Do spoilers really "ruin" things? Or make things more interesting?

[Ken Hutchinson]

No: HPFGUIDX 168769

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "leslie41" <leslie41 at ...> wrote:
>
> I've been thinking about the latest DH related story, in which 
> Rowling is pleading with those that have knowledge of the plot not to 
> reveal it, lest that revelation "diminish (the readers') pleasure in 
> the book".  
> 

Ken:

As I have just said so many here have an intense need to demonize the
characters, a few like me prefer to demonize the author! I think she
is a bit of a control freak. She identifies with Hermione who is one
too. She is very miserly with the resolution of plot lines, leaving
them almost all to DH. She may honestly feel that prior knowledge
spoils books for readers because it does for her but I think it goes
deeper than that.

Spoilers spoil nothing for me. If a work is worth reading I will read
it several times and the last time will be as satisfying as the first.
I suppose that attitude is partly due to my nature and comes in part
from the fact that I read a lot of history. Generally you know the
outcome of the latter long before you start reading! 

I don't enjoy being tricked by an author, I do enjoy figuring out the
tricks in advance.

Like you I believe she sells herself short as an author. I can find
plenty to criticize but every time I reread Harry Potter (as I am
doing now like most of you, I expect) I am impressed anew by how
delightfully she writes on balance. It simply doesn't matter that I
already know the conclusions.

Ken