The Hogwarts librarian

[zesca]

No: HPFGUIDX 80607


> > sbursztynski <greatraven at h...> wrote:
> > Is it only me who is just a bit irritated by the cliched 
> > presentation  of Madam Pince the librarian?  ...edited...
> 
> 
> > Rania Melhem replied:
> >
> > As a librarian, I totally agree with you. I am very irritated by 
> > Madam Pince's description by JKR. I dont know why she is depicted so 
> > horribly. And she never seems to help any of the Hogwarts students 
> > find information. 
> >
> > Rania
> 
> bboy_mn:
> 
> There is a reason why stereotypes and cliches exist; because there is
> some truth to them.
> 
> True a modern Librarian is a whole new breed; but it wasn't that long
> ago that the model of a librarian as the town spinster and a strick
> discipliarian wasn't that far off...[big chunk edited]...
> 
> The contents of THIS library are far more dangerous and valuable than
> the average modern lending library, and therefore need a much firmer
> hand to control them. 

madEYEmood:
and yet there are Madame Hooch and the divine Grubbly-Plank, presenter of 
dangerous creatures. both of them seem sensible and timelessly hip. 
perhaps both fit a different stereotype of the mannish female gym or science 
teacher.

i can't see why it's necessary for the librarian's firmness to be so firmly 
ensconced in a stereotype. and since the potter books are so wildly 
influential, it is a bit of a shame that the portrayal's a little corny/negative.