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Why Isn't J.K. Rowling Just Honest About the Whole Hermione Thing?

posted 8 years ago by johandav
9 replies | jump to latest

Now, let me say right off the bat that I am a HUGE J.K. Rowling fan. I've read the Harry Potter series at least four or five times and am currently reading it again - very slowly, over the last year or so to really enjoy it. One of my fondest memories of my kids growing up is reading the entire series to my youngest son during the evenings when he was going to bed. I've enjoyed her Cormoran Strike novels too (although not nearly as much, of course).

As a person I think she's wonderful - wildly creative and incredibly generous with her fortune, giving literally tens of millions away (if not more).

But why has she twisted herself into a pretzel acting like Hermione might have been black in the Harry Potter books? She clearly wasn't; saying that the comment in POA when her 'white' face was mentioned might have just been referring to a black young lady having a scare, or similar nonsense when it's pointed out that there are several instances where it mentions her turning pale. She stated it when other characters are black, like Lee Jordan and Angelina Johnson - it seems pretty odd that she would have neglected to mention it even once in seven novels about one of the three primary characters.

It appears to me that it would have been more honest and much easier to say, "Yes, Hermione was white in the novels but I have no problem with Noma Dumezweni playing her on stage in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Color-blind casting has been around for years in the theater and I think she's terrific."

Again, nothing against J.K. Rowling, whom I adore. It just seems like it was an odd way to handle the issue - which never would have come up if they hadn't cast Noma Dumezweni in the play. Is she afraid that she'll come off as racist if all three were white? I can't believe that. It feels very retcon-ny to me - and that series doesn't need any improvements!

Just my two cents worth.

Whistling Wolf should get more camera time . . . he’s like a young Pacino!

[–] PKLarkins 8 years ago

I agree with you 100%.

Earth without art is just "eh."

[–] sparklingly 8 years ago

Well said. I don't understand why she is getting mad that fans can pick up on Hermione being white when that is clearly how she imagined her when she wrote the books. I just find her lacking class when she turns against the fans for that. Like you said she could still be supportive of the actress without being dishonest.

When your mind breaks the spirit of your soul.

[–] furienna 8 years ago

I too agree with you.

Intelligence and purity.

[–] niks_foonts 8 years ago

Its clearly a PC thing. Like you I think its quite bewildering that there is any argument that Hermione is white. There are countless official book illustrations, and more than enough evidence in the books, not to mention the casting of the movies which she was very much a part of which makes it clear. I personally have no big issue with a black actress playing the character, but to try and insist that the character wasn't meant to be white is quite silly.

[–] Chocolate_Swan 8 years ago

I haven't seen her insisting that Hermione was never meant to be white. I interpreted what she said about fans bringing up the "white as paper" line as her saying that that line is a weak justification to deny a great actress the role just because she's not white. She said "Hermione can be a black woman with my absolute enthusiasm and blessing." I see no retcon there, just her giving her blessing for the casting.

[–] Vinny-Gambini82 8 years ago

I completely agree.

[–] sparklingly 8 years ago

The author reiterated in the interview what she's pointed out before: Hermione's skin color was never mentioned in the books.

"I had a bunch of racists telling me that because Hermione 'turned white' -- that is, lost color from her face after a shock -- that she must be a white woman, which I have a great deal of difficulty with,"

http://www.cnet.com/news/j-k-rowling-on-reaction-to-a-black-hermione-idiots-were-going-to-idiot/

It isn't about the casting there. She is trying to justify the line with that Hermione just lost color from her face and saying that it doesn't mean she is white in the books.

When your mind breaks the spirit of your soul.

[–] johandav 8 years ago

Thanks for the comment.

When the casting news first broke last year, Rowling tweeted this: "Canon: brown eyes, frizzy hair and very clever. White skin was never specified. Rowling loves black Hermione."

As I've stressed, I love J.K. Rowling and have no problem with color-blind casting (my favorite film of all time has Denzel Washington and Keanu Reeves as half-brothers) or with Ms. Rowling loving black Hermione, but saying 'white skin was never specified' is the kind of thing I was referring to when I said "she twisted herself into a pretzel acting like Hermione might have been black in the Harry Potter books".

She wasn't. I don't believe it was ever even discussed until Noma Dumezweni was cast in the play.

Whistling Wolf should get more camera time . . . he’s like a young Pacino!