[HPforGrownups] Re: Hermione's parents

[Shaun Hately]

No: HPFGUIDX 102904

On 25 Jun 2004 at 3:59, Meredith wrote:

> Because Ron grew up in the Wizarding World, I'm sure Mr. and Mrs. 
> Granger understand HE cannot come and stay with them. But more 
> importantly, breaking away from your parents is a part of growing 
> up, especially when you go to boarding school. 

True to an extent - but not generally to this extent at the age of 
only 15. Seriously - I know about boarding schools - I went to one, 
I have a huge amount of contact with people who went to them, and a 
significant amount of contact with some kids who are at them now, 
And a 15 year old who has spent as little time with her parents as 
Hermione has over the last year and a half rings *serious* alarm 
bells in terms of their relationship.

There's a huge difference between developing independence in term 
time, and having virtually no contact with your parents in the 
holidays. We're not talking about a young adult here - we're 
talking about a child. She may well be an unusually mature child (I 
think she is) but she is still a child. And her comments about 
becoming a prefect in OotP, implying that her parents don't 
understand most of her life, really does suggest that breaking away 
is not entirely her choice, and not entirely something she wants to 
do.

Now, if Hermione's parents were part of the Wizarding World, or if 
the Harry Potter books were set a bit further back in time when 
professional parents in Britain sent their children to boarding 
schools much more often, I wouldn't be as concerned.

But Hermione's parents are dentists (I guess middle class 
professionals) in 1990s Britain. The odds are they never intended 
to send their daughter to boarding school (it's not impossible by 
any means, but it would be a somewhat uncommon choice at that 
time). They are really not that likely to be from the type of 
cultural background that easily sends a child away to school.
 
> When I went away to 
> college I came home for every break my first year. My second year I 
> stayed at school for fall and Spring break. And I got a job and 
> stayed in school for the whole summer between my junior and senior 
> year, only seeing my parents for a total of about 3 weeks for the 
> whole calendar year. Granted, I was older the Hermione (late 
> teens/early 20s), but I simply think children gain independence 
> sooner the earlier they are forced into it. 

There is a *lot* of difference between a child in their early and 
mid teens, and one in their late teens and early twenty in this 
regard. There really is.


Yours Without Wax, Dreadnought
Shaun Hately | www.alphalink.com.au/~drednort/thelab.html
(ISTJ)       | drednort at alphalink.com.au | ICQ: 6898200 
"You know the very powerful and the very stupid have one
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