Nel Question #9: Gender - Perfect Sense

[phoenixgod2000]

No: HPFGUIDX 127471



> 
> bboyminn:
> 
> These books are absolutely biased, there are distorted to a male
> perspective, and are male-centeric [period, full stop, absolute end 
of
> sentence]. Yet, how could they be other than /male-centered/ when the
> central point-of-view character is a male; further, a very young 
male?

This I agree with.
 
> Instead of complaining that the books are male-centered, which of
> course they well should be, people should be marveling, as I do, that
> a female author could so thoroughly and accurately capture the
> male-mind. Speaking as a former boy (current man), JKR got it
> amazingly and wonderfully right.

I would make the opposite arguement. To me it seems obvious that a 
woman is writing this story. the whole thing smacks of stereotypes of 
boyhood and boyish tendencies without any real understanding. I think 
in a lot of ways the books are demeaning in their portrayal of teen 
boys. Ron in particular seems a victim of this to me. I refuse to 
believe that a boy with *five* older brothers could be so clueless 
about the fairer sex while a bookish only child with few friends 
possesses keen insight into the same pairings. It totally buys into 
the sterotype that teen boys are immature and silly while girls are 
somehow born with maturity and social wisdom. I work with kids their 
age every day and I can tell you it just ain't true.  

phoenixgod2000