(WARNING: If you have not read all the Harry Potter books, this post contains spoilers. And I will not give spoiler alerts.)
What happened to Harry Potter and gang?
Luna came third in the girls' category, closely followed by Hermione in fourth place (tying with Rue from The Hunger Games). Ron came third in the boys' category and Harry came fifth (tying with Gale from The Hunger Games).
I'll start with Luna. Luna Lovegood is the Ravenclaw girl who's smart, but apparently slightly nuts. In the sixth book, it's revealed that she saw her mother die when she was nine. That may have something to do with it. Of course, it could be that she's simply absentminded (or a misunderstood genius. Remember, she's in Ravenclaw). Her father also is kind of weird, wearing a strange symbol (which turns out to be central to the story of the seventh book).
However, Luna is a member of the DA and part of the group that breaks into the Ministry of Magic in the fifth book. In the seventh book, she is part of the new trio that keeps the DA alive (along with Ginny Weasley and Neville Longbottom).
Knowing my classmates (the kids who voted), they like people who stray off the beaten track, and they like fighters. Luna is both. True, she's more strange than fierce, but the point is that she actively opposes the Death Eaters.
So maybe it's not so surprising that she came third (with 14 points). Strange and rebellious is a good combination. Not too perfect. There were people who didn't know her and there was one who thinks she's psycho. The two who came first apparently were more well-known in my class. I think Evanna Lynch did a good job portraying Luna, and that may have helped.
Next comes Hermione. Hermione Granger is Muggle-born and the top student of their class. She more or less memorizes the textbooks. She is one of the main protagonists, helps start the DA (she and Ron actually come up with the idea), she breaks into the Ministry and Gringotts, she's with Harry on his Horcrux-destroying trip in his bunked seventh year up to the point when they return to the castle, and she basically is very involved in the story.
Why did she score less than Luna? Maybe some voters thought she was too perfect. Maybe some thought she was such a complicated character that they didn't know what to think (more likely). Some hadn't read the series so they only voted on the characters they knew.
Some voters deducted points from Hermione, who ended up with 13 points. I'm guessing they thought Hermione was too perfect, even though she is a very realistic character. I would've thought Emma Watson may have boosted Hermione's popularity, but apparently she didn't.
Now let's see how Ron did. Ron Weasley is the second-last of seven kids, and is preceded at Hogwarts by not only his parents, but his older brothers. With six siblings preceding him at Hogwarts, he's under pressure to prove himself (as it shows in the Mirror of Erised in the first book). He becomes Harry's best friend, helps him figure out the wizarding world, and is part of most of the great Harry Potter's adventures. He's scared of spiders and not exactly the class topper (his girlfriend takes care of that). However, he's a good Quidditch player and a very good chess player (proven in the first book).
He scored more than any other Harry Potter character in the polls (he ended with 16 points). Why? Many readers can probably relate to him, considering his fear and the need to show himself as an individual. Nobody voted negatively for Ron. Did Rupert Grint have anything to do with it?
And at last I come to Harry. Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, the one who finally killed He Who Must Not Be Named, the hero of the prophecy, the owner of all three Deathly Hallows, the one who scored less than any other character from the series named after himself. Right.
Harry is the only child of Lily and James Potter and he's godson to Sirius Black (Lily, James, and Sirius all were members of the original Order of the Phoenix). He's the sworn enemy of Tom Marvolo Riddle a.k.a. Lord Voldemort. He's a Parselmouth in Gryffindor, the youngest Seeker in a century, the guy with the lightning scar, and a celebrity since the incident that made him an orphan.
In nearly every book, there will be someone with him up to the climax, when he will go on alone, fight, and win. He shows concern for his friends, but seems as if he underestimates their capabilities. He tells his friends that he's going to destroy Horcruxes, but doesn't ask them for help, even though they are talented and would be good people to have with him. If he hadn't had the backing of so many people, he would've died. As it is, a lot of people did die, supporting him. Mad-Eye, Fred, Tonks, Remus, Sirius...all huge losses.
Harry ended up with 12 points. He's the hero of a bestselling fantasy series. What happened?
The voters may have thought that he was an overacheiver and therefore boring, or maybe they weren't sure what they thought about him. Maybe they didn't like the way he underestimates people, including himself. Only they know. I thought Daniel Radcliffe was considered cool in my class. Apparently his portrayal of Harry didn't help the actual character much.
So the HP-related questions have been partly answered. What about the four characters from The Hunger Games? They will be discussed next on Cartwheels in the Rain.
So maybe it's not so surprising that she came third (with 14 points). Strange and rebellious is a good combination. Not too perfect. There were people who didn't know her and there was one who thinks she's psycho. The two who came first apparently were more well-known in my class. I think Evanna Lynch did a good job portraying Luna, and that may have helped.
Next comes Hermione. Hermione Granger is Muggle-born and the top student of their class. She more or less memorizes the textbooks. She is one of the main protagonists, helps start the DA (she and Ron actually come up with the idea), she breaks into the Ministry and Gringotts, she's with Harry on his Horcrux-destroying trip in his bunked seventh year up to the point when they return to the castle, and she basically is very involved in the story.
Why did she score less than Luna? Maybe some voters thought she was too perfect. Maybe some thought she was such a complicated character that they didn't know what to think (more likely). Some hadn't read the series so they only voted on the characters they knew.
Some voters deducted points from Hermione, who ended up with 13 points. I'm guessing they thought Hermione was too perfect, even though she is a very realistic character. I would've thought Emma Watson may have boosted Hermione's popularity, but apparently she didn't.
Now let's see how Ron did. Ron Weasley is the second-last of seven kids, and is preceded at Hogwarts by not only his parents, but his older brothers. With six siblings preceding him at Hogwarts, he's under pressure to prove himself (as it shows in the Mirror of Erised in the first book). He becomes Harry's best friend, helps him figure out the wizarding world, and is part of most of the great Harry Potter's adventures. He's scared of spiders and not exactly the class topper (his girlfriend takes care of that). However, he's a good Quidditch player and a very good chess player (proven in the first book).
He scored more than any other Harry Potter character in the polls (he ended with 16 points). Why? Many readers can probably relate to him, considering his fear and the need to show himself as an individual. Nobody voted negatively for Ron. Did Rupert Grint have anything to do with it?
And at last I come to Harry. Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, the one who finally killed He Who Must Not Be Named, the hero of the prophecy, the owner of all three Deathly Hallows, the one who scored less than any other character from the series named after himself. Right.
Harry is the only child of Lily and James Potter and he's godson to Sirius Black (Lily, James, and Sirius all were members of the original Order of the Phoenix). He's the sworn enemy of Tom Marvolo Riddle a.k.a. Lord Voldemort. He's a Parselmouth in Gryffindor, the youngest Seeker in a century, the guy with the lightning scar, and a celebrity since the incident that made him an orphan.
In nearly every book, there will be someone with him up to the climax, when he will go on alone, fight, and win. He shows concern for his friends, but seems as if he underestimates their capabilities. He tells his friends that he's going to destroy Horcruxes, but doesn't ask them for help, even though they are talented and would be good people to have with him. If he hadn't had the backing of so many people, he would've died. As it is, a lot of people did die, supporting him. Mad-Eye, Fred, Tonks, Remus, Sirius...all huge losses.
Harry ended up with 12 points. He's the hero of a bestselling fantasy series. What happened?
The voters may have thought that he was an overacheiver and therefore boring, or maybe they weren't sure what they thought about him. Maybe they didn't like the way he underestimates people, including himself. Only they know. I thought Daniel Radcliffe was considered cool in my class. Apparently his portrayal of Harry didn't help the actual character much.
So the HP-related questions have been partly answered. What about the four characters from The Hunger Games? They will be discussed next on Cartwheels in the Rain.
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