Neville as a dynamic character (Was: Harry's character development: Static or Dy

[Carol]

No: HPFGUIDX 183732

Zara wrote:
> To be considered dynamic, a character does not need to change 
> fundamentally, at least not according to the reference I looked it up 
> in. A change in insight or attitude qualifies.

Carol responds:

That's the problem: the sources are inconsistent. I even found one
that says a dynamic and a round character are the same thing, which is
simply not true.

Zara:
 Neville was always brave, I agree. But in DH, he became a leader, and
not merely by being brave as he always was, and happening to win a
following thereby, but consciously. He explains to Harry in DH that he
stood up to the Carrows, because he had seen Harry doing it in OotP
with Umbridge, and saw/felt how important that was to him and to others.

Carol:
I agree that Neville is a dynamic character, but I think that the
change in him is profound and fundamental. Yes, he was always brave,
but he was not always confident and resourceful. In books 1 through 4,
he's low man on the totem pole (though the encounter with the Crucio'd
spider in GoF marks the beginning of a change in him, IMO. Until then,
he's been terrified of Snape. Witnessing the Cruciatus Curse reminds
him that the real enemy is Bellatrix Lestrange and her DE cronies--one
of whom, unknown to him, is casting that curse). In OoP, we see a new
determination in him (though he's still struggling with his father's
wand) and a fierce courage at the MoM where he actually confronts, and
is tortured by, Bellatrix. It's odd, but I don't recall much about
Neville in HBP except that Harry treats him with more respect and
calls him a friend, but in DH, he really comes into his element,
becoming a leader and a rebel, culminating with the spectacular
slaying of the monster Nagini with a sword that gives (or lends)
itself only to valiant Gryffindors in dire peril.

Neville always had the potential to become a leader, but it takes a
crisis to bring it out. As for his self-esteem, I have a feeling that
his memory problems and lack of confidence and all the other
insecurities that he showed in the early books are pretty much a thing
of the past. Neville has admirers now, which he's never had before.
(What a change from the Yule Ball, when it was a disgrace to be his
date.) Being Neville, I doubt that he'll let it go to his head. He's
still a budding Herbology professor, after all.

Carol, noting that, yep, "budding" is a pun