I have always complained heartily that Little Women's Jo should have ended up with Laurie. Why?
- Prof Bhaer was an old dude with little appeal
- Bhaer judged Jo's writing as wanting because it wasn't 'serious'. He's such a drudge.
- Jo and Laurie had a fantastic connection
- Poor Laurie ended up with Amy and NO ONE should be relegated to that fate.
Interestingly Jo and Laurie were Alcott's planned end point. Many of the readers of serialised publication of Little Women were very fixated on who each of the March's would marry. Pairing Jo with Bhaer was her attempt to 'subvert adolescent romantic ideals'. An attempt that succeeded as it dashed the hopes and dreams of contemporary readers and every generation since. Alcott got sick of fangirls (our shipping fore-mothers) and their fixation on Laurie and thus changed the direction of her story. I shall forever be bitter.
| Hogsmeade.pl |
“I wrote the Hermione/Ron relationship as a form of wish fulfillment,” she says. “That’s how it was conceived, really. For reasons that have very little to do with literature and far more to do with me clinging to the plot as I first imagined it, Hermione ended up with Ron.”
“I know, I’m sorry,” she continued, “I can hear the rage and fury it might cause some fans, but if I’m absolutely honest, distance has given me perspective on that. It was a choice I made for very personal reasons, not for reasons of credibility. Am I breaking people’s hearts by saying this? I hope not.”
The reactions were immediate and rather....passionate. I do believe these are my two favourite (forgive me for my Ron leanings.)
I have always been a Ron and Hermione fan - despite wanting to be a Hermione, I am definitely more of a Ron.
One of my most popular posts in the many years this blog has existed is one I wrote about Ron -
Mostly I find it incredible that Rowling has decided now is the time to announce this revelation. Of course people are going to be upset. Ron/Hermione fans feel like their heart's desire has been swept away. Harry/Hermione fans are probably upset that she didn't realise this sooner but are happy that she's aboard their shipdom.
But mostly, I think I am with Rainbow Rowell.
5 comments:
Wow. I guess the same way that new people come to 'Little Women' and feel the fresh hell that is discovering Laurie ends up with Amy ... the importance of HP will not diminish (especially during the author's lifetime). And JK does seem to love letting little explosions go off in the fandom - first Dumbledore being gay (yay!) now this. More power to her; either she's delusional and thinks the fandom might have calmed down a little bit now, or she actually revels in stirring the fandom nest.
I LOVE Hermione and Ron. They were perfect for each other. Harry would have been a pushover whereas Ron was never that with Hermione.
I am TOTALLY with Rainbow Rowell - I ship everyone with Draco. My fave is Drarry. :-D (But I won't mind Dramione either).
I never had any problem with Dumby being gay (I should confess that I suspected it all along - c'mon people - "deep friendship with Grindelwald"?). This never affected the story. I think Ron-Hermione pairing is the one which maintains the pH balance of the pairings of the trio. Ok, now I am rambling... :)
I think Harry and Hermione would have been an awful pairing.
Going to think about this a little more.
It's been a little while since I last read Little Women and its sequels, but I remember de-testing Amy. Eugh! She was horrid.
Also, I still maintain that Ron and Hermione were always meant to be together. Ron is smarter then he lets on.
I feel for you. What Rowling is saying makes no sense. Isn't all literature personal? And why isn't R/H credible? Books and Quidditch don't matter, common values do and R/H have those common values.
I guess if R/H aren't credible then either is Booth/Bones. Rowling basically dumps on all nontraditional pairings.
By the end of book 7, Ron is more than worthy of Hermione. He has destroyed his fears and insecurities, he tries to take her place at Malfoy Manor, he cares about the elves, he's experienced real loss. With Ron Weasley, you always know where you stand.
Can you imagine how boring H/H would be? Hermione would be a work-a-holic and Harry would develop a butter beer support system.
Life with Ron would be exciting and fun. Taking him to muggle places. Watching him discover muggle food. They've already known each other for years. They know how each think and what makes them tick. If anything, there friendship would make the marriage even stronger.
Just remember though, Rowling's feelings now don't matter. What matter is how she felt at the time she wrote the series. She wanted them together and made it so. Nothing can change that. Rose and Hugo, Ron and Hermione are one big happy family.
Her comments about not upsetting fans is what I take offense. She knows fans would get upset. She saw the Dumbledore reaction. But what does she care, she has our money.
The stuff about some fans wondering if Ron would make Hermione happy I,m going to just ignore. There has always been a small but vocal set of fans who that that. Most probably just saw the movie.
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