JKR and "Think of the Children!"(was: Sending Voldie through the Veil...)

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 162008

> >>Carol:
> <snip>
> It's clear that JKR does care what her child readers think and what 
> their values are.
> <snip>
> ...I'm pretty sure she doesn't approve of Dudley-type behavior,    
> either; bullying, watching too much TV, overeating, and blowing up 
> aliens on his computer, throwing temper tantrums, breaking his      
> toys, and never opening a book.
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
I'm snipping a whole heck of a lot to focus in on this one thing, 
because I found it so amusing when I reread the beginning of PS/SS 
recently.  Dudley isn't a reader, and JKR does invite her readers to 
sneer at that fact with this commentary given when Harry moves into 
Dudley's second room:

"Other shelves were full of books.  They were the only things in the 
room that looked as though they hadn't been touched." [SS scholastic 
paperback p.37-38]

But here's the thing.  *Harry never cracks a book either*!!  For some 
reason that tickled me.  I picture Harry being all "stupid lump never 
reads," while he carefully avoides the crowded bookshelf himself. <bg>

Other than that, I agree with Carol that JKR does do a lot 
of "thinking of the children" especially in her interviews.  Though I 
think the flatness of her female characters (especially those under 
forty) might be a reflection of JKR's views on being a girl.  
(Someone mentioned this a while ago -- but I can't remember who it 
was, sorry.)

Betsy Hp