Umbridge, detention, scars, and plotlines, oh my!.

[lupinlore]

No: HPFGUIDX 126018


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "phoenixgod2000" <jmrazo at h...>
wrote:

<SNIP>
> 
> I think that could have been one of the problems of OOTP. She had 
> every so precisely planned out that she had to go ooc with a few of 
> the characters to get the to the spot they needed to be even though 
> it wouldn't really make since for them to do it, since she didn't 
> have the room to allow for changes in her narrative.
> 
> Phoenixgod2000

I think you may well be on to something here, Phoenixgod.  The tyranny
of an outline could well explain the OOC characters in OOTP, along
with many of the other contrived developments.  An example is Ron
suddenly being both a prefect and a Quidditch keeper. It just smacks
of the author stacking together a series of sudden, strained, and
implausible plot twists aimed at giving him what he saw in the Mirror
of Erised -- which, by the way, I certainly hope is not the way things
are headed. After all that about how the Mirror doesn't foretell the
future I'll throw the book against the wall if it turned out the
Mirror foretold the future, even by accident. 

I agree that Hermione suffers a great deal from authorial empathy, but
I'm not sure that explains the problems with her in OOTP.  I think
much of it was that she was dragged along by the forced developments
with many of the other characters.  As they changed in rather
unbelievable ways to reach the end state that JKR's outline dictated,
her reactions had to change as well.  In a way I feel rather sorry for
her.  Caught in a world gone mad she at least remains sane, if shrill.

Oddly enough, I really didn't mind the developments with Ginny very
much.  Given the much greater problems presented by the other
characters, I thought her sudden shifts were a relatively minor
disruption.  After all, we haven't heard much from her in a couple of
books, and so at least there was the possibility that much of this had
been going on sub-rosa.

I agree with Betsy that JKR is probably heading for H/G.  I agree with
you, Phoenixgod, that the Ginny presented in OOTP doesn't seem a very
good match for Harry.  I'm not sure I'd agree Harry needs a "sweet"
love interest.  Given his experience in life, I'm not sure Harry would
know how to deal with a sweet person.  He would be very puzzled by
that kind of temperment and considering the strains he is facing I
don't know that he would have the ability to work through a new mode
of interacting (which is one reason I have doubts about Harry and Luna
- talk about needing a new mode of interacting!)  On the other hand,
given Harry's increase in temper and decrease in patience, which I
expect are long-term trends, I can't see him putting up with a very
combative person in the near future, either.   At present all I can
see Harry doing with Ginny as presented in OOTP is descending
gradually into a battle of wills punctuated by increasing snarkiness.
 Of course, that may change when the contents of the prophecy are
revealed and the attitudes of Ginny and others around Harry shift
accordingly.  If Ginny can maintain her sense of humor and cultivate a
version of Molly's strong will marked by calm, firmness, and patience
as opposed to her mother's bossiness, I could easily see Ginny as
being very good for Harry.


Lupinlore