Pottermore-

[mary-j-59.livejournal.com]

Okay - I confess; I joined Pottermore, out of sheer curiosity. I want to know if, by any strange chance, I will sort to Slytherin, and also what sort of wand I get. Still, some things struck me at once (I've spent about 20 minutes exploring the first chapter):

When describing Number 4, Privet Drive, Rowling said that she chose the number four because she disliked that number, finding it hard and unforgiving. I believe those were the exact words! Do you suppose that feeling is limited to the number four, or might it extend to other numbers?

On a more serious note, she based the look and floorplan of the house on that of a house she lived in herself - and got wierded out because, without discussing it with her, the filmmakers got the floorplan exactly right.

And - this is fascinating! - she had to argue with the publishers, who wanted to convert all the British measurements into metric ones. She also said that Wizards can do complex calculations magically. Can they, really? Then why did we never see them doing this?

Oh, dear. Maths.

But I'm very glad that she talked the publishers into keeping the old fashioned measurements. Can you imagine a metric Wizarding World? I can't.

Comments

[oneandthetruth.livejournal.com]

It's interesting that you should mention this, because it drives home the point (which has been raised by other members of the comm, I think) that a narcissistic worldview seems, at bottom, to be a childish one: like a child who hasn't yet been taught morality or empathy they believe they're the most important thing in the world.

That's true. Both narcissists and psychopaths are extremely immature emotionally. They're not just infantile, though; they're infants in extreme survival mode, obsessed with getting what they need no matter who or how much it hurts.

As for whether Rowling is consciously pandering to children with her HP worldview, I think it's pretty clear she's acting unconsciously. I infer that from these facts: (1) She seems unaware of the series' subliminal themes when confronted with them by fans; (2) she sees only one way of interpreting the books--hers (lack of empathy is characteristic of narcissists); (3) she gets angry, defensive, and controlling when people don't agree with her official interpretations (more lack of empathy, plus narcissists' insecurity makes them controlling). Besides, I've read a lot of children's books, and JKR is the only children's writer I can think of who presents such a twisted worldview.

[sweettalkeress.livejournal.com]

Has she ever expressly gotten angry with a fan who presented an alternate interpretation of her world? I've seen her trying to add in her own interpretations after the fact, but has she directly contradicted a fan who didn't agree with her?

[oneandthetruth.livejournal.com]

You obviously haven't heard about how angry she got at fans who objected to her negative descriptions of Snape in interviews, or complained when she didn't call him heroic. She made it clear she thought them crazy, unable to distinguish good characters from evil ones, etc. She got defensive when Harry was criticized for torturing somebody, too, famously dismissing protests by saying, "Harry's not a saint." OTOH, she positively gushed when Oprah, in that infamous interview, cooed over the "message" of HP, agreeing when Oprah said the best thing about the books is that love triumphs, and the books are all about love. *gag*