H.M.S. Harmony: The Greatest Ship I've Ever Known

[runeharmonic]

My final thoughts about HP and shipping, also posted at HF.

Comments

[edeainfj]

JKR couldn't even sink Harmony in canon; she had to do it in an interview.

JKR has been sinking "Harmony" since book 2. You just ignored her.

JKR might as well have written a new character in Hermione's stead, so harsh and drastic were the differences from OotP to HBP.

How was HBP Hermione different? She seemed like the same feisty girl who slapped Draco and cursed Marietta with facial scarring that STILL hasn't disappeared. She was the same jealous, frustrated girl who penned a long letter to Viktor Krum in front of Ron, and suggested that Harry should do things to make Cho jealous. She was the same, beautifully imperfect, three-dimensional Hermione. Perhaps you regarded HBP as "character assassination" because it proved (assuming books 2-5 weren't enough) that Hermione does, in fact, like Ron.

Ginny Weasley, the most obvious Mary Sue in modern literature, took the place at the forefront of Harry's consciousness.How is Ginny a Mary Sue? JKR has been building her up since book 1, and she's hardly faultless - she has a horrible

[edeainfj]

(reply was too long)

My time in HP fandom is over. I see no value in even marginally promoting the misguided ideals of a shallow, conniving Mary Sue author who got seriously lucky with her first novel. I will not, however, abandon the ideals of Harmony because those are the ideals I cherish the most, second only to my religious beliefs.

Are bitterness and resentment some of the ideals of Harmony?

I'm probably wasting my time by replying this, especially since I hate getting involved with "fandom wank" situations. But I couldn't read your hugely biased and unfair post and not respond. The only "character assassination" has been committed by people who refuse to see the goodness and nobility in Ron - who refuse to see in him what his two best friends, Harry and Hermione, have always seen. Frankly, the fandom will be better without people who insist that they know JKR's characters better than she does.

[chasezgranger]

Do you MIND BUGGERING OFF and leaving us the hell alone? Why don't you go and rub it in our faces that you've got what you wanted instead of coming here and trying to start another bloody debate.

If you knew you were probably wasting your time then you should've gone with your gut instincts and wander off to your damn flist.

[fandomcakes]

It is not a breach of etiquite to comment on a public post. I think. Maybe we should call in Ms. Manners?

[a_white_rain]

I'm sorry to see you leave, and wish you luck on whatever you decide to do next.

But, as a lover of irony, I can't help but be twistedly amused that the Harry/Hermione hints wasn't intended. The quote that really bothers me is 'certin feelings between the THREE of them.'

[runeharmonic]

Thanks.

And it's kind of strange and annoying that H/Hr was purely accidental. JKR herself was responsible for the length of the shipping wars, especially with such quotes, so her behavior towards H/Hr shippers is appalling.

[a_white_rain]

I hope to see some more of you art. I really love it.

She enjoyed them. I was thinking she was going for Ron -> Hermione -> Harry, and didn't want to ruin that subplot. It would have shown just how strong the three of them were, if they remained as strong as ever, even if Harry and Hermione or Hermione and Harry got together. I still don't get Ginny.

[phoenixwriter]

Wonderfully said and I'm sad to see you leave but I'm thankfully that I was allowed to read your work and to learn to know you.

*hugs*
Diana

[runeharmonic]

Likewise, Diana. I'll still be on HF for my shipmates--kinda like Keith--but I don't give a fudge about JKR and her therapeutic garbage.

I'll see you around. :)

*hugs back*

[nellie_darlin]

I'm very sorry that you feel so strongly about this and that you are so shaken and stirred that you have temporarily forgotten all your convincing arguments. You know, I would wait around to see if they return to you (along with your manners and respect for a writer who - if not entirely to your taste - is FAR from "Mary Sue" and has created a fantastic series that has made children all over the world read) but frankly, I don't have the time to listen to childish tantrums

[phoenixwriter]

What I really can't stand is the way you have turned on JKR and started slagging her off simply because the story took a turn you are unhappy with, especially by suggesting that the direction of the stories was guided by monetary concerns. That is childish. Present a criticism of the work, but do not insult the author.

I daresay she was first in doing so. Take a look at jkrowling.com extra stuff. Then you might see where such reaction comes from.

[nellie_darlin]

Ok, you're going to have to do better than that. I've never believed that JKR writes for money (if she was, she could have retired years ago), but I was prepared to be surprised. This is because I have something called AN OPEN MIND. However, I read all through that section, and the only mention of money is this:

(though these days I can afford to keep ordering coffees even if I don't drink them, so that's less of a problem)

Despite having an English Literature A-Level and 93% in my AS-level last year, I could be reading this wrong. This quote could in fact be saying "Fuck you hors I just want MONEY!" as you suggest. However, to me all this says is that the woman has managed (through her own hard work) to allow herself to live in comfort.

Is this the quote you meant? If not, please could you give me the quote? I'd love to know where you get this idea from; my mind is still OPEN. Give me proof, I'll believe it. Without reasonable proof, I'll stick to what I believe.

[phoenixwriter]

*lol* Not money. I'm pretty sure she didn't need that anymore since 2000 as the movies started. I meant the way she talks about H/Hr shipper but then again one can't expect anything else from her.

Look under "Emerson and Melissa" a nice comment how angry H/Hr shipper would trick Emerson.

This reactions by H/Hr shipper is only this way because JKR dished it out. Personally, I don't care since I thought ever since I read her interviews she's bit CLOSED MINDED on things. Nobody says in an interview how stupid US-citizen are. Unfortunally, I have that one only in my language.

[movedbyyou]

Beautiful said. I really needed that today

[nellie_darlin]

Hey, just a curious R/Hr shipper here, wending my destructive way in an attempt to see where H/Hrs are coming from. Do you possibly have an essay listing these "canon moments"? I don't want to make trouble, I just want to defend JKR from personal attacks. I'm open to persuasion (although the evidence will have to be bloody good.)

[runeharmonic]

Check out JKR's interview, first, then check her website. Next, check out the Craft or Crap thread at HF. You'll see where we're coming from there.

Thanks for your genuine interest. If I seemed a bit irritated in my above response to you, it's because I don't want to debate anymore, especially not here. I've already conceded OBHWF, though I believe JKR sacrificed her characters to do it.

[runeharmonic]

Yeah, it's really just stinging how an author we used to give so much credit (I mean, just look at all those well thought-out essays!) could be so cruel to us.

I can easily buy that Hr/R is canon now in the books. With the way JKR destroyed her characters, they're not the same ones I fell in love with and thus hold no emotional impact for me anymore. For the first time, I can actually say the entire Trio can die in book 7, and I wouldn't care.

The ideals of the ship shouldn't be abandoned, not by a long shot. It JKR who doesn't deserve this attention.