One of the reasons I enjoyed OotP so much was because that give-and-take between Harry and Hermione really seemed to shine. Dear JKR has TOLD us that R/Hr is ideal because they are 'opposites'. So much so that it will never work out, between them, IMO; yes, Ron needs direction, but he has and always will resent same, or push against it. Like he did in the books we've read. You can't 'direct' or push a railway carriage when the brakes are on full.
Anyway, OotP was the book where I really (first) noticed Harry's and Hermione's give-and-take. Her persuading him to start the DA, coming to get him out of his possession funk, his correcting her about Hagrid (although that was a minor thing).
I don't think I quite agree with your 'homosexuality is normal' stance, and it is still controversial in large parts of the world. As you say, JKR had a decision to make, and she took the safe route ... commercial matters outweighed any pro-liberal stance she might have. Now, after the books are finished, the coffers filled and the accolades collected, she's added this to the rest of her retroactive fixes and supplementary material, risk free. Trying to have her cake and eat it too, in a small way.
But we shouldn't be too harsh, maybe. I've watched a few minutes of her latest interview session - the one in Canada, it's on the-leaky-cauldron.com's video gallery - and, like I said, I don't think she's coming over as an aggressive 'YAY, SEXUAL EQUALITY AND TOLERANCE FOR EVER!' type; she's defending herself (against statements of incredulity at the media storm kicked off by all this) as having "simply answered a fan's question". Fair enough. It's Emmerson and Melissa and other fans who are trying to equate the series to the Western world's answer to intolerance.
(But I have yet to watch the whole thing, so I may have to change my mind)
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2007-10-24 12:01 pm (UTC)No, I enjoyed the oration! :-)
One of the reasons I enjoyed OotP so much was because that give-and-take between Harry and Hermione really seemed to shine. Dear JKR has TOLD us that R/Hr is ideal because they are 'opposites'. So much so that it will never work out, between them, IMO; yes, Ron needs direction, but he has and always will resent same, or push against it. Like he did in the books we've read. You can't 'direct' or push a railway carriage when the brakes are on full.
Anyway, OotP was the book where I really (first) noticed Harry's and Hermione's give-and-take. Her persuading him to start the DA, coming to get him out of his possession funk, his correcting her about Hagrid (although that was a minor thing).
I don't think I quite agree with your 'homosexuality is normal' stance, and it is still controversial in large parts of the world. As you say, JKR had a decision to make, and she took the safe route ... commercial matters outweighed any pro-liberal stance she might have. Now, after the books are finished, the coffers filled and the accolades collected, she's added this to the rest of her retroactive fixes and supplementary material, risk free. Trying to have her cake and eat it too, in a small way.
But we shouldn't be too harsh, maybe. I've watched a few minutes of her latest interview session - the one in Canada, it's on the-leaky-cauldron.com's video gallery - and, like I said, I don't think she's coming over as an aggressive 'YAY, SEXUAL EQUALITY AND TOLERANCE FOR EVER!' type; she's defending herself (against statements of incredulity at the media storm kicked off by all this) as having "simply answered a fan's question". Fair enough. It's Emmerson and Melissa and other fans who are trying to equate the series to the Western world's answer to intolerance.
(But I have yet to watch the whole thing, so I may have to change my mind)