SHIP: Re: My $.02 on the ships in the book :-)

horridporrid03 horridporrid03 at yahoo.com
Wed May 23 22:58:20 UTC 2007


No: HPFGUIDX 169185

> >>Neil:
> I'm not trying to change the title, but simply pointing out the    
> importance of Hermione to the story.  A hero is defined as a man    
> noted for feats of courage or nobility of purpose; especially one   
> who has risked or sacrificed his life.  That certainly defines     
> Harry.  A heroine is the female  counterpart of a hero; in         
> literature the principal female character in a  novel.  That        
> defines Hermione in the series thus far.

Betsy Hp:
As far as being a "hero", yes, Harry fits that definition.  As does 
Hermione and Ron.  But as for being the "literary hero" while Harry 
also fits that description, Hermione does not.  Hermione is the 
ranking female character, yes.  She does not *equal* Harry though, as 
far as her importance to the story.  Hermione's equal, in those 
terms, is Ron.  Neither Hermione nor Ron shape the story; they 
support the hero (Harry) while *he* shapes the story.

The Potter series does not have a female protagonist.  Hermione is 
just a supporting role.  She's an *important* supporting role, just 
as important as Ron, but it's still a supporting role.

> >>Neil:
> Ron has been mainly just a friend.  Other than the chess game in   
> book one, he has done little more than provide comic relief. 

Betsy Hp:
Oh, I'd say he's been a bit more important than that.  He's also 
Harry's emotional support.

> >>Neil:
> Hermione, on the  other hand has been instrumental in helping Harry.
> In book one, she  noticed the trap door, saved both Ron and Harry   
> from the Devil's Snare and used  logic to figure out the clues to   
> the potions.

Betsy Hp:
Ron gave Hermione the extra nudge she needed to defeat the Devil's 
Snare.  And Ron defeated the chess set. So Ron's presence was just as 
important as Hermione's.

> >>Neil:
> Without Hermione's help in  book two, Harry would have never       
> located the Chamber of Secrets and saved  Ginny.

Betsy Hp:
Ron was by Harry's side as they confronted the giant spiders, and Ron 
was by Harry's side when Harry made his way to the Chamber.

> >>Neil:
> In book three, Hermione is by Harry's side every step of the way as 
> he saves Buckbeak and Sirius.

Betsy Hp:
But it was still Harry that did the saving.  This is Hermione's 
chance to catch up to Ron from the last book.  She's not really 
outdoing Ron.

> >>Neil:
> Without her help in book four Harry would have  made a fool of      
> himself in the very first task.

Betsy Hp:
And it was in GoF that we learn how important Ron is to Harry.  Ron 
is very much Harry's emotional support in a way Hermione just cannot 
match.  Though she makes up for it with her intellectual support.  
(Again, Ron and Hermione are equals here.)

> >>Neil:
> She encourages Harry  to start the DA and fights by his side in the 
> Ministry in book five. 

Betsy Hp:
Yet, without Ron's support, Harry would have ignored Hermione's 
idea.  Again, both Ron and Hermione are of equal importance to 
Harry's well being.

> >>Neil:
> In  book six she is written totally out of character, but is still 
> the principal female character.

Betsy Hp:
I don't know, a girl able to leave a classmate with what appears to 
be a permanent facial brand strikes me as the sort of girl able to 
send birds at someone's face.  And again, Hermione is the principle 
*female* character, but her actual character level goes only as high 
as Ron, no higher.  Ron and Hermione were involved in similar things 
(teenage romance), while Harry was involved in something completely 
different (war with Voldemort).

> >>Neil:
> Ginny may have become the super witch and Harry's love, but by      
> definition, Hermione is and always will be the heroine of the       
> series.

Betsy Hp:
Oh, Hermione is still the ranking female character; that's even 
established at the end of HBP when Ginny is left behind.  However, 
Hermione is *not* the heroine of the series.  Not in the way I think 
you mean it, anyway.  (I'm not saying Hermione hasn't been heroic.)  
The Potter series does not have a female heroine or protagonist.

Now, of course none of the above precludes JKR from writing Hermione 
as Harry's main squeeze.  Especially since the thrust of the story 
isn't about Harry falling in love.  As I think Ginny illustrates, 
there's no need for the protagonist's love interest to be of equal 
importance to the story.  She can be, and apparently is, a reward for 
a job well done.  The happily ever after, if you will. <g>

Honestly, IMO, if this *was* supposed to be a story about Harry 
falling in love, the closest character to fit that bill (equally 
shaping the story) would be Draco Malfoy, merely because of his role 
as Harry's shadow.  Draco would be the Darcy to Harry's Elizabeth.  
But JKR is not writing that sort of story.

Betsy Hp





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