Reader response (was: Who is the adult)

[davewitley]

No: HPFGUIDX 100929

I have not read every post in this thread, please accept my 
apologies if I am repeating something already said.

Darrin speculated:

> I really do wonder about people who find such fault with Harry, 
who 
> seem to speak of Harry with such disdain, who adore everything 
about 
> Snape and sometimes, the other Slytherins - (Please note that I am 
> not applying all of this to this particular poster - I simply have 
> not read enough of his/her thoughts to know) 
> 
> It makes me wonder what they get out of the books, if they are 
> cheering for the bad guys.

Darrin, you might find it interesting to read this post:

http://elkins.theennead.com/hp/archives/000036.html

originally post number 34802 on HPFGU.  See especially the section 
that begins:  "Readers might choose to privilege a subversive 
reading for any number of different reasons: political bias, 
aesthetic preference, philosophical protest, playful humor, or plain 
old-fashioned perversity. In most cases, though, the decision to 
espouse a subversive reading reflects some degree of dissatisfaction 
with one or more aspects of a work which otherwise holds great 
appeal. Subversive readings are usually a symptom of a deep reader 
ambivalence about the text as a whole."

I understand there is a distinction between a subversive theory 
(such as ESE!Lupin) and disliking a generally well-loved character 
such as Harry without hanging any particular theory on that 
dislike.  However, I think the two phenomena are related.  Often 
dislike (or like of a generally disliked character) is based 

I also note that no matter how many readers cheer on - or hiss - any 
character, it will not have the slightest effect on the outcome of 
events in books 6 and 7, nor will it affect my experience of reading 
that outcome.

David, amused by the sight of 11,000 'grownups' searching for an 
adult...