Ok, yesterday I answered a Frage in the "Answers" area asking "Do Du think Ginny is a Mary Sue?" and it got me thinking. Here is my answer.
No, I do not think Ginny Weasley is a Mary Sue. For one, I don't think she is "too ostentatious for the audience's taste, oder that the Autor seems to favor the character too highly." In my point of view, other than the fact that Ginny ends up with Harry, she really doesn't seem to be favoured. I don't know very much about J.K. Rowling as a person, but again, apart from the fact that they are both female, nothing jumps out at me that would indicate that Ginny is a proxy for the author. This would dispel the idea of self-insertion.
When it comes to the character having mystical powers, most of the characters in the Harry Potter series do. (The same goes for exotic pets.) Although, Ginny DOES cast a mean bat-bogey hex... That aside, I believe there are other characters that would better fall into the stigma of Mary Sue (or Marty Sue). For instance, we have Hermione. Muggle-born and pretty much the most brilliant witch of her year. Who wouldn’t want to be in her place? (This does not change my opinion of Hermione whatsoever; she's still my all-time favourite!) Next, take Harry. Who wouldn’t want to believe that for the beginning of their lives, they thought they were ordinary, and magically on their eleventh birthday, discover they have magical powers? Not only that, but he is our unassuming, accidental, unexpected hero and saviour. This is a familiar plot device. Harry also fits into the category of having “an unusually tragic past,” and even though it seems hopeless and impossible, he uses this to overcome adversity and all is well in the end.
In conclusion, I believe that the entire Harry Potter series is very well-written and there are no glaringly obvious Mary Sues in the narrative. In my opinion, if the Bücher contained any hints of a Mary Sue, I don’t believe they were displayed through Ginny.
Thank you.
Zitate are taken from the “Mary Sue” entry in Wikipedia. For Mehr information on Mary Sues, see link
Constructive criticism and other opinions are appreciated.
EDIT: When i wrote this article, i couldn't find the Answer i had Abgeschickt anymore, but now i've found it again.
No, I do not think Ginny Weasley is a Mary Sue. For one, I don't think she is "too ostentatious for the audience's taste, oder that the Autor seems to favor the character too highly." In my point of view, other than the fact that Ginny ends up with Harry, she really doesn't seem to be favoured. I don't know very much about J.K. Rowling as a person, but again, apart from the fact that they are both female, nothing jumps out at me that would indicate that Ginny is a proxy for the author. This would dispel the idea of self-insertion.
When it comes to the character having mystical powers, most of the characters in the Harry Potter series do. (The same goes for exotic pets.) Although, Ginny DOES cast a mean bat-bogey hex... That aside, I believe there are other characters that would better fall into the stigma of Mary Sue (or Marty Sue). For instance, we have Hermione. Muggle-born and pretty much the most brilliant witch of her year. Who wouldn’t want to be in her place? (This does not change my opinion of Hermione whatsoever; she's still my all-time favourite!) Next, take Harry. Who wouldn’t want to believe that for the beginning of their lives, they thought they were ordinary, and magically on their eleventh birthday, discover they have magical powers? Not only that, but he is our unassuming, accidental, unexpected hero and saviour. This is a familiar plot device. Harry also fits into the category of having “an unusually tragic past,” and even though it seems hopeless and impossible, he uses this to overcome adversity and all is well in the end.
In conclusion, I believe that the entire Harry Potter series is very well-written and there are no glaringly obvious Mary Sues in the narrative. In my opinion, if the Bücher contained any hints of a Mary Sue, I don’t believe they were displayed through Ginny.
Thank you.
Constructive criticism and other opinions are appreciated.
EDIT: When i wrote this article, i couldn't find the Answer i had Abgeschickt anymore, but now i've found it again.
