162 replies to this topic

[rikakim94]

AS for harry potter yeah the shipping war got brought up again. In the tumblr tag harry and hermione shippers are pretty much happy.  

[redragon88]

I found this by chance so I'll share it here:

 

 

It's fan made but I think it was pretty cool. I wouldn't mind there being a prequel movie about Dumbledore's youth since the Deathly Hallows movies didn't really cover as much as the books did about it.

[tricksie]

 

 

I've heard from a bunch of the old mods, and even some of the editors from the fic library.  Everyone is in a daze, as if we're experiencing some kind of shared nightmare.  They're going from this:    to this:  to this:    to this:   When I say it's like PTSD, I'm not kidding.  I know you know what I'm talking about.

 

I know JKR isn't talking retcon.  Nevertheless, she's doing a sort of improvisational retcon riff.  When you've slogged through the shipping wars, defended her... defended her paired characters... kept thousands of users from tearing each other apart... *sigh*  I just wish she'd STOP TALKING and let it go.

 

 

 

Oh, I know.  And it's just a haunting by an old fandom.  Life moves on.

 

It's just icing on the whole "with more than half of the series written I decided to kill Lupin instead of Arthur Weasley" betrayal cake, and it makes me tempted to ask for my money back.  

 

I like your comparison to hit songs that fans still love but the singer hates it.  That's a good way to think about it.  I'll share it with my old peeps and see if it helps at all.  

 

Seriously, thanks for the time you put into the reply. I appreciate the effort to talk me off the ledge, lol.  After seven years the bitter dust had finally settled, and I just didn't see this coming.

 

 

I really can't figure out why she'd bring this up now. It's sort of like hand-wringing over Ross and Rachel...15 years later!?! And why being interviewed by Emma Watson? Is this a press junket for a secret book? lol

 

I do hope the dust will settle again soon for you. For me, I'm satisfied with how the books went down, and as long as JKR isn't screwing with that, let her think whatever she wants. Her feelings now don't change what she wrote then, nor does it change the fact that at one point in her writing life she felt those choices were good enough to commit to permanently.

 

Just remember, no matter what JKR says, Hermione shot first! And we all know it! 

[Nate River]

It reminds of of the Dumbledore is gay revelation. It was an answer to a question nobody asked or cared about. It smelled like an attempt to drum up interest or prove she was on board for the gay rights cause.

This smelled the same to me.

[sushi.]

^The gay revelation was different imo, because actually, she was asked about Dumbledore's love life.

[Lid]

I like HarryxHermione so I was happy when I found out what JKR said in the interview.

[KnS]

I really can't figure out why she'd bring this up now. It's sort of like hand-wringing over Ross and Rachel...15 years later!?! And why being interviewed by Emma Watson? Is this a press junket for a secret book? lol

 

I know.  It's weird.  Maybe it's to start promoting the new films that are supposedly going to be based on Newton Scamander and his writing of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.  (For what it's worth, I wrote Scamander as a villain in my fan fic.)

 

I do hope the dust will settle again soon for you. 

 

I think my circle of people is calming down, myself included.  It was just such an unexpected and unnecessary shock.  

 

Just remember, no matter what JKR says, Hermione shot first! And we all know it!  

 

LOL  Oh, George.  He's such a goofball sometimes.

 

It reminds of of the Dumbledore is gay revelation. It was an answer to a question nobody asked or cared about. It smelled like an attempt to drum up interest or prove she was on board for the gay rights cause.

This smelled the same to me.

 

Yeah, it does have that smell, doesn't it?  Maybe there will be more detail or at least context when the actual interview is published.

 

^The gay revelation was different imo, because actually, she was asked about Dumbledore's love life.

 

Here again, anyone who was paying attention while reading the last book didn't need her to say Dumbledore was gay, because it was clear as day from what she wrote in Deathly Hallows.  

 

But I think you and Nate River are both right.  Rowling answered the question because she was asked, but she also wanted the social points for having written such a prominent gay character.

 

What's interesting about it is that she waited until the very last book to reveal that detail about Dumbledore's life. A lot of people wondered if she waited until the end to make the social statement because she feared making it earlier would create a controversy that affected sales.

[Nate River]

What's interesting about it is that she waited until the very last book to reveal that detail about Dumbledore's life. A lot of people wondered if she waited until the end to make the social statement because she feared making it earlier would create a controversy that affected sales.

Of course, then it might have meant something. The inclusion would have meant more had she actually been willing to put her work on line (or if she at least thought she was doing that). I think the mass amounts of fan yaoi suggest it wouldn't have been hurt that bad (if at all), but when you want to stand for something it tends to have more of an impact when you are willing to put something on the line rather than an off-handed comment to an interviewer, especially when his sexual preferences never mattered in the story. Instead, it smelled of shameless opportunism.

The core problem was she didn't write a prominent gay character. She wrote a prominent character and called him gay after the fact. If you want a gay character, then write a gay character.

I'll that I'm highly amused by her saying this after that interview that pissed off the HxH fans.

[Broken Figurine]

I don't know if I agree with this whole "she's doing it for the publicity" stunt. Maybe she is, but I know that it's not uncommon for writers to be reflective, and indulge in extra tidbits or facts about their characters that didn't make it/weren't brought up in the book. A book goes through many revisions, and much like how the fandom is allowed to generate their own headcanons about this or that, the author themselves might have some. The brainstorming that is done behind the creative proccess. JK Rowling gets asked a lot of question, and the reason why she doesn't keep saying "go to the text. go to the text. everything I wanted to write is in the text" is because she has personally decided that she is willing to share her feelings about her characters and give insight into her thoughts about it.

 

The revelations don't have to suddenly mindblowingly alter your reading of the story. No, Dumbledore isn't written as a prominent gay character. He had a role in the story that did not include his sexual orientation or love life. Gay characters don't immediately have to be written as gay characters to be gay. When she was asked about his love life, she could have just said "it didn't come up in the story" but that's not the answer fans look for, and if in her personal headcanon of his past he was gay why not just say it? This is actually a bit of a sore spot for me because I have a feeling no one would suggest publicity stunt if the love of his life was some woman that never came up. At least the man he loved was mentioned in the story; they had a relationship. We just didn't realize there was romantic interest.

 

This new information is different, because it's reflective of her own writing. JKR is looking back on her work and thinking what she would have changed. John Green, author of The Fault in Our Stars, says he doesn't read his books once published because he's always thinking of revisions and once it's in print its done. Her specific complaint though I found odd, because I think most couples in general would need counselling, and despite the demonization of Ron Weasley by the fandom I don't think their relationship was that horrible. I took faaaaaar more issue with Harry and Ginny, and Ginny's character in general. I didn't like the way she was written or how contradictory she was in the last two books from who she was in the first four. 

 

I don't know; I'm sure fans of Hermione and Ron must be quite angry or confused. Fans of Harry and Hermione rejoice. I could imagine that I'd be angry if Kishimoto said the same about NaruHina. 

 

Shameless opportunism? I don't know if that's the goal, maybe it could be, or maybe it's just the woman sharing her thoughts about a work. I know I love to blab on and on about anything I write XD 

[shadow_Uzumaki]

If she'd come out with this during or even a year or two after the series ended, it would've made an impact, but considering it's been 7 years now, it really shouldn't make such an impact.  So, while  I do feel some satisfaction as an HxHr fan, I'm mostly just, ehh.......

[Nate River]

I don't know if I agree with this whole "she's doing it for the publicity" stunt. Maybe she is, but I know that it's not uncommon for writers to be reflective, and indulge in extra tidbits or facts about their characters that didn't make it/weren't brought up in the book. A book goes through many revisions, and much like how the fandom is allowed to generate their own headcanons about this or that, the author themselves might have some. The brainstorming that is done behind the creative proccess. JK Rowling gets asked a lot of question, and the reason why she doesn't keep saying "go to the text. go to the text. everything I wanted to write is in the text" is because she has personally decided that she is willing to share her feelings about her characters and give insight into her thoughts about it.

Of course, they wouldn't. But having a character have some interest in the opposite sex is not related to a rising (and now prominent) political issue. If fact, a man loving a woman or vice versa may be the most common trod upon ground in literature. No one is fighting for the right for heterosexual couples to marry, or adopt kids. It's not a crime like being gay is in the Middle East and Russia. Heterosexual couples are found in all sorts of literature for all sorts of ages and have been so for a long, long time. What new ground is being trodden?

This is simply not true are it pertains to gay characters. They are more common in many forms of entrainment now, but still virtually absent from material aimed at younger age brackets. How many stories in that genre for that age group employ gay characters? I don't imagine it's a ton. The more authors do it, the more the revelation will be a yawner and will be of no significance what so ever, but literature, especially children's literature is not there yet. If she'd have said, you know what, Dumbledor also liked smoke pot for relaxation and to ail his aching bones, it'd have made waves as well that Harry's wise old mentor loved weed and for the same reason: how many children's book characters advocate for the recreational use of pot? Years from now, maybe no one will blink, but now if you create such a character or declare after the fact like this, people will notice.

And I'll just cut to the chase: When it comes to entertainment, I cannot overstate the degree to which I am a cynic about the inclusion of current political issues in stories that aren't, by design, intended to deal with them. It could have been pot legalization, the war in Iraq, gun rights, or tax law. The issue doesn't matter. I nearly quit a story that went out of it's way to mention government provided free health care (and had the characters comment on how great that was) when how the hospital care got paid for was on the forefront of nobody's mind.

For me, it's been most prevalent in fanfiction, but it's the same impulse that leads to the very special episodes that were employed in the 80's or seeing a "Don't Do Drugs" saying stuffed in an arcade game (I want to say it was Street Fighter that did that, but I don't recall). I hate it all. I think if I see another anti-bully special, I might throw up. I cannot stand what I perceive to be the lazy bootstrapping of modern political issues into stories whose core plot and ideas have nothing to do with them.

My thought is if you want to involve those things, go right ahead, but at least go head on.

Maybe I'm being incredibly unfair to her, but this is how mentioning his sexuality came across to me. I think "I haven't thought about it" is great if its true. Maybe I'm an outlier, but if I don't mention someone's sexual life in a story then odds are I've put no thought into it.

After a lifetime of seeing people ready to take their unrelated creations and suddenly shoehorn the concern of the day into their works, I tend to assume that the intent is self-promotion or showing the world that they care too. Especially, when such issues get brought up out of the blue while the concern is at the forefront of people's minds.

This is my complaint. As I said, I'll admit I'm probably being unfair because not everyone is so inclined and she may not be, but I've seen done it so many times that I can no longer give anyone the benefit of the doubt.

[BlueStarSaber]

For those who wish to continue discussing more on what J.K said here is new info on the HxH and RxH thing http://www.totalfilm...ship-could-work if anyone doesn't know yet.

Edited by BlueStarSaber, 16 February 2014 - 08:56 PM.

[rikakim94]

About the whole pairing issue I found this blog explaining about the harry/ginny and ron/hermione pairing.

 

For harry/ginny shippers your pairing is still safe for ron/hermione jk rowling is ether neutral towards it (The link that bluestarsaber posted) or possibly dislikes it as of now.

 

Heres the source were they mention about jk Rowling recent opinion about the pairs. (Not sure if this news was the interview were she mentions she wanted harry to end up with hermione) I think it was the aftermath of that.

 

 http://johnimhome.tu...ing-lecture-and

Edited by rikakim94, 23 February 2014 - 03:12 AM.

[harry4e]

While I could agree with Ron and Hermione probably were not the best idea for a couple, even though it was obvious that was what she aimed for all along. I'll be honest I found Ron's charactor to be too flawed (though that could be because I saw myself in him too much and not even I was that bad) and was constantly surprised how easily he was allowed to get away with it. Specially in the fourth book when he abandoned Harry because he though Harry put his name in the Goblet. I think by having Harry forgive him so easily halted anytrue progress JKR could have made with his charactor early on. You don't forgive a friend who is like a brother to you and knows you better than anyone else when they accuse you of something like that, no matter how close you are, that just gived them the impression you are soft. If JKR had issues with Ron's personality she should have started there but she didn't. Then again Harry seemed to forgive some people too easily but not others, He forgave Ron and Dumbledore too easily yet he was a immature brat when Hermione told McGonnagal about Harry receiving a broom from someone unknown.

 

I think JKR also said in an interview she considered Hermione and the Twins so I'm not sure even she knows who was best for Hermione.

 

I can't agree with Harry and Hermione though, to make that work she would need to rewrite the entire series, even if she says this is what she should have done now, what she wrote didn't support the pairing, it was never written for the two to be paired together, they were written to be Sibling like. Also like R/Hr Harry and Ginny was pretty much written from day one as well.

 

I guess what i'm trying to say is while I could see why she would fear Hermione and Rons relationship (though she never mentions Harry and Ginny not working) the story she wrote was always written to support the two pairings we got. So regretting it now makes no difference, same way as the fans can't change the ending either the same applies for the Auther, we all have regrets about something we do after the situation has passed, should have put down this instead of that in my exam, should have said this in my interview, but once the situation has passed you can't change it....if she has regrets then the next book series she writes she can make sure the main teocharactors are paired together.

 

Honestly if Harry Potter was written with there being relaitionship undertones between the two main charactors, I don't know if it would have been as popular, I think the story worked as well as it did because Harry and Hermione had such a strong relationship that was not bogged down by teenage hormones, it worked because we had a strong Male and Strong Female lead that supported each other because of their bond as friends, it broke the mold and showed that it's possible that a boy and a girl can be that close and still just be friends, it was a very powerful message and one that wouldn't have the same impact if it was a romance like every other Boy and girl on a adventure together book. Also can you imagine how wierd it would be to read about two teenagers living on their own in hiding during the last book?

[Nami]

http://www.huffingto...kusaolp00000592

 

Funny, I never heard of the first theory before. The Harry/Hermione are brother and sister theory has always seemed a little weird to me. There was really not point in that except maybe some fans trying to make sense of why they seemed to close but didn't end up together.

[Aizen-Sama]

I always knew it was Harry/Ginny and Ron/Hermione. Since day one..HHr never even crossed my mind. JKR did not lead us on with the pairings.
But the more I think about it...the more I realize that Harry/Hermione were the far superior pair. It seems JK herself realized this. The one flaw she did do was not develop HG and RH enough. Of course romance wasn't her focus but by that logic she should've chose the romance out of the closest male/female friends which is Harry & Hermione. And to be honest...Ron and Ginny have some jealousy issues and immaturity traits that rub me the wrong way. Harry and Hermione were more on eachothers' level and deserved better IMO.
(No offense Weasley fans xD)

[Narufan85]

I always knew it was Harry/Ginny and Ron/Hermione. Since day one..HHr never even crossed my mind. JKR did not lead us on with the pairings.
But the more I think about it...the more I realize that Harry/Hermione were the far superior pair. It seems JK herself realized this. The one flaw she did do was not develop HG and RH enough. Of course romance wasn't her focus but by that logic she should've chose the romance out of the closest male/female friends which is Harry & Hermione. And to be honest...Ron and Ginny have some jealousy issues and immaturity traits that rub me the wrong way. Harry and Hermione were more on eachothers' level and deserved better IMO.
(No offense Weasley fans xD)

 

I don't know if I'd necessarily argue that H/HR works better than H/G, as we don't REALLY see any romantic interaction between Harry and Hermione in the text. I do think H/R is portrayed in a  really poor light. The justification I usually see in fanon and elsewhere is that their constant arguing is some unresolved sexual tension and that they fight like a married couple. But, I don't know if that's a fair characterization. If anything, Ron shows a tendency to belittle Hermione and her interests and that leads me to believe that they wouldn't work long term.

My biggest problem with pairings in HP isn't the actual pairings. It's the fact that once JKR starts to put more emphasis on romance in books 6 and 7, the overall strength of the story starts to wane. Sure, maybe she is trying to accurately portray the unsteady nature of teenage hormones, but the characters, especially Hermione, seem OOC in book 6.

[Aizen-Sama]

I used to ship Harry/Ginny, I really did.  But I dunno...looking back at the series I just like Harry/Hermione better.  They have more interaction & get along so well.  This video of them is so beautiful :

 

 

 

I also love this one:

 

[Narufan85]

I used to ship Harry/Ginny, I really did.  But I dunno...looking back at the series I just like Harry/Hermione better.  They have more interaction & get along so well.  This video of them is so beautiful :

 

 

 

I also love this one:

 

 

YES! I agree! I was HG during the reading and now I'm Harmony. I think a lot of it has to do with the great Harmony fics I've read and the fact that I feel like too much of Ginny's development needs to be assumed since it happens off screen.

[Narufan85]

Double posting and grave digging to make two observations after browsing the various HP places on reddit for the first time in forever.

 

1: While we can debate the way in which Harry's abuse is portrayed, especially in books one and two, I'm amazed at how many fans are happy to explain away the abuse he suffers at the hands of the Dursley's and Dumbledore's involvement in said abuse. I find it disturbing.

 

2: I'm similarly uncomfortable with the people who are perfectly okay justifying Snape's legitimately awful behavior just because he was a spy. They are quick to attack James Potter, but refuse to acknowledge the fact that Snape turns into James as an instructor and abuses his students. It's very problematic.