Ginny Potter : The Analysis By Me:) Just My Two Cents
In a book as popular as Harry Potter there must be romance. Everyone cares about love triangles and J.K knows how to exploit this. Recently she has called people who support the Hermione/Harry ship delusional and asked for us to re-read the books. She may be right but it is her own fault. She could clear everything up but she has not.She has also called Ginny Harry's "Ideal" girl and his connection with Hermione as platonic love.(We'll examine this later) What Half Blood Prince did, is apparently decided once and for all who stays with who at the end. We will examine the Ginny/Harry relationship chapter by chapter. Try to keep an open mind.
I.Chapter Five: An Excess of Phlegm
Ginny appears for the first time in HBP in Chapter five: An Excess of Phlegm.
"Ron's younger sister slouched into the room, looking irritable. "Hi Harry"
Notice how she is described as irritated (as with we all know she feels this way because Fleur is getting married to Bill) Ginny enters the book with a negative attitude something that will remain for the rest of the book. Ginny will be found irritable by readers because her character has been changed so much, she actually is almost like a new character dropped on us without any consideration.
"Its her" said Ginny plonking herself down on Harry's bed" "She's driving me mad"
Here we go again with the lack of character development. Ginny who was once nervous around Harry (and who supposedly never gave up on him-see later chapters) gains the sudden confidence of a rock star. Also notice that Harry didnt pay any special attention to Ginny. This was the moment where JK could start the development of the ship to make it look realistic. She missed the opportunity and drops the Ginny bomb on us on later chapters which leaves readers wondering what the hell happened? Any ship that does this is not written correctly or maybe it was what JK intended (here we have the love potion speculation, where evil slughorn made Harry fall for Ginny in order to distract him thus causing what happened at the end of HBP-the will and wont theme) This kind of relationship doesnt have any precedent at all in English Literature.
"Its the way she talks to me-you'd think I was about three!"
Ginny is really mad at Fleur. But she comes off as arrogant when she makes this comments. Maybe it is because she is jealous of Fleur's beauty because inside she really is insecure. How could someone like this be the life partner for Harry?
"Oh, that's right defend her," snapped Ginny. "We all know you can't get enough of her"
This is again the jealousy monster coming out of Ginny. This is also a clue that she is not really over Harry and that she used Dean in order to get Harry( Poor Dean).Lets recap:
Ginny=Jealous,Arrogant,Extremely Confident and manipulative( using men)
Then we being the whole Mother-Daughter Discussion.
"Mum hates her" said Ginny quietly.
Again nothing positive. Ginny wants to make sure that her hateful comments get through.
"Including you and Dad" said Ginny slyly.
We can add Sly to the list. That how Ginny and future soul mate of Harry defends herself. Is she really in gryffindor? *Slytherin*Cough*
"A Cow" said Ginny (Refering to Fleur)
Do you remember when was the last time you call someone names? Yes, when you were really inmature just like Ginny!(If she is indeed Harry's Soulmate hopefully she'll grow out of this stage she is after all a teenager)
"Do you really want her around forever"?Ginny asked Ron. "Well, Mum's going to put a stop to it if she can, I bet you anything"
Thats a great idea! NOT. Ginny has complete disregard of Bill's and Fleur's feelings. She is selfish and only thinks of whats best for her.
After this they discuss the Tonks scheme. Hermione acts as jealous as Ginny when Harry mentions her abilities. After this Ginny scornfully snaps at Harry. This is again Ginny's manipulative nature. Harry instantly wishes he hadnt spoken. Ginny and Harry are not equals. They dont even have compatible personalities. In a Ginny/Harry relationship Ginny would wear the pants. The only common bond they share is Voldermort (and that isnt a good bond to base a relationship of) For Ginny Harry is a prize. She is a fan girl.
After this Mrs. Weasley asked Ginny to help her with lunch.
"Im talking to this lot! said, Ginny Outraged.
This gives me a great mental picture of a self-centered teenage girl. I dont really see any similarities with Lily.
Now J.K called Ginny Harry's Ideal Girl:
Ideal:1: conforming to an ultimate standard of perfection or excellence; embodying an ideal 2 a : existing as a mental image or in fancy or imagination only b : relating to or constituting mental images, ideas, or conceptions
Platonic:1:Pure, passionless; nonsexual; philosophical, a pure, spiritual affection, subsisting between persons of opposite sex, unmixed with carnal desires, and regarding the mind only and its excellences; The act of not depending on chemical addiction occuring during sexual experiences(Ron & Hermione->Hormones & Stuff)
Now which one sounds like true love as in soulmates?
I would be happy if Ron and Hermione ended up together but i completely disagree with Ginny/Harry. Its just wrong....
II. Draco's Detour- Chapter Six
Our Analysis now takes us to Fred & George's shop. What I find really interesting about Half Blood Prince is that love potions play a very very important role(Why would JK draw so much attention to Love Potions?). I find it intriguing that Ginny is introduced in this chapter right after the mention of them.
"There you go" said Fred proudly. "Best range of love potions you'll find anywhere"
Ginny raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Do they work?" she asked.
"Certainly they work, for up to twenty-four hours at a time depending on the weight of the boy in question---" "--and the attractiveness of the girl" said George reappearing suddenly at their side. "But we're not selling them to our sister".
As we can see Ginny is skeptical of love potions. Maybe she has never thought of them as a means to an end so by her question we are led to believe that she would never do such a thing or that atleast she has no knowledge of them.
George assures her that they indeed work. This is a very important part if we are to assume that Harry is under a love potion. George has given his little sister the knowledge she needs. She is now aware of love potions and their use. Now we can believe two things ( If we are to follow the love potion theory) (1) Ginny formulated the plan, carried it out alone from this moment on. (2) She recieved help from someone else who encouraged her to do so.
George says that he is not gonna sell them to Ginny. This comment may just be comic relief or could it be a way to forshadow Ginny's use of Love Potions? We'll leave it at that. From what we have seen Ginny has not shown her negative attitude...yet.
George continues: "not when she's already got about five boys on the go from what we've--"
Ginny's reputation precedes her. Yes! She has finally moved on. (Thats what we believe anyway) When I first read this, I didnt really pay attention to the quantity of guys she went out with (5? Would someone who never gave up on Harry do this? How can you sincerely be with someone without caring for them? Is this something that Harry's soulmate would do?) because I was too happy for her and her newfound maturity.
But it could all be once again comic relief.
"Whatever you've heard from Ron is a big fat lie" said Ginny calmly, leaning forward to take a small pink pot off the shelf"
The monster comes out again. Man, that Ginny sure is rebellious.
Again with the list: Pretty,Smart,Powerful,Rebellious... Well at least she is calm while saying this probably because she was leaning to take a pink pot off the shelf.
Is Ginny lying? or was Ron lying? Something to think bout.Dean,Micheal...
Are you or are you not currently going out with a boy called Dean Thomas?" said Fred.
"Yes I am" said Ginny. "And last time I looked, he was definetly one boy, not five"
"So what about Micheal Corner"?
"I dumped him, he was a bad loser", said Ginny. "They are really cute"
So Ginny dumped Micheal Corner and Dean is the rebound. We aren't the only ones who take notice of Ginny's dating "speed"
"But you're moving through boyfriends a bit fast, aren't you?"
Now something really interesting happens. Pay attention:
Ginny turned to look at him, her hands on her hips. There was such a Mrs. Weasley-ish glare on her face that Harry was surprised Fred didn't recoil.
Now. Here JK compares Ginny with her mother, Molly. Then it could be plausible to compare Harry to Arthur. I think that if this is indeed the main love story of the books then JK should had come up with a better pararell. James/Lily anyone?
But this could just be me reading between lines too much.
"Its none of your business. And I'll thank you" she added angrily to Ron, who ha djust appeared at George's elbow, laden with merchandise, "not to tell tales about me to these two!"
Yes, Ginny its none of our business. We get it. Why is Ginny's attitude so negative towards Ron? Is this forshadowing? Where did sweet old Ginny go?
"Mum, can I have a Pigmy Puff" said Ginny at once.
This is the last we see of Ginny is this chapter. What have we learned? That Ginny is indeed moving on with her life and all seems to be well. She may be going too fast but at least she has finally found a stable relationship with Dean after breaking up with a "loser". Harry doesnt seem to care much about her and is distracted what more important matters.
We can pararell this to HBP.
If Harry had not dedicated so much time to Ginny maybe he would have stopped Draco. If he had done the same he did in this chapter maybe Dumbledore wouldnt be dead.
That's all for now:) _________________
Last edited by Hermione on October 1, 2005 9:00 pm; edited 1 time in total
I think your analysis is very sound. I do have one thing to point out, though. In book 5, we see Harry act very childish and angry with the world. It is a pretty typical stage for teenagers to pass through. Perhaps Harry understands where Ginny is and why she acts the way she does because he, too, passed through his annoying childish teen phase. I know that although I very much enjoyed Order of the Phoenix, there were times I wanted to reach in and grab Harry for being such a drama king. God help me when my kids turn to teenagers, lol. _________________ "For too long we have been taught to praise the wrong heroes, thieves planting flags and murderers carrying crosses. Let us at last praise the colonizers of dreams." ~ Peter S. Beagle
I agree, maybe thats why he's so understanding of her. But I just dont think this relationship is right( or at least well-developed (It doesnt really matter if H/Hr dont end up together because I think that Ron/Hr are meant to be but G/H its just...I think its more of a Fangirl/Hero relationship.(Than a platonic one which is in fact true love) _________________
Hmm. Sounds like Ginny doesn't -really- like Harry, but is more the type who might 'like' him because he gets so much attention. I bet if Harry wasn't famous, she wouldn't have noticed him at all. _________________
And on the eighth day, God made Ewan McGregor.
It got on my nerves too! I hate the way JKR says that Ginny is a poweful witch and the only thing she has done is a bat hex.\
I was pretty pissed off when she made Ron feel bad because of the not snoggin comment. I mean I think she caused the whole Lavander/Ron relationship because of that.
Then...she turned on Hermione. Bad Ginny! _________________
Zero character developement? We didn't see a lot of her after Chamber of Secrets until Order of the Pheonix. That leaves a lot of character developement time that wasn't in the books. She seems a little more coarce in OotP. Personally, I liked this slightly uptight, kick-ass Ginny.
I'll bet if she were still smittin and blushing every time Harry looked at her, you'd complain about no developement in the character at all. _________________ Things I must NOT do at Hogwarts
Can't argue with facts, but pinning Dumbledore's demise on her... isn't that a bit rough I too had problems with Ginny's sincerity in liking Harry since she was a bit withdrawn to Harry after COS, she was not even mildly "associated" with him other than her being Ron's sister and a DA member...
For what its worth though, I felt a tingle in back of my neck when Harry and Ginny hooked up...
I hate the way JKR says that Ginny is a poweful witch and the only thing she has done is a bat hex.\
Well J.K. knows a lot more about Ginny than we do, doesn't she?
I'd like to stand in defense of Harry and Ginny's relationship. J.K. Rowling left a few subtle hints that Harry thought of her as more than Ron's sister.
1: On the Hogwarts express, Harry asks Ginny if she'd like to share a compartment and is disapointed when she turns him down. Of course, this is because he forgot that she didn't usually hang out with him. But, three years ago, wouldn't he have looked for Neville or someone else he was a lot closer friends with. Just a thought.
2: As I've discussed in this thread, Ginny's scent is in Harry's top three most actracting scents. The dictionary discribes a scent as a distinctive and especially pleasant odor. NOT arrousing. So it's not realy sexual. So Harry's feelings for Ginny are real, if you take this seriously.
3: Ginny says that she never realy gave up on him. That is real love, even if she faultered a bit (okay a lot).
I dont think Hermione knows what in the world she is talking about...the title sais harry and ginny...i clicked on this forum to read peoples thoughts on harry and ginnys love life....but unlike the title Hermione isnt talking about love....shes talking about how ginny hates fleur...i dont understand how ginny and fleur fighting is going to bring together harry and ginny...the title of this forum is completley irelevant to the actual conversation... _________________
Im actually confused as to how the way Ginny reacts to Fleur at the beginning of the book is a good reflection on whether she and Harry should end up together?
You mention that she all of a sudden acts with a newly gained "rockstar" confidence - I think that in earlier books her shyness is linked with immaturity. Now she has grown a bit and realised she is actually pretty (hence all her male attention in school) has given her confidence. Also spending all summer in Harry's formidable and friendly company would surely put anyone at ease?
And being mad at Fleur doesnt actually mean she is jealous of her - Fleur is actually an annoying character for anyone who reads the book, Im surprised she and Hermione had been able to hold their tongue's around her for so long! What you should see here is Ginny's newfound friendship with Harry after now knowing him for 5/6 years in and out of school, that she is now so at ease while with him they are developing a different level to their friendship that would never have occurred if they were strangers at Hogwarts. I think its the underlying respect for Harry that makes this ship so much sweeter than Harry/Cho. In fact! Ginny is much more mature than Cho, much less insecure and much more Harry's type. I see a lot of Lily Potter in Ginny, Ginny just being a lot more modern woman than Lily (which is understandable giving the change in times etc). But Im pretty sure James fell for Lily because of her independance and confidence.
I also dont understand how the mood in which we find Ginny at the beginning of the book can relate to her being a man-user, possibly should've been sorted into Slytherin (for saying something slyly - thats clutching at straws - how many times has Ron or Harry said something "darkly" - does this mean they will grow to become deatheaters??)etc. I think JKR was trying to get across the hormonal teenager aspect of Ginny which we havent seen in the previous books, and she does this quite well. Especially the part where she calls Fleur "a cow". Calling someone names doesnt not necessarily constitute immaturity - its called human nature. If someone does something that annoys you, Im pretty sure you're going to complain about it - we're not all future Mother Theresa's!! Using a form of cuss word is defintely JKR's attempt at showing you how much Ginny has grown up since the days of her being in total awe of Harry. Most girls of this age are completely self absorbed and hormonally driven - also most girls of this age generally want to go out with the best looking boy, or the best footballer or the best dancer - its only obvious that Ginny (being the prettiest in her year) would want to go out with the most popular boy in school. Yet at the same time, Harry isnt the most popular boy - surely Ginny would go for someone a bit less controversial if all she was after was a pretty face or popularity. I mean, she didnt really have to fight off a lot of other girls to get Harry, so it wasnt a challenge for her.
When George teases about Ginny having 5 boyfriends... you're not going to take George seriously - are you?? I thought we al knew the twins by now, come on! Maybe Ginny had the attentions of 5 boys, doesnt mean she's dating them all - thats ridiculous. As we know Ginny grows to become very pretty, of course she will be wanted by a lot of boys... why shouldnt see go out with one or two? Harry obviously wasnt interested in her (at first) while his infatuation with Cho grew and grew before finally popping and dissolving before finally noticing Ginny. So why should she hang around for him to finally discover that Cho is a waste of time - maybe Ginny was dating other boys to try and attract Harry's attention and maybe jealousy? It eventually worked didnt it? And the speed in which she switches between boyfriends is not exactly unheard of in normal schools where sometimes the most exciting thing about school is seeing the boy you fancy.
Ginny's relationship with her brothers seems like any normal brother/sister relationship - hateful at times, of course. What else would a girl do when she discovers that her brothers are passing stories between them about her? Tell them off! At least she knows how to tell them off, almost mimicking their mother, the one woman they are actually afraid of. This doesnt mean she is a negative person - just means she is finally sticking up for herself and taking after her mum, somethings that should be encouraged in a young girl.
And boys taking too much interest in girls instead of things that matter... welcome to the real world _________________ Amy
I kind of thought that in the beginning of the book when she was talking to them she wasn't nervous, only because now she's old enough to have grown out of her crush on Harry, not meaning she dosen't still like him, but now she is more comfertable talking to him. And I don't think she's jealous of Fleur at all, I thought her and Hermione just found her annoying. I really like Harry and Ginny together. I don't think Ginny is stuck up or self centered at all, but I just think she's a strong person and that's the kind Harry needed at the time and still needs. (Not that Hermione isn't strong, but its R/Hr that are ment to be not H/Hr.) I knew at the end of Chamber of Secrets he would someday wind up dating or being with Ginny, and while it did kind of bother me she wasn't really in books 3, 4, and 5 I was really excited when it came in 6. _________________
Wand:8" Cedar with Unicorn Hair
Animagi:Squirrel
I think that if this is indeed the main love story of the books then JK should had come up with a better pararell.
Am I the only one who thinks that the main relationship was always Ron/Hermione? It gets the most attention of all relationships romantic or otherwise over the course of the books. The rollercoaster of R/Hr starts as soon as the characters are introduced and doesn't end until the epilogue.