The OOTP Gripe List, v. 5,432

[hickengruendler]

No: HPFGUIDX 126096


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "lupinlore" <bob.oliver at c...> 
wrote:
 
> 
> 1) Dumbledore.  Many people found him OOC in the last book. 
> Particularly they found his decisions and actions implausible and
> sometimes downright unbelievable in light of his previous actions 
and
> characterization.

Hickengruendler:

But which action exactly? The only thing I found unbelievable during 
my first reading, was, that he didn't spoke to Harry. But this was 
explained in the end when he said, that he feared, that Voldie would 
use Harry to spy on him. I found this explanation believable. I think 
it was a mistake from Dumbledore, but I can understand why he did 
what he did, and I did not find it out of character.

> 
> 2) Harry.  I think all of the people involved in this latest set of
> discussions agree that his anger was believable.  However, he seemed
> to have curious (and, some suspect, authorally convenient) lapses in
> smarts, particularly not bothering to open the mirror -- and I would
> add that it seems contrived that neither Sirius nor Remus mentioned
> the mirror during his firecall (as in, why aren't you using the
> mirror, Harry?).

Hickengruendler:

Yes, he had curious lapses in smarts. That's because he's a boy who 
acts before he thinks. I think he had these lapses of smarts in all 
the books (see GoF, where he honestly thought, that the hostages 
during the second task were in real danger, or in CoS, when he and 
Ron took Lockhart of all teachers to go with them in the chamber). 
OotP however, was the first book, in which Harry's behaviour had some 
real consequences. However, to be fair, Sirius gave Harry the present 
half a year earlier, and than Harry forgot it. It's not a surprise, 
that he didn't think of it at such a moment, where he couldn't think 
clearly for obvious reasons. Also, Harry was interrupted during his 
conversation with Remus and Sirius. They talked about the pensieve 
scene, and before Sirius could add anything else, Harry heard Filch 
going to the office.
 
> 
> 3) Ron.  His development seems contrived to some, and perhaps even
> offensive, since he was elevated to a position he had not earned at
> the expense of Harry, who had earned it.  In particular it seems
> forced and manipulative as it seems designed to fulfill a
> foreshadowing we had been assured was not a foreshadowing.  That is,
> we were specifically assured the Mirror of Erised did not foretell 
the
> future.  If it did foretell the future, even by coincidence, then 
the
> whole thing smells of poorly conceived contrivance.  Some also 
object
> to the fact that Ron's Quidditch triumph, which he certainly HAD
> earned, took place "off screen," thus once again making the sudden
> eminence of his character seem hollow and forced.

Hickengruendler:

I agree with you, that if Ron really gets exactly what he sees in the 
mirror, it would be a unbelievable and not really satisfying. 
However, I think we just have to wait to make a judgement about this. 
So far, he got neither, except winning the Quidditch Cup, what he 
deserved. But I do think he'll be the Quidditch captain, but not the 
headboy (coughErnieMacMillancough).
> 
> 4) Ginny.  Her shift in personality came out of left field, and 
leaves
> many people feeling that JKR was playing fast and loose with her
> character in order to move her overnight into position for some 
future
> role, quite possibly as Harry's love interest.

Hickengruendler:

I agree with those who critisize Ginny's development. I think Ginny's 
development was the most problematic to write, since it makes 
complete sense, that she acted differently around Harry than 
normally, because of the crush. But I still found it jarring and 
mostly unsatisfying.
> 
> 5.  Hermione.  She seemed shrill and unsympathetic to some people, 
and
> many object to the fact that she was always right.  This last trait
> was especially grating, as it leads many to believe she was
> essentially a clumsy insertion of JKR herself into the text.   > so 
desires.
> 

Hickengruendler:

I really think people should have a bit more trust in JKR. I think 
she knows very well, where Hermione's flaws lie. She even mentioned 
this, when she said, that Luna was the anti Hermione. 

Hickengruendler