Views of Hermione

[wynnleaf]

No: HPFGUIDX 160427

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> Dantzel:
> Think back to your days as a teenager - not 18, but 13 or 14. I, for
> one, slapped a boy when I was that age when I got fed up with his
> crap. I don't know anyone that hasn't been hypocritical at some
> point in their lives.

wynnleaf,
How many of us drugged our classmates, started intentional explosions
that injured our friends, stole restricted supplies from teachers,
permenantly disfigured others, or set up a very nasty teacher to get
seriously injured or killed?  Sorry, I don't buy Hermione's behavior
as typical.

Dantzel
> To back this up with the HP world, look at Sirius. 

wynnleaf,
Actually, very few teens contrive pranks to kill their teenage
enemies. However, giving Sirius the benefit of the doubt -- that
perhaps he never thought Snape would actually get hurt -- I think the
"after Azkaban" actions of Sirius cannot be compared to Hermione. 
Sirius had just spent 12 years in Azkaban and two years living rough
and on the run.  It's unsurprising that his behavior was messed up.

Dantzel 
> All that was hopefully to point that despite imperfections, the
> basic part of Hermione is good and decent. She is a little bossy,
> yes, and she may be ruthless (I noticed noone berated her for
> blackmailing *poor* Rita Skeeter),

wynnleaf,
Oh, there's much more that could be mentioned! :D  Rita is a good
example.  I don't too much blame her for blackmailing Rita -- after
all, what Hermione is basically saying is for Rita not to lie any more
about Harry or Hermione would reveal how Rita was breaking the law. 
But imprisoning Rita for --- how long?  Can't recall.  Would we have
felt the same about Hermione imprisoning Rita if she had imprisoned
her as a human in a hidden dungeon room?  What gives Hermione this right?

Dantzel
 but she does what she thinks is
> best, and she is much better at following the rules than most of the
> school is (not to mention much more sensitive to people's feelings
> than Ron or Harry).

wynnleaf
Hermione is quite willing to break any rule that gets in her way.  And
she is sensitive primarily to those she likes, but has little sympathy
for those she doesn't, or those she's angry at.

wynnleaf,
> > 
> > I agree with magpie.  For instance in the COS insident, the trio
> really only 
> > had the most flimsy reasons for thinking Draco was opening the COS
> ("he's a 
> > pureblood 
> 
> Tesha: I believe Draco was hinting that he was or knew the "Heir"- 
> and - She does this for Harry - she does this for the school - she
> does this because she's a child and has no adult to go to for help.
> She does this because she's a know-it-all - who's not afraid to face a
> problem head on, and she always accepts the consequences of her actions.

wynnleaf
I'm not sure what you mean by "accepts the consequences."  There
wasn't much to do about being turned into a cat.  I wouldn't credit
her with "accepting the consequences" when there's no other choice. 
She certainly doesn't confess to anything does she?  I think she only
accepts consequences when they cannot be avoided.
 
> >To attempt to trick the house elves into accepting freedom
> 
> Tesha:
> I'm sure you understand that this is a part of the plot, I'm sure you
> know that in a muggle school childern are taught that slavery is
> "evil", I'm sure you see that this is Hermione is going overboard -
> just like always.

wynnleaf
What does it being part of the plot have to do with what it says about
Hermione's character?  Voldemort murders people.  We don't say "well,
it's because of the plot," when we consider what that means about his
character.

>  Tesha:
> She's very much like my first child - I know this character. And as
> much as she often does the wrong thing, she does it with an open
> heart. She is a good person.
>
wynnleaf,

She's a lot like one of my kids and I was sort of like that as a teen.
 But Hermione's character takes it a whole lot further than I would
have, or my daughter, or probably most of the very bright kids we've
known.  Hermione is willing to truly hurt people to make what she
wants to happen occur.  Drugged students, students injured in
classroom explosions, a student jinxed with a disfigurement, a teacher
set up to be injured or killed.  Sure, we can think that Hermione was
trying to help, but most of the really bright kids I know do stop and
think when their plans start reaching the level of intentionally
harming others, especially when some of those others were basically
just innocent bystanders.  Further, in addition to actual physical
harm, Hermione is willing to steal repeatedly to get her way. Not to
mention the other deceptions. 

This kind of behavior is not typical teenage behavior, nor is it
typical of the very bright headstrong child.  Hermione is extreme in
her desire to make things go her way.

wynnleaf