This past week fans across the globe explored chapters 9 and 10 of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. To Draco's dismay, in the first chapter of our reading Harry discovered he had natural skill on a broomstick, and McGonagall placed our little 11-year-old hero on the Gryffindor Quidditch team.
But the second chapter, "Halloween", appropriately saw much darker events. Harry and Ron were forced to band together to bravely fend off a mountain troll before it could snuff out bossy know-it-all Hermione Granger. From this moment on - the Narrator explains - the three of them became the best of friends.
"But are we really supposed to like Hermione Granger?" questions Lady Griffen in the Alohomora! forums:
Based on the way that all the students react to Hermione are we supposed to like her? We are told she has no friends. The only time we see her at all is generally when she is annoying Harry or Ron. For example during the midnight dual, flying lessons, and the charm lesson before Halloween. So I feel that Rowling was painting this independent Hermione as unlikable. Thoughts?
draconis: It's not a question of being 'likable' or 'unlikable'. It was just that, she (being a muggleborn), was simply trying "too hard" to fit in a world that would be (otherwise) completely alien to her. So while, she might not have been completely aware of how she came across and was being perceived by others (because she desperately 'wanted' to be accepted by others), she was also misunderstood to a great extent.
Fans of the new Alohomora! section and podcast have been having excellent conversations (like this one) in the new forums as they have re-read the books. If you would like to become a part of this very friendly, smart and interactive book club, make sure to register to comment in our forums right here.
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