"Because I'm a girl, I suppose!": gender lines and narrative perspective in Harry Potter
2015; Mythopoeic Society; Volume: 33; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês
ISSN
0146-9339
Autores Tópico(s)Folklore, Mythology, and Literature Studies
ResumoNARRATIVE PERSPECTIVE Potter and the Deathly Hallows the seventh and final book in the Potter series, is the most up-to-date picture of that author J.K. Rowling has provided for her readers. In this book, is a young woman of seventeen who can reasonably be assumed the agent and speaker of her own destiny. She has been interpreted as capable, knowledgeable, and fairly self-assured, but it is not enough that acts alongside her fellow heroes in the series. As Elizabeth E. Heilman writes in Blue Wizards and Pink Witches: Representations of Gender Identity and Power: is not simply who is present, but, also, how characters are portrayed and what they do that matters (223). The primary complication for is that her story is seen through Harry's eyes. This article will address the consequences of Harry's perspective on Hermione. As one of the heroes and the young woman in closest proximity to the origin perspective, her fate is different than those who are further away. I argue that is a constellation of proximity revolving around Harry's perspective, with being the closest, Lily the furthest, and Ginny, Molly, Luna, McGonagall, and Bellatrix at varying points in between. It would of course be problematic to assume that is the Sun around which all other characters must revolve, but considering the close narrative stance and the eponymous title, his perspective is, and should be, naturally prioritized. Hermione's story arc, according to Eliza T. Dresang in Hermione Granger and the Heritage of Gender, was established the moment that she is chosen for Gryffindor to be brave at heart, to show daring, nerve, and chivalry (228). Heilman, by contrast, calls her bookish (224) and implies that her inconsistent competence is far inferior to the innate knowledge and Ron possess. I argue that Harry's perspective is the final word on her, and that strong women in this series tend to fare better the further away from they are. His myopic perspective of relegates her to stereotype and either ignores or misunderstands her full potential. She is Harry's blind spot for the seven years we see her. INTERPRETIVE PROXIMITY In the grand scheme of the narrative, the women who fare rather well in Potter tend to be further away from Harry. Viewing this as a constellation, is the Sun and the women are planets at varying distances from him; those closest are the most scorched. Michelle Yeo, in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Feminist Interpretations/Jungian Dreams, comments that early on in Potter and the Chamber of Secrets there is a superficial nod to gender equality that only masks a deeply entrenched patriarchal structure in the collective unconscious (2). Harry's perspective perhaps portrays the world's inequalities too accurately for comfort. After Hermione, the woman he is most in contact with is Ginny. Through his perspective, we see her sexual activity with young men at Hogwarts and feel uncomfortable with at this choice. In the final book, Ginny is auxiliary, not worth taking on the adventure with the heroes, but her sexual nature keeps her of value for a kiss (and kids) at the end. After Ginny comes Molly in terms of closeness to the original point-of-view. As Ron's mother, she fills a gap in Harry's life after his welcome into the wizarding world. He sees her as loving, motherly, and giving. Through his eyes, her confrontation with Bellatrix in the final book is a natural culmination of her motherly role--a mother bear protecting her cubs--and any flaws are overprotection, to the point of the heroes preparing for adventure in secret, and the fact that she is not biologically his mother. Luna and McGonagall are next on this relationship constellation. Luna is closer to and fares worse. She is considered rather silly, especially at first, but because of her actual narrative distance, winds up interpreted as noble, patient, and brave, as during her imprisonment in Malfoy Manor or during the Battle of Hogwarts. …
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