CHAPDISC: DH, EPILOGUE.

[kneazlecat54]

No: HPFGUIDX 185508


> "kneazlecat54" <12newmoons@> wrote:
> 
> > One of the complaints about the epilogue is that it is 
heteronormative. Is that a fair critique? 
> 
> No it is not, not every work of fiction is required to make a
> comment abut gay people <snip> By the way, this is the very first 
time I've seen the word "heteronormative" in my life, I hope it is the 
last.<snip>

Laura replies:

This is a huge topic of discussion at HP cons.  JKR kind of brought it 
on herself by the way she outed DD.  But let's face it, DD isn't 
exactly a model for healthy intimate relationships.  He lies to and 
manipulates everyone he knows any time he wants to.  so identifying 
him as gay at the outset might have been pretty problematical too.

Btw, the word "heteronormative" may be a bit pretentious (which is 
cool, I love pretentious words!).  But it accurately and efficiently 
describes a real state of being.  Straight people assume that everyone 
else is straight, and it's just not true.  JKR wasn't obligated to 
create an out gay character, nor is any other author.  But I'll be 
interested to see whether she creates such characters in her future 
work.
>
<snip>

> > If there is no difference (at least officially) among houses,
> > why is there still a Sorting Hat? 
> 
> I saw nothing to suggest officially or unofficially that now there
> is no difference among houses. It's a fact that some people are 
braver than others, some are smarter than others, some are harder 
workers than others, and some are meaner than others. <snip>

Laura replies:

But the idea that there's no longer a stigma attached to Slytherin 
House suggests to me that the traditional way of sorting kids is no 
longer used.  If that's true, then it looks like, at least for certain 
Gryffindors, that attempt was a failure.  And if it isn't true, then 
we're right back where we started.
> 
> > Do you agree with Harry's opinion of Snape?
> 
<snip>I'd have to say that the world would have been be a poorer place 
if Severus Snape had never been born <snip>.

Laura replies:

Oh, but without Snape, James and Lily might not have died.  That might 
have made it a lot harder to defeat LV the second time, I admit, but I 
see Snape as a bitter, angry character who brought bitterness and 
anger to everyone around him.

<snip>

Thanks for your post!