The Light Of Daye

Also, remember how she panicked during her third year defense against the dark arts exam? She couldn't even get rid of the bogart because it told her that she was going to fail her exams.

Ahahaha, I'd forgotten about that one. I recently re-read HBP and was giggling at her neuroticism over receiving their O.W.L. scores. The fact that she had a fresh black eye in that scene was just icing on the cake.

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lightofdaye

That was a rather well done scene, lol.

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lightofdaye

Not trying to say Hermione should be good at everything. Like you say she's not a good flyer and not as good a duelist as Harry. (though she certain is shown to do more of it and more successfully than Ron, on page at least)

Just saying, well it seemed noticable that frequently in this book, I'm hearing 'Hermione bursts into tears and Ron puts her arms around her' more often than in any other book. When it seemed a really rare event. Like I said, part of it seems to be so JKR can beat us around the head with Ron/Hermione.

As to the DADA exam, you're right to point it out, but boy is that a contrived bit. I mean you're in the middle of an DADA exam, you go inside a tree and you don't realise whatever is inside is part of the test? Boggarts work much better for me, when someone has a specific fear like spiders or dementors or mummies and less when some's fear is more metaphysical like failure or losing loved ones. Because seriously I'm not buying that people wouldn't be able to cope with these things when its obvious monster trying to throw it in your face.

Anyway as to Hermione that bit was contrived so that Harry could be 'better at DADA' than her.

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While it does come across as goofy and cartoon-ish I don't see how it's contrived or Rowling did it so Harry looked better.

The boggarts role is to transform into your biggest fears. But that doesn't mean that the fear Is a RATIONAL/LOGICAL one.

also the fact that the way to combat the Boggart is not through logic or common sense of rationalization- it's through laughter- turn it into something funny.

and contrary to Neville's fear of snape and subsequent dressing his Snape!boggart as his grandmother, Hermione likes McGonagall so I could totally can see her freeze up and not knowing how to properly repeal the boggart even if she Knew it wasn't really McGonagall.

plus, and this is me guessing, I think the reason why Hermione's boggart turned into McGonagall is because A. Hermione admires McGonagall (or seems like she does) and considering McGonagall is the one who argued with the Ministry for Hermione to have the time turner to be able to take all her extra-classes so there's that pressure...

additionally just because we know something isn't real doesn't mean we are not affected by it- like when we watch a horror/sad movie-- we know it's not real we know the stuff on the screen is not really happening but we still got scared/sad about it.

and finally we do know Hermione gets exam anxiety so I don't see it as out there and the panicked in her exam.

so yeah I personally don't see it as such a bad scene.

Edited Date: 2013-08-21 08:16 pm (UTC)

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regarding that- I personally think what Rowling was trying to do was Ron be more active in caring for hermione
Like we Seen Ron care for hermione well-being before, in small moments scattered throughout the books, it's just the Ron being thick or having the emotional range of a spoon- get more notice.

Also the fact that in the first six books Ron and Hermione do bicker a lot. in the seven book the War takes central stage so their priorities change and Ron has more ground to caring towards Hermione instead of engaging in silly bickering.

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luna-plath.livejournal.com

I'm sure some of the Ron and Hermione interaction was to set up their eventual relationship and to show that, despite all their bickering in the past, they really do care for each other. Also, this part of the story is set in one of the most stressful periods of their lives, so it makes sense that all three of them are going to need help dealing with everything that's happening around them. I.e.: arguing in Ron's case, crying/wanting to be comforted in Hermione's case, brooding and completely withdrawing in Harry's.

For example, we see Harry withdraw into himself more and more, almost to the point where he spends 90% of his time silently obsessing over things, and we see Ron's lack of tact/filter become even more pronounced with the horcrux. All of their weaknesses are magnified in DH because they're under so much stress.

One thing though. I totally did not buy Hermione getting an E in Defense while Harry got an O. Not that Harry wasn't capable, just that Hermione was equally capable of that grade. It did seem like something that was "contrived so that Harry could be 'better at DADA' than her."

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LOL! That quote is awesome.

Hermione panics, messes up, and bursts into tears throughout all the books. It's sad what Steve Kloves did to the deliciously real, human character that JKR wrote. I was discussing Hermione with

bitchet the other day, and I thought she had some interesting things to say about Hermione's imperfections — mainly how fandom (and Kloves, though she didn't say it) feels the need to make Hermione a Strong Female Character, when her less-than-appealing qualities are what make her so compelling to write fanfic about.

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lightofdaye

I dunno. Like i said, she seems to be doing it noticeably more often in this book that the previous ones. Where she manages quite comfortably through thinks like daring time travel escapades and the invasion of ministry, and the battle at the astronomy tower with narry a hiccup.

This was a bit that really stood out; "Hermione crouched on the floor by the door with her arms over her head" That's her reaction the dust-dumbledore's appearance when they first get to grimmauld place and while Harry and Ron are implied to be scared, they're not 'cower helplessly on the floor' scared.

You're right in much, I'm trying the mentally put Hermione into a 'strong female character' but I'm not sure why you're implying that that means she had to be literally perfect. Strong Characters of any gender have flaws, that what makes them strong characters rather that cyphers, but like I said it just seems to me that they've become a lot more pronounced in this book.

Ugh. I hate thinking that I might be remembering the films better than the books though.

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Ah yeah, I remember that scene. It felt believable and in-character to me, considering the circumstances. Actually, I thought that was one of the more frightening moments in the books. They don't know where to go or who to trust, and then, just when they think they're in a safe place, they're suddenly confronted by the malicious spectre of a person for whom they're still grieving.

When I think of a what audiences deem a 'Strong Female Character,' I think of movie!Hermione. She's smart, kickass, witty, and basically a caricature of a real woman. She's not really allowed to have flaws, or if she does, they must be justifiable flaws. She's not allowed to panic or cry at the drop of a hat, which we see Hermione do throughout the series.

You know, I really enjoyed Hermione in the first two movies. It wasn't until PoA that she became that caricature. They even started prettying her up in PoA. I have to wonder how much of this was due to the original movie!Hermione not coming across as nice or strong or accessible enough to audiences.

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This is interesting because it did annoy me a lot in the films, particularly after PoA. I have problems with the fact that Hermione seems to be the 'perfect female' in the movies when her character is practically dripping in flaws and unsavory (for want of a better word) character traits. I rather prefer the book!Hermione who was more rounded and balanced.

Another thing I hated was that Kloves spent too much time shipping Harry/Hermione, so much so that when the time comes to ship Ron/Hermione to keep with canon it seems forced and rushed.

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Yes! They are almost two different characters, and I much prefer the book version. I see unsavory character traits in book!Hermione as well. The "SNITCH" thing stands out in my mind as particularly callous, as does the part where she leads Umbridge to the centaurs. And she's fairly venomous towards Ron throughout the series. Book!Hermione doesn't have much of a filter. That gets toned down in the movies.

I wonder how much of the Harry/Hermione shipping was also geared towards pleasing movie audiences.

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While reading (and rereading) the books it kept surprising me how more and more extreme some of Hermione's unsavory traits became. That SNEAK thing was one of her more extreme acts. Based on her single-minded determination and the rather vicious means she employs to accomplish her goals brings to mind a young Umbridge. I could easily see Hermione being as extreme as Umbridge in adulthood.

I suppose that's why Kloves was shipping Harry/Hermione so hard but it was just one of the many little irritations that the Writer/Director's do when they try to give their interpretation rather than a proper adaptation. That Patil twins in Gryffindor thing still grates on my nerves, especially when there are random extras walking around in Ravenclaw robse/ties. Just a pet peeve.

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lightofdaye

The sneak thing is remarkable to me in that, it's mentioned in HBP that it's still there the following year. It's permanent. Now originally it seemed nasty but at least logical; if someone betrays your secret group you need to know who it was and who you can trust.

Never lifting it is just plain malicious.

Yeah, the shipping thing was obvious, and silly. Like the ending of both HBP and Dh seeming to end focusing on Harry and Hermione with Ron in the background. I really was wondering if there were even going to end up with Ron/Hermione at all.

It'd forgotten they'd made Padma a gryffindor. They're also not identical but i guess there may not have been identical twin indian actress available for minor rolls. There's also the weird thing with Lavender Brown when they changed her from a black girl to a blonde when it became time for her role to be expanded in HBP.

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Hermione can be quite malicious whenshe thinks her way is the right way. I even look at the scene in PoA when she turns in the Firebolt to McGonagall just because she feels it's the right thing.

The uniform thing annoyed me the most because there was no shortage of Ravenclaw uniforms walking around in the background. There was no reason that detail couldn't be canon. Little things like that really annoy me with adaptations. Big detail changes I can understand because it might be difficult or expensive to pull off but the little things are just unnecessary and borderline disrespectful to the reader/viewer.

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lightofdaye

Eh. I wouldn't say the firebolt thing was malicious. she didn't do it because of any ill-will towards Harry just that she thought she was looking out for him. And that was basically the sensible assumption. Which most often seems to be the case.

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Ok, I concede. It wasn't malicious but it was just another time when Hermione does whatever she wants just because she thinks it the right way, regardless of what anyone else thinks. In this case she was right but she does that 'my way, no highway option' thing too much.

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lightofdaye

You're right about Hermione though. Even when people don't agree with her, she just nags and nags and nags them to try and get them to do what she wants.

Though Harry;s a bit like that too. i'm trying to remember any examples of actual compromise between them.

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Rowling said in an Interview that the SNEAK thing Would fade out over time.

"Q: Did mariettas pimply formation ever fade?"

J.K. Rowling: Eventually, but it left a few scars. I loathe a traitor!

so yeah It isn't as Bad as everyone in Fandom makes it out to be- Horrible thing to do yes; but not OMG Hermione disfigured her face FOREVER! D:

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Based on her single-minded determination and the rather vicious means she employs to accomplish her goals brings to mind a young Umbridge. I could easily see Hermione being as extreme as Umbridge in adulthood.

I have thought this many times. Especially if she thinks something is for the greater good, she's ruthless.

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I don't know how biased that comment is/isn't....

But I would think that The War and seeing the Muggle registrating trials and being tortured by Bellatrix,etc would probably soften Hermione a lot.

I mean she learned that her approach to dealing with House Elves was... wrongly approached? (at least that's how I interpret it)

Plus being wrong about the Hallows... So I think her head might have deflated a bit and her viciousness cut back a bit.

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Well sure, after all those things Hermione could have some personal growth but at the point when she does those things in the books she could have easily grown into an Umbridge-like character who uses extreme measures to get what she wants in the name of the greater good - based on whatever her greater good is.

EDIT for typos due to stupid Kindle autocorrect.

Edited Date: 2013-08-22 01:50 am (UTC)

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While I'm not ready to jump on the Kloves defender bandwagon (still mad about Him giving Hermione-s ron line in PoA "if you want to kill harry, you'll have to kill us too!" and the way tooo long and explicit Horcrux kiss *GRRRR*

I think All characters got overly simplified for the movies-- The Dursleys are more cartoonish than awful, Molly Weasley is not such a "when she's mad run for cover", Snape is not as much nasty git, Ginny lost her nasty temper,etc,etc,etc

Partly is Kloves fault, partly is the fact than in the movies they simplified it a lot- as opposed to flesh it out like they would have been able to do in a tv show.

and I might be a weird exception but while I could clearly see Kloves sprinkling HHr all over the movies- there were certain scenes that came across as rather more friend-ship-y to me.
(I personally saw the dance scene as one of them, but I know most fandom utterly disagrees with me)

and I personally always saw the Ron/Hermione-ness in the movies- both in Big and small ways-- and personally think that Romione was relatively well done and not that forced or Rushed (as opposed to Harry/Ginny which WAS REALLY Blatantly Forced And rushed and twisted up because they cut out 90% of the Harry/Ginny-ness from the books )

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