Ginny's Role in Book 7 (was: Re: Four ponderings)

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 144820

> >>Miles:
> Maybe some more talented (or diligent) listies could do the actual 
> work (did I mention that I like to have ideas, but not to work    
> them out?), but don't you forget about the major limitation of the 
> entire series - the narrative perspective?
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
I did try to take the limitation of Harry's POV under consideration. 
And, frankly, it's not really a factor, IMO.  Harry notices Ginny 
talking to Bill and her mom about Bill's hair (GoF), while the 
quidditch conversation is going on.  I mean, yes, Ginny might talk 
quidditch after he's left the room, but if she's able to talk 
period, and she's supposed to be fairly quidditch mad (mad enough to 
sneak into the family broom shed, etc.) why would she let Bill's 
hair distract her from her passion?

And Harry walks into the middle of the great table fight in GoF.  
Ginny is in the middle of an activity she started out of Harry's 
POV.  What a perfect time to show her strutting her HBP stuff.  She 
can blush and flub and flail *after* she notices Harry's joined 
them, but JKR doesn't take that opportunity.  Which is why I don't 
think JKR spent much time thinking about her personality until it 
was time to set up the "Harry's perfect girl"!Ginny.

> >>Miles:
> So, the details you found that may characterize her - are they    
> reliable? The character development seems to be inaccurate due to 
> a lack of interest on Harry's side. Especially in HBP most of the 
> information about Ginny comes from Hermione - Harry seems to be   
> surprised by nearly everything that she can tell him.
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
*Harry* can be surprised, but the readers shouldn't be so badly 
shocked.  We shouldn't be going "Quidditch? Wha...?" because we've 
been *around* Ginny.  We should have had a chance to notice her 
excitment during the QWC, excitment that just wasn't there.  We 
shouldn't be wondering when exactly Ginny became the third twin 
because she should have been following them around (or treated like 
their little mascot) throughout the books. (Instead, she seemed more 
attached to Percy and Ron -- something that totally changes in OotP 
and HBP.)

Everything Hermione told Harry should have rung a bit true.  Maybe 
filled in some blanks, but not come out of nowhere.  JKR did a 
pretty good job of using discriptors that suggested Ginny was pretty 
throughout the series. (Her "bright brown eyes" in CoS, for 
example.)  So Harry suddenly finding Ginny attractive didn't come 
out of nowhere for readers.  It's her *character* that JKR fell down 
on, IMO.  And she had plenty of places to do a better job.  (Again, 
the movie GoF!Ginny has several beats that foreshadow OotP!Ginny. So 
I think it's JKR's problem, not the POV issue.)

Betsy Hp (burning dinner -- ack!)