[HPforGrownups] Hermione's attachment to her parents and peers (was: Re: Ghosts / Hermione & parents /)

[SnapesRaven]

No: HPFGUIDX 102406

Christina in GAsaid,
> "I get the
> impression that Hermione is pretty close to her parents."

Alina replied,
"I myself get the impression that Hermione is getting
estranged. It actually surprised me that Hermione is spending several
summers in a row with the Weasleys (with the Order in book 5). I mean, if my
daughter was going to a boarding school, I'd want her home for the holidays.
She doesn't seem to miss her family all that much, but we do see her missing
the wizarding world while she's home."


Now me:

Ha-haaa! 
Good morning everyone!
*rustles her still sleep-ruffled feathers*

Now this is interesting! 
I'm currently attending a psychology course at uni (yes, my Master appreciates me learning more about the muggle world! *grins*). Its topic is attachment and development. 
There are several different types of attachment possible between a child and its parent(s). One of them is the secure form, in which it is normal for a child to direct its attention to its environment and peers rather than to its family when it grows up. The exploration factor becomes larger the older the child/adolescent becomes. It can very well be a close relationship between child and parents when the child values its friends' company over its parents'. This is not meant for all aspects in life, but a secure attachment means two things: a close relationship to one's parents when you're clearly dependant on them; being able to talk to them about problems and inner conflicts. On the other hand it is important for an adolescent to establish attachment to other people around him/her. At some point parents and adolescent alike do have to let go a part of each other. A secure attachment makes it a lot easier because there are no (or at least minimal) guilty feelings involved and the adolescent knows he/she is welcome back home at any time.

I think this is transferable to Hermione. She spent much time in the Muggle world and doesn't seem to think about her parents in another way than before she was introduced to the WW. 
She went on holidays (to France, for example) with them and as she grows older, her interests/future perspectives and friends belong more to the WW - like herself, because she's a witch (who'd have guessed, *g*, sorry for that!  ; )  ). I think Hermione's parents want their daughter - who, apparently, is very capable to do a lot without help (I'm thinking of her habit of reading everything up and drawing the right conclusions, her bravery and wit; I have no doubt her parents know about the thngs she experiences at school) - to find a life of her own. They don't give her a bad conscience for spending time with whom she prefers, they support it (I think silently, sheer consent with what Hermione decides in that aspect). I see this as a sign of trust between them - the parents trust their daughter's judgement and actions to a far extent. 
What I want to say is that I don't think Hermione has become estranged from her family. She simply involves in her life as a witch which doesn't automatically end outside school but will (as I see it) be her future as well. (*grins*: [her] 'past present and future'!)

[I remember that at her age I wanted to do a lot alone/without my parents. Alright, let's not discuss my parents here.  ; )  ]


I hope I didn't forget anything (am still a little slepy)...

SnapesRaven




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