One of the things that makes the Harry Potter characters most endearing to me is that they have the full awkwardness, ignorance and confusion of their ages. Even though they're brave and magically powerful, they aren't emotionally precocious. Being safely out of that awkward stage myself, I can sit back at arms-length and fully appreciate where they are. I even like CAPS-LOCK!Harry, because I find that emotionally realistic.
One of the things that really annoys me in fanfic is when people suddenly make Harry become calm and rational and reasonable about everything. Yes, it might be easier to write and more pleasant to read and it might enable certain plot directions that the author might want to explore, but that isn't where he is right now - and he certainly isn't going to achieve that over one summer!
But this interview worries me. They seem to be hinting that Harry is going to grow up emotionally, and that doesn't seem a realistic thing to happen at this point. It is quite necessary for the plot - and the fact that 17 is the age of majority for wizards suggests that he needs to be an adult in book 7. But I don't want Sweet Valley High-style adult teenagers in my Harry Potter, I like them being children!
Hopefully J.K. Rowling will, à la limite, have Harry at the end of his sixth year reach the place where those fanfic authors have him at the end of the summer. I'm in no hurry to have my Harry grow up.
No comments:
Post a Comment