What's fun about the HPs?

[Geoff Bannister]

No: HPFGUIDX 152472

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "horridporrid03" <horridporrid03 at ...> wrote:
>
> > >>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.

Geoff:
Thanks for that reply. I'm glad you have enlarged on your previous 
remark which may have been a throwaway line and I drew too much 
from it. I felt that you were specifically - and unfairly - targetting 
Harry.

Like you, I am more distrustful of Hermione. I think that she has 
a vicious streak which emerges when she is being protective of 
those close to her and can also be extremely manipulative to gain 
her ends. Most certainly, I find her less endearing than Harry.