Books and Wands - The Granger Defense 3

It is horrifying to me what became of the girl I thought I knew. If you’ve found yourself
nodding along in agreement with Hermione’s qualities at all, I trust that you see the problem.

I trust that Cas, RGW and I weren’t the only ones sitting up and scratching our heads these last
two books.

Previously, you can count on one hand how many times you’ve seen indecisive and wimpy.
She’s not the girl I fell in love with...as previously, you can count on one hand how many times
you’ve seen Hermione cry...in Book 7, she never stops crying.

She’s indecisive and wimpy. She’s not the girl I fell in love with...as fall for Rowling chose to
sacrifice her greatest character for the popularity of anvils and the predestination of a plotline
penned years before Hermione had a chance to grow into the woman she was.

I say “was” because she was chopped down at the knees before we got to really see the woman
she could have been.

The real Hermione Granger may well have died in the Department of Mysteries, because it’s
hard to recognize her after that. There are glimpses of her in the seventh book, but few and far
between. Too much focus was thrust on the pissiness of teens confined to a tent in the
wilderness of Britain and the forced relationships that droned on and on...and on, instead of
actual plot development or the progression of war.

It’s particularly horrifying to me because she is such a huge role model for girls and young
women everywhere. To show them that true love is the relationship that makes you feel bad
and that the boy who really loves you is the one who doesn’t respect you, belittles you, makes
fun of things you care about and uses you is a disgrace and a disservice to them.

They should be taught instead that the person who really loves you treats you well, believes in
you when you don’t believe in yourself, lifts you up when others put you down, and can’t stand
for anyone speaking bad about you, even if that person is you.

They should be shown that true love is the relationship of equals. Of partners who care more
for the other’s well-being than for their own.

It is a relationship of honesty and trust, not the one riddled with jealousy and posturing. True
love makes you feel good about yourself, gives you confidence, it would never degrade you,
stop you from growing or leave you when you needed it most.

Real, soul-deep love is shown, not said. It is through their actions that a person ‘speaks’ their
love. They are there for each other, reliable. They are strong when the other can’t be, they calm
each other down, direct each other to the right path and support each other no matter how many
wobbles and pratfalls one or the other make.

To imply that someone as intelligent and independent as Hermione would stoop to the level of
the slacker, non-driven Ronald Weasley is simply unbelievable.

Or maybe this is a testament to just how insecure Hermione is...that her opinion of herself is so
low, that she thinks she deserves to be treated the way Ron treats her. That she would believe
that he really loves her when all he does is put her down.

The only way he can muster the brainpower to treat her well is because of book! Not because
it’s his natural inclination to care for her, worry after her, provide comfort for her, compliment
her. No! A book told him that girls like that...

More

Conclusion

It’s the idea that a brilliant, beautiful young woman who is strong and resilient could not
recognize what amazing qualities she possesses and subject herself to an abusive relationship is
deeply upsetting to the both of us and not a very good moral to teach anyone of any age group.

All you see of Hermione in this book is her tears over Ron or some such thing. Gone is the
powerful, efficient leader. We don’t get to see the powerhouse Hermione was until the end of
Book 5. All that’s left is an emotional, irritable, sobbing mess.

That is not forward momentum, folks. Characters, as well as real-life people (though it’s harder
to notice in real time), move constantly forward. They are irresistibly drawn to become more
mature, more aware, more knowledgeable. Not get stuck in reverse!

So the complete degradation of Hermione’s character has to be a deliberate choice. Now, who’s
choice it was is the question... Did Hermione lose herself in the telling? Or did Rowling
knowingly sacrifice her?

It seems to us to be the latter. Hermione was sacrificed to appease anvil-slinging fans. And
notice, that in Books 6 & 7, Hermione’s role is severely limited.

She distances herself from the boys in Book 6. And towards the end of Book 6 and throughout
Book 7, Ginny is made to take the focus. This even cuts into Harry and Hermione not behaving
towards each other the way they always have.

Ginny comes out of nowhere to take precedence over the true main female character, Hermione.
Hermione is shoved aside and ridiculed by both Weasley’s in Book 6. And again in Book 7,
neither Harry nor Hermione take care of each other the way they have done in every book
besides these last two.

In Book 5, they clung to each other after evading Centaurs. Harry threw himself over Hermione
to protect her from arrows and, earlier, from Grawp. In Book 4, Hermione walks Harry through
every step of the Triwizard Tournament, it can even be argued that she’s the true Champion.

In Book 3, he frets to see her so worn and saves her from Dementors. She saves Sirius with him
and turns in his Firebolt, sacrificing the one thing that kept her sane...his friendship. In Book 2,
though she is unconscious, her information gives Harry what he needs to save the day.

And, finally, in Book 1, they teach each other what friendship means.

In Book 6, Harry lets Hermione get mauled by MacLaggen and Hermione lets Harry get
drugged chocolates. In Book 7, Hermione doesn’t comfort Harry the way she naturally does
previously, she just lets him brood and talks about him behind his back, and Harry thrusts some
blankets at her after she chooses to risk her life by staying by his side.

But none of this is suspect...it’s all great storytelling?

Don’t think so. But then again I must be delusional.

The Granger Defense: Teil Drei

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