Why did JKR not explore H/Hr as canon?

[Ken Hutchinson]

No: HPFGUIDX 168762

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "phoenixgod2000" <jmrazo at ...> wrote:
>
> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Ken Hutchinson" <klhutch@>
> wrote:
> 
> > No, she doesn't show it and I guess that is the problem for those of
> > you who hate the "new" Ginny. She doesn't show it *because Harry
> > doesn't notice it*. 
> 
> I've heard this point from a number of people and I hate that
> explanation. It isn't some clever literary trick, it's just bad
> writing.  When you are writing a multi-volume story you need to lay
> the foundation for different aspects of the story, you can't just
> spring them on the reader fully formed and expect them to buy it.

Ken:

For me the foundation was laid. Ginny isn't doing anything that I
would not expect a girl of her age to do, save magic of course. In
that respect she is a fire and forget weapon. If I wrote a novel or
story that started with the firing of a cruise missile and then
covered the six hours of its flight time in great detail without
mentioning the missile again would you feel cheated when in the final
pages it exploded on its target? No, of course not. Ginny's character
isn't as obvious as all that but the clues are there. From the very
first time we see her it is obvious that she could be significant in
Harry's life because, frankly, many men and boys are shy enough around
women that they do often fall for the ones that notice them first.

> phoenixgod2000:
> 
> >It is there, very subtly, all along. 
> 
> Really, where was the subtle hints that she liked Quiddich and was a
> good rider?  if they were there, why did we need Hermione, the
> exposition Fairy to tell us she stole brooms out of the shed (yeah,
> 'cause that's realistic) to learn how to ride?
...
> There is not a single indication before book five Ginny is even the
> slightest bit sports inclined. She's horrified by the violence of the
> game at the Quiddich world cup and fell asleep during the group talk
> about the game afterwards.
> 
> 

Ken:

Is every aspect of any character's life foreshadowed? Did we have any
hint that Harry would be a natural broom rider? Is it just remotely
possible that a girl that grew up with several Quidditch mad brothers
might have picked up some of that? You're being unreasonable here.
This is not Ginny's story, it is Harry's. Ginny's character is not
developed in the detailed way that Harry's is but it doesn't need to
be to be plausible. I found Hermione's explanation completely
satisfying. I'm sorry but stealing brooms to learn how to ride is
realistic.

She goes to the Quidditch World Cup doesn't she? I'd say that
qualifies as more than the slightest bit interested. I find the
violence of that match a bit shocking myself. I'd rather play an hour
of touch football than listen to sportscasters yammer on about the
Super Bore for an hour. I find Ginny to be similar to myself and since
I believe in me I can believe her as a character.

> phoenixgod2000: 
> 
> Not true. I got Harry's crush on Cho from back in the third book.  
> 

Ken:

Harry notices Cho long before he notices girls in general.

> phoenixgod2000:

> I think Ginny comes across incredibly poorly in books five and six. 
> The reason is she dumps Dean is just plain ugly and the way she and
> Harry liplock in front of him is very cruel.
> 
> She's mean to Fleur for no reason and her supposed jokes at the girl's
> expense were anything but actually amusing.
> 
> She is portrayed as a defender Luna, but calls her loony behind her
back.
> 
> She isn't feisty, she's just plain rude and bullying.
> 
> Harry's feelings for her were characterized by the highly romantic
> chest monster
> 
> I read a theory that said Harry was under the influence of a love
> potion in the HBP and I can almost buy it. Harry and Cho were such a
> masterful train wreck and there are so many other great couples in the
> story that I can't believe that JKR would so drop the ball on the
> romance of the title character. I don't think romance is going to be
> one of the cornerstones of the story but I don't think that gives it
> license to be shoddy either.
> 
> Ginny is literally the least interesting choice she could have made
> for Harry's LI--which I could have accept had it been written well.
> But it just isn't.
> 
> Phoenixgod2000, who hates Ginny with the fire of a million exploding
> suns  (bonus points if you get the reference)
>

Ken:

By the time this list is done we will have demonized every character
in the novel. No, wait, we've done that already! So, why do we like
these stories? Sure, I think that in some ways Ginny is the
conventional choice. I think Luna would be a more interesting choice.
Ginny is a worthy choice for Harry in my opinion and I find her
development in the books to be quite plausible.

Sorry, I won't get bonus points because I've heard/read your reference
to the white hot intensity of a million suns a million times in a
million versions. I'd be hard pressed to recall which one was the
original any more.

Ken