On Moral Compasses (was:Re: Snape as Neville's teacher...)

[houyhnhnm102]

No: HPFGUIDX 168655

Betsy Hp:

> The third one is a bit bigger, I think. (3) I'm not all 
> that enamored of Hermione's moral compass. In fact, I'm 
> a bit worried it's broken, or maybe just incorrectly (or 
> not fully?) installed.

> A caveat: I strongly dislike Hermione as of HBP. In fact, 
> she actually repulses me. I'm not rereading the series 
> until *after* DH with the hope she gets some sense shaken 
> into her and I can reread her younger years with a lighter 
> and more forgiving heart. So understand there may be some 
> slight, erm, bias in my reading of things. 

houyhnhnm:

I think Ron's poisoning was supposed to be the wake up 
call that shook some sense into Hermione.  She was pale 
faced, sniffing almost inaudibly, *unusually quiet*.  
Unusually quiet might not seem so significant for any 
other character, but for Hermione it is probably the 
sign of a major inner upheaval.  And she does seem to 
tone it down a bit after that.  She "wearily" lets Ron 
hide behind her from Lavender.  She "soothingly" consoles 
Ron for his failure to pass his apparition test. And there 
aren't any more Slug Club meetings, IIRC, because Harry 
conveniently scares Slughorn into social seclusion by 
trying to get the memory.

Hermione has apparently learned her lesson as far as Ron 
is concerned and that may be all we're going to get.  She 
will always be brash, pushy, and sure that she knows best 
because that is her nature.

But maybe not.  Hermione's mistreatment of Ron, as well 
as her moment of truth, was kind of understated (At least 
it seemed that way to me.  I didn't get it on the first 
read, though that's not saying much.)  I mean it seemed 
to be glossed over or excused, but it wasn't.  So it is 
possible that her patronizing attitude toward non-human 
magical creatures and her ruthlessness toward fellow 
students who get in her way, which seem to have been 
glossed over and excused, will bring about consequences 
in the last book which force her to grow a little more.  
However, I don't think we will see the agonized 
soul-searching of, say, Elizabeth Bennet.  More likely 
an inaudible sniff or two.