Feminism , Ginny, and Hermione

[iris_ft]

No: HPFGUIDX 133678

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "adairfletch" 
<adairfletch at y...> wrote:
> 
> I shall expound on my thoughts.  I've noticed this thread began 
with a 
> discussion on how Ginny's reprimanding Hermione was an actual 
display 
> of conservative thought.  Now, I've never been in the burning bras 
> camp, but I am most decidely a feminist, in the women-can-do-
anything-a-
> men-can-do-how-dare-we-be-stereotyped-into-certain-social-roles 
kind of 
> way.  And as far as I was concerned, Ginny shooting Hermione down 
in 
> that moment was great, Hermione was being annoying.  Not because 
she's 
> overly intelligent, but because she was castrating Harry for doing 
> something, though not moral, at least unintentional.  Plus, it was 
> about Malfoy after he tried to hit Harry with the Cruciatus 
Curse.  It 
> was stupid of Harry to try a hex he had no knowledge about, I 
totally 
> agree, but he already felt terrible about it, and Hermione was 
> displaying, in my opinion, a moment of insensitivety, which is 
common 
> for her when she feels she is absolutely in the right.  Hermione 
can be 
> extremely annoying, which has nothing to do with her being a girl, 
and 
> is something I don't like to admit, because I've been called a 
Hermione 
> numerous times by many of my own friends.


Iris now:

The way I see it (but of course it's only my opinion, nothing more), 
Hermione was before all trying to protect Harry when she reprimanded 
him for what he had done. I'm not very good at building shipping 
theories, but I'll probably have to learn, because of the importance 
of love in this new book. I can't give anything for sure until the 
last book is released, but however I would bet that Hermione 
actually loves Harry and cares for him. She behaves in a strange and 
sometimes irritating way because of what she knows about him. He's 
the boy she loves, but he's also the Chosen One. The cloud of black 
smoke that surrounds her when she is given the information could 
mean that the situation disturbs her. Hermione is a reasonable girl, 
but she has to face a situation that goes beyond reason. How would 
you react if you happened to learn that the boy you love is doomed, 
that he has a mission you will probably never be able to fulfil 
yourself? Since the beginning, since the moment when she helps pass 
the Potion riddle in the first book, Hermione is aware of the 
difference between her and Harry. and by now, she has the 
confirmation. Then she probably doesn't know what to do in order to 
protect him, or in order to join him where he has to be.
Moreover, we learn at the end of the book that she gave Ginny a 
piece of advice and helped her seduce him. It shows that she has 
studied the subject very carefully, as she always do. The irony in 
the situation is that another girl takes advantage on her knowledge.

As for Ginny, and her brisk reaction towards Hermione, couldn't we 
understand that actually, she sees Hermione as a menace? Hermione is 
Harry's friend, since the beginning. She is brilliant, Harry trusts 
her, she's always there to help him. Moreover, Hermione is an 
attractive girl. Ginny isn't blind and sees how Ron behaves. She 
also knows what happened in GoF: Hermione, without making an effort, 
had managed to seduce Krum, a Quidditch star player. When Ginny 
bashes her, it's precisely about Quidditch. Quidditch is a tie 
between Harry and Ginny; what would happen if Hermione started 
showing an interest for the game? In other words, when Ginny tells 
Hermione not to act as though she understand Quidditch, she's teling 
her indirectly that she considers her as a rival. She wants Hermione 
not to enter the Quidditch Pitch; she's defending her territory.

> And I didn't see Ginny only described physically, and I did not 
> understand the argument that her looks are why Harry likes her. 

 Yes, we must also consider the way JK Rowling talks about what 
Harry likes in Ginny, what makes him notice her. Several times, we 
find a mention of her "long red hair", and of her vivacity. Doesn't 
it sound like what we know of
 Lily? Like Ginny, she had long red 
hair, and if we trust Professor Slughorn, she was "vivacious and 
charming", and used to make "cheeky answers". (chapter 4). So, you 
know, I think Harry cared for her because she reminded him of his 
beloved mother. 
It could turn out to be a reference to Alchemy (there's a phase 
called "the incestuous union of the mother and the son, or of the 
brother and the sister; Ginny looks like Lily and Harry considers 
first that he loves her like a brother).
Without going until the Alchemical level, we can also see Harry's 
attraction towards Ginny, who looks like his mother, as the last 
manifestation of the boy's Oedipus complex. And when Harry decides 
to put an end to his relationship with Ginny, it's because he has 
grown up and he has overpass definitely that complex. It wouldn't 
work with Ginny because it wouldn't have worked with Lily.

One last thing concerning a possible hidden rivalry between Hermione 
and Ginny: Ginny says she's ready to let Harry go and face 
Voldemort, but she calls his mission "stupid and noble". Hermione 
spends her time trying to warn him, but at the end, she says she's 
ready to follow him. 
We can think at first sight that Ginny's reaction is generous, that 
she sacrifices her sentiments in order to let Harry do what he has 
to do, and JK Rowling herself says that Harry considers she 
understands him. But however... she doesn't protest, she doesn't say 
she's ready to follow him whatever happens.
We can think that Hermione is irritating with her eternal warnings. 
But however... her name is the last word of the book, and she's 
ready to share Harry's doom if she can do something for him.
There's a huge difference between Ginny's option and Hermione's.
Doesn't Hermione understand Harry better than Ginny?
Ginny understand perfectly the teenage boy, but not the Chosen One.
Hermione understands them both... 

And that's how I became unwillingly a shipper...never say "never"

Of course you can object that this is reading far between the lines, 
but if I understand how shipping works, maybe I'm after all not 
completely off topic.

Amicalement,