Character Driven or Plot Driven

[Sandra Collins]

No: HPFGUIDX 155244

Laura Lynn Walsh <lwalsh at ...> wrote:
>Are the HP books considered to be plot driven or character 
driven? > Laura

Sandra writes -

Hi Laura,
I would say that they're character driven, even though I don't feel 
as if I know the characters that well. We read of what they do as a 
result of events happening around them, but not enough in my 
view of what they're like when not responding to 'outside' 
stimulus. I know Hermione has compassionate moments of 
conscience (S.P.E.W) when she's not studying or doing H&R's 
homework for them, and Ron can land a tonsil-hockey girlfriend 
to pass the time and has a mild jealousy of Harry's wealth and 
attention, but beyond that  I feel that even after all this time, they 
carry me from A to B with very few enlightening diversions in 
terms of personality along the way.
I don't think I could say the books were being plot driven because 
after six volumes the WW is only slightly better off than in the first, 
in other words the same initial problem still exists which could, if 
JKR hadn't found a publisher happy to roll with seven volumes, 
could have been wrapped up in the first book. Harry has a 
problem with Voldermort and his deceased parents, everyone 
has potential problems with Voldermort, Snape still might be 
good or bad, Harry and Draco have the same issues now as 
back then, people in the WW always have short memories as to 
Harry's worth, and exam time may or may not be happening 
again. I'll be interested to see how it all gets wrapped up of 
course, but take away the overdrawn irrelevant side-tales like 
Quidditch from most of the books (Quidditch being the most 
successful literary padding device ever dreamed up in my view) 
and all the consequences in the last three which were simply 
due to Dumbledore saying "I can't tell you yet", and the six 
volumes become a whole lot thinner. 

So I feel they're character driven, because the characters have to 
make up for the simple, protracted story which is being made to 
last seven books.

Hopefully that doesn't sound negative. That''s the problem with 
typing thoughts.

Sandra (tired with some of the repeated subplots).