J. K. Rowling presents Umbrigde's backstory

[t0ra-chan.livejournal.com]

In time for Halloween JKR gave us another short story (more background info to be honest, it's not like it has a plot). You can read it at Pottermore (if you have an account and can actually remember your user name and password) or you can read it here: J.K. Rowling writes Harry Potter Halloween tale profiling 'malicious' Dolores Umbridge

My personal take on this little story is that it's wholly pointless. It just repeats that Umbridge was always a nasty person with no depth to her and she's worse than blood purists. Nothing really new or insightful is revealed, nor do I believe did anybody care to know this sort of stuff about Umbridge. I also found it very unbelievable that anybody would buy her claims of being a pureblood, considering how small the wizarding community is. And of course she was a Slytherin, because where else could an evil person in HP have come from.

Comments

Re: Plastic bow, frills, little handbag

[merrymelody.livejournal.com]

It's not like JK has much time for the converse of overly femme dressing - looking butch. Look at how she scorns Millicent Bulstrode, or the 'mannish' Rita Skeeter.

Re: Plastic bow, frills, little handbag

[oryx_leucoryx]

Yes, there is a precisely correct level of femininity in Rowling-world. Too much or not enough are evil. Everyone should strive for the Goldilocks sweet-spot.

Re: Plastic bow, frills, little handbag

[oneandthetruth.livejournal.com]

But what's weird is that it's also OK for a girl to be obnoxious, aggressive, and overbearing, as long as Rowling approves of that character. Ginny's the best example of this, and Hermione sometimes is.

I'm now imagining all the females in the Potterverse walking a tightrope high above a yawning chasm filled with thousands of stereotypical butch girls, ultra-feminine girls, and whatever other examples of femininity Rowling thinks are inappropriate. The female characters carry one of those long poles and glance down anxiously as they struggle not to fall into the abyss and become one of those "bad" girls of which their creator doesn't approve.

Re: Plastic bow, frills, little handbag

[vermouth1991.livejournal.com]

Damning a woman for dressing in and liking womanly stuff. Now that's something I haven't heard of.

Re: The Prince's Tale

[vermouth1991.livejournal.com]

Did the site eat your post, or did you find something worth editing further and pulled it down?

[oneandthetruth.livejournal.com]

Neither one. It posted the entire, 10-page chapter on the main page instead of hiding most of it behind a cut, so I took it down to try reposting later.