Adolescent Development in OOTP

[Peter Shea]

No: HPFGUIDX 101825


I recently began re-reading OOTP and was again struck by the absence of what thought was a flaw in JKR's depiction of adolescence in the book.

While we do have Harry's vivid teenage angst about developing a relationship with Cho Chang, there is disappointingly little about how such emotions affect the dynamic of the central trio's relationship--which is a letdown after the topic was introduced in GOF.

For example, are we supposed to believe than Ron Weasley, as a healthy, ordinary teenage male, has not yet consciously become aware of his attraction for Hermione Granger or indeed any young woman? Is Hermione supposed to be so unaffected by her "coming out" at the Yule Ball that she completely retreats into her academic studies and shows only occasional (and ambiguous) interest in matters of the heart (as she does when she advises Harry about his relationship with Cho)? Of the principal teenage characters in the novel, only Ginny Weasley appears to experiencing the normal dating game for young teenagers.

Comments?

 

		
---------------------------------
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Mail Address AutoComplete - You start. We finish.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]