No subject

[littleleahstill]

No: HPFGUIDX 101871

Peter Shea wrote:
>
> 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?

Leah:

This isn't a high school where the kids go home every afternoon, so 
get a break from each other, and also go shopping, to clubs etc where 
they may meet boys and girls from other schools. These young people 
have lived in very close proximity to each other since they were 11.  
While it's clearly not impossible for romance to develop, this may 
induce more brother/sister closeness than would be compatible with 
dating.   There's also the problem which occurs in office romances 
that you've got to go on seeing the other day after day following a 
split. I don't think it's accidental that a lot of the dating we have 
seen has been inter house. 

While it's chiefly Ginny we see dating in OOTP, we have been shown 
other relationships occuring within the school. We know Molly and 
Arthur were going out together at Hogwarts; so were Lily and James.  
Someone was kissing Florence according to Bertha Jorkins.  Cho and 
Cedric appeared to be a steady couple, and the boy she moves onto 
after Harry, Roger someone, is also shown dating in Hogsmeade, 
snogging at the table.  I have assumed Draco and Pansy are a couple, 
though this is not made clear. And of course, there was Percy and 
Penelope.  As to Hermione, we don't know if she is content to focus 
her attention on a long distance relationship with Krum, or whether 
she is waiting for Ron to wake up.  She is a girl who is very focused 
on her academic work and having proved she could'get a boy' is 
probably quite happy to concentrate on her books.  

I find Rowling's handling of this aspect very realistic and with the 
right sort of balance.  I'm very touched by Ron's inablitity to 
realise what he feels or to know what to do about it.

Leah