Cool

[Carol]

No: HPFGUIDX 182728

Jerri wrote:
>
> I came across another use of the word "cool" in the HP books.  In 
Goblet of Fire, when Harry first meets Bill, Harry is impressed with 
him, as the only word he can come up with to describe him is "cool", 
with his clothing that would look proper at a rock concert, long hair
in a pony tail, one ear ring with an apparent fang on it, etc.

Carol responds:
Excellent example of what Harry at fourteen regards as "cool." The
question is, why does Harry view him this way? Is the twenty-something
Bill the sole representative of WW youth culture? He seems to be
imitating Muggle rock singers rather than anything in the WW,
including the Weird Sisters. (Is Tonks, with her pink hair and Weird
Sisters T-shirt at the end of OoP, also "cool"? He never uses that
word to describe her.) Is there any connection between Bill's
perceived "coolness" and MWPP as (according to Lupin, at least) "the
height of cool" in their generation? (Actually, they're only about
eleven years older than Bill, disregarding JKR's maths relating to
Charlie and Quidditch.) And is this the view of "coolness" that Harry
holds at the end of the books? (Neville and Luna start out as
decidedly "uncool" in Harry's opinion.)

I'm not sure whether Harry rejects "coolness" as a criterion for
judging people or whether he redefines the concept to include the
likes of Neville and Luna. And what about Cedric, who is intelligent
and talented and brave and kind, but I don't recall the adjective
"cool" ever being applied to him. Is "coolness" just superficial? Or
is Bill "cooler" after he's attacked by Fenrir Greyback and scarred
for life than he was when he was handsome and trendy (and rejecting
the clothing and hairstyles approved by his mother).

Sidenote and not a serious one: If a "dirty great fang" hanging from
your ear makes you "cool," why not radish earrings? <eg>

Carol, thanking Jerri for the example and hoping that it will lead to
further discussion