Hermione's growth (was Why Ron Loves Hermione)

[David]

No: HPFGUIDX 81660

Jim Ferer wrote:

(Challenge)
> And that is exactly what Hermione is all about.  She came to 
Hogwarts
> for purely intellectual challenges and found much more. Her mind 
has
> grown (!), but so has her courage, heart, sense of purpose, 
physical
> bravery and people sense.  She is, and ever will be, always 
looking to
> test herself and the world around her.  

I think that is broadly true of the Hermione of PS through to GOF.

However, I feel she has gone badly adrift in OOP.  She has IMO 
become overconfident.

She presumes to direct Harry's love life without checking whether he 
wants her to.  She confidently explicates Cho's feelings without any 
sense that it might be good for Harry to verify her opinions by 
seeking Cho's own view.  She dismisses Firenze.  She rewrites the 
rules of her bargain with Rita Skeeter, just because it suits her.  
She decides what Sirius thinks of Harry, and has the cheek to assume 
that Sirius' support of an idea is a counter-recommendation.

Most tellingly to my mind, she makes no effort whatsoever to check 
whether her elf clothes are having the desired effect.  This is a 
cause that is supposedly dear to her heart, into which she puts a 
great deal of effort.  Yet she simply does not test herself and the 
world around her.  She has lost interest in rigorously finding out 
and discerning what the evidence is really telling her.

Her easy assumption that Harry would be prefect contasts visibly 
with Ron's maturity in not being offended by her presumption.

Much has been made of Harry being the typical teenager in his 
anger.  But Hermione has become a typical teenager of a different 
kind.

The word that comes to mind is 'arrogant'.

David