawed--stock--stereotypical 
characters in a recognized work of great literature. A work of 
literature that is also among one of my favorite books. As you said, 
this list was about favorite books, not "dry boring books your 
professors told you to like". Who would want to be stuck on a desert 
island with Beowulf? (Ok, maybe someone, but I'd rather have Jane and 
Jo, thanks very much.)

Let me ask you something. Did anyone happen to ask Andy what was the 
critical opinion of our Jane was at the time her works were actually 
published?  I offer this exerpt from the Pengiun reader's guide:

"In 1843, the historian Thomas Macaulay called Austen the writer 
to "have approached nearest to the manner of the great master" 
Shakespeare; Charlotte Bronté felt, on the contrary, that "the 
Passions are perfectly unknown to her.... Jane Austen was a complete 
and most sensible lady, but a very incomplete, and rather insensible 
(not senseless) woman." Anthony Trollope made up his mind as a young 
man that "Pride and Prejudice was the best novel in the language," 
while Mark Twain claimed to feel an "animal repugnance" for Austen's 
writing."


To each his own.

Mel