Hermione's parents

[delwynmarch]

No: HPFGUIDX 103940


Hi Jujube,

I, Del, wrote .
> > As you said four times in this paragraph, that's what YOU *think*.
> > Other people think otherwise. And nobody can speak for JKR.

Jujube answered :
> First, let me say that I am sorry if my post and my use of "I think"
> has upset you.

Del replies :
You're kidding ! I *love* the fact that you keep saying "I think". I
was just pointing to the fact that the whole paragraph reflected only
your opinion, not facts, as you yourself must have been aware since
you'd used "I think" so often.
I'm sorry I was so unclear. And I'm afraid I'm not much clearer this
time either, huh :-) ?

I, Del, wrote :
> >  So saying that some things aren't really there is saying that we 
> > shouldn't apply our imagination and emotions to the Potterverse. 
> > What's the point of reading the books then ?

Jujube answered : 
> Please know I'm not saying anything of the sort.  Indeed, if I felt 
> that way, why would I join a mailing list devoted to discussing the 
> books?  ;-)   I have no problem with anyone "filling in the holes."  
> However, at the same time, I spend a good part of my time reading 
> documents and trying to figure out what happened, and having to fill 
> in holes within a set of relatively strict parameters..

Del replies :
Heh, heh, the catch is that, as far as the Potterverse is concerned,
each reader can define their own parameters. Some might keep strictly
to what is written in the books, others might invent the rest of the
whole WW in each country of the world, complete with names and dates,
and most of us will be somewhere in between (hey, some even deny the
canon, preferring to ignore some facts - Sirius's death - or to modify
a character's personality, for example). Of course, when our
parameters come clashing with someone else's parameters, then we're
stuck, especially since JKR never put a limit on what the reasonable
parameters were.

Jujube wrote :
> To some extent, the book is told from Harry's point of view.  
> However, there are 2, in my opinion, important qualifications to 
> that POV.  1.  The book is not told from Harry's eyes, or in the 
> first person, and 2.,  the narrator (whether it's JKR or someone 
> else is an issue I'll not bring up here) does show us scenes which 
> take place apart from Harry, and to which Harry is not an 
> eyewitness.

Del replies :
In fact, I believe that the story *is* told from Harry's eyes. It's
not Harry who tells the story, agreed, but the narrator only describes
what Harry sees. When something is hidden from Harry, we don't get to
see it. If Harry is concentrating on one person and missing what
another person is doing completely, then we don't get to see it
either. I don't believe that a story has to be told in the first
person to be told from someone's eyes.

And as for those scenes that we get to see and Harry doesn't, they are
extremely rare. There's the first chapter of SS/PS, and... er... well
that's pretty much it, if I'm not mistaken. Even the first chapter of
GoF is actually seen by Harry, in a dream.

I, Del, wrote :
> > If people want to dwell on other aspects of the book, it's their
> > *right*. A book is an object like any other : people can use it as
> > they want. Objects usually have one or two specific uses, but if
> > anyone wants to use them for anything else, that's their problem. 
> > You might not agree, you might choose to keep away from them when 
> > they do that, you might warn them, but you can't forbid them 
> > (unless you're their mom :-)

Jujube answered :
> I'm in total agreement with you here, but certainly there is also 
> room for those of us who disagree?  ;-)

Del replies :
Technically, yes ;-) But not on this list I'm afraid. The rule is : if
you have a canon piece to back your point, and it doesn't contradict
the rest of the canon, then you're entitled to discuss it. So nobody
can forbid anybody to play with bits of canon, even if they don't like it.

Jujube wrote :
> On this list I see a lot of, for lack of a better word, angst being 
> expended on topics like this, and a search for discord and 
> disharmony within the lives of characters where (in my opinion--and 
> it's just my opinion which doesn't mean that I'm forbidding anyone 
> to stop discussing it) it does not exist. 

Del replies :
Well actually, it's all JKR's fault :-) It's because we have way too
much time on our hands, waiting desperately for Book 6, that we go
looking for problems where there might not be any. But what else can
we do ;-) ?

Jujube wrote : 
> Also, from a humane point of view, I also personally don't like to 
> see people getting upset over issues like Hermione's perceived bad 
> relationship with her parents, mainly because there have been some 
> very sad and upsetting events thus far in the series, with more to 
> come. 

Del replies :
I'm afraid I don't understand what you mean exactly. Could you try
again please, it seems interesting ?

Del