Responses to Marietta (was: Misc. responses, some quite old)

[montavilla47]

No: HPFGUIDX 169212


 Charles:
> > > Last but not least, IMNSHO, Marietta got what she deserved. It 
> was
> > > not over the top, nor overly cruel. She betrayed the DA. Not 
> only was
> > > it a broken promise, but she knew that she was going to get many 
> of
> > > her friends expelled and possibly criminally prosecuted by what 
> she
> > > knows is an unjust government. AFAIC, having the word "sneak" 
> across
> > > her face is a light punishment, considering what could have 
> happened
> > > to the rest of the DA.
> > 
> > Random832:
> > This issue is a key disconnect between people who like Hermione (or
> > are indifferent) and people who go out of their way to find a 
> reason
> > to dislike her. In discussions of this, everyone goes on and on 
> about
> > how Marietta is "Permanently Disfigured" etc - when really - it's 
> just
> > a word. on her face. Like how in Snow Crash, Raven has "Poor 
> Impulse
> > Control" on his face, Marietta has "Sneak" on hers.
> 
> Magpie:
> I think it's unfair to claim that those who disagree with someone 
> else must be "looking for a reason" to dislike Hermione. (I could 
> just as easily say that those who think this is okay are just 
> looking for a reason to excuse Hermione of anything--and that would 
> be just as wrong. You don't know what's in my head and can't say my 
> reaction is less honest than yours.) That isn't the case at all, in 
> my experience, anyway. It's not a disconnect between people who hate 
> Hermione and everyone else, it's a disconnect between those who like 
> the SNEAK hex and think it's deserved and those who find it 
> disturbing and OTT given the situation.
> 
Montavilla47:
I'd just like to agree with this.  However, I can tell you what was in
*my* head regarding Hermione and Marietta.  I was fine with the 
"punishment"  in OotP.  It seemed like a clever idea.  I was a bit
less fine with it when it turned out that Marietta was still marked
on the train ride home.  It seemed a bit OTT, as Magpie says,
since they had already identified Marietta as the sneak.

What was truly disturbing to me was Harry's gleeful reaction to
seeing that Marietta was *still* disfigured in HBP.  The parallel
between her oozing pustules and the type of atrocities that 
are regularly (and rightly) condemned by human rights 
organizations--such as facial branding or disfigurement with
acid--is too close for me to think that JKR endorses Hermione's
actions.

I still like Hermione as a character.  I don't want bad things to 
happen to her.  I don't necessarily want her to "get her 
comeuppance."  But, part of liking her is wanting her to realize 
that her clever ideas can be hurtful.  I'd like her start mixing 
some genuine wisdom and humanity in with that cleverness.

Montavilla47