JKR and Emotional Arcs (was:Re: JKR and the boys (and girls)

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 161607

> >>phoenixgod:
> > I've lost a lot of faith in JKR. The past two books have been 
> > disappointing in my view.  There have been pieces of greatness 
> > in both of them but a lot of disappointment as well. And all of 
> > that disappointment involved Characterization sacrificed for    
> > Plot.

> >>Lupinlore:
> > <snip>
> > Often it feels that characters react in unbelievable ways simply 
> > because it is convenientfor the plot that they do so.  
> > <snipping>

> >>Magpie:
> <snip>
> I know JKR is very partial to outlines and God knows what she's 
> doing has been successful so it's not like I'd tell her she was 
> doing it wrong, but I really never feel any emotional arc as real 
> in the books. 
> <snip of example>

Betsy Hp:
For me the odd moment was Ron and Quidditch in HBP.  I mean, I 
thought a big chunck of Ron's development in OotP was his quidditch 
sub-plot.  He thinks he's a disaster but then finally has a moment 
where he realizes he's not.  And it was great.

And then it all repeats in HBP.  Why?  So Hermione can hex 
McLaggen?  So Harry has something to be tense about as quidditch 
captain? So Ron remains the trio's fool? 

It didn't make sense.  It was like JKR had completely forgotten 
everything she'd written in OotP. And Ron had forgotten being 
carried on his classmates' shoulders and knowing that he'd done 
something on his own merit.

> >>Magpie:
> There's a certain satisfaction to watching JKR juggle all of this 
> stuff, but it's a different satisfaction, imo, than that of really 
> engaging with emotions.  Harry's a great character more for what   
> he goes through than his personal uniqueness as a character in     
> himself-- that's not what drives the story.  (I think that's also 
> why there's more room for something like angry!Harry in OotP--the 
> books don't center on the uniquely special personality of Harry as 
> an individual.)

Betsy Hp:
I wonder if that's why I suffered from a bit of an HBP drop?  I was 
sooo excited about HBP, and as I mentioned before, I was thrilled 
with what happened with the Slytherins (the Malfoys, the train 
compartment, Snape).  But as I thought about the main characters, I 
felt more and more let down.  I found I didn't really care about 
them all that much anymore.  In many ways, I just stopped liking 
them.  Which isn't the best way to feel about a book, IMO.

Betsy Hp