What's fun about the HPs?

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 152467

> >>Betsy Hp:
> > <snip>
> > I still like Harry, but his darkness has always been a part of   
> > his character, and he seems to at least acknowledge when he goes 
> > too far.

> >>Geoff:
> I don't think that Harry possesses an exceptional darkness.

Betsy Hp:
I agree.

> >>Geoff:
> We ae seeing the "good" characters moving from naïve little First 
> Years for whom the Wizarding World is still a place of wonder into 
> middle adolescence where their world view is widening and the     
> blacks and whites of childhood become the greys of adulthood.
> <snip>
> Harry's darkness is no more than that of any teenager.
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
Again, I agree.  Harry does bad things at times.  He has from the 
moment we met him (as a personality) in PS/SS.  They weren't 
horrible things, and if he was wrong, he'd feel guilt and struggle 
with what he was feeling.

Harry can, for example, lose his temper and lash out.  I *like* that 
about him, because it's very, very human.  And it doesn't scare me 
or turn me off because, usually, he recognizes when he's behaved 
badly, and will either apologize (when it's a hurt Ron and Hermione) 
or feel horrified (when it's near death Draco).  So I see that Harry 
is wrestling with these issues.  And I like that.

But with Hermione for example, she caused a classmate to walk around 
with an apparently permanent brand on her face.  And has it given 
Hermione a moments pause?  Not that we've seen. 

Of course, this could be the limitation of pov.  We see Harry 
struggle because we get a peek inside his head.  But JKR could have 
easily given us a scene where either Marietta walks by in her mask, 
or Hermione is told that the brand is still there, and we at least 
see Hermione pause or something.  Anything to suggest that Hermione 
is at least wrestling with her actions.

Instead we get nothing and we're left to believe that Hermione is 
just fine with disfiguring a classmate.  Which turns me off of 
Hermione.  Suddenly, I really don't care for her anymore.

> >>Geoff:
> I am glad that Harry is not squeaky clean, that he loses his      
> temper, does thoughtless and uncaring things; it merely points him 
> up as an average and normal member of fallen humanity.

Betsy Hp:
Again, I absolutely agree.  What bothers me is that some of 
the "good characters" (not Harry) have done some disturbing things 
and it doesn't seem to bother them.  They haven't just gotten 
muddy.  They're rolling in it.

Betsy Hp