Realistic Characters in Harry Potter

This blog post, I’m going to talk about one of my favorite things: Harry Potter. The books, not the character. I’ll even try to save you from my ranting about how good the series is. Also, I’ll try to keep this post spoiler-free, for those who haven't read it yet (although you really should read it).

There are many reasons that I like Harry Potter, although most of them are not relevant to this blog. One thing I like is that all of the female characters are pretty realistic. None of them can do everything themselves, and none of them are total wimps. Hermione is smart, but she isn’t an antisocial nerd who doesn’t have any friends except for Harry and Ron. She also isn’t someone who cares overly much about fashion or what people think of her. She’s always in the library or doing her homework, but she still has time for having fun with her friends.

Luna Lovegood

Luna is another character that I like. She doesn't care about what anyone else thinks about her. If she wants to wear a dress that makes her look like a Christmas tree, or radish earrings, she will, and she won't care what anyone else thinks about her. I like the fact that she doesn’t care what anyone else thinks, and it’s so different from what a lot of the media is showing. Not many other places show people, especially girls, who just don't care what anyone else thinks. Most people will just try to be accepted, but Luna will be who she is, and no one else will stop her. She doesn’t try to change who she is, even when everyone else thinks she’s weird for it, and I really like that about her. I really like that all of the characters in Harry Potter seem like they could be real to me. None of them always have to save the day all the time, but none of them are helpless or stupid. Another thing is that whenever the characters are talked about, the immediate thing isn’t always that they’re pretty. It’s true that if someone tell you that you’re pretty, it is a complement, but saying how smart you are is a much better complement. I’d far rather be told that I did something well than basically be told that I inherited good genes. I think that the thing that I love most is just the fact that all of the characters are realistic, and they all have their own personalities.

--Luna

Somebody's Got To Wear A Pretty Skirt

And Other Reasons Us Women Are Here

"God Made Girls." The title to a new popular country song by previous "The Voice" country pop star RaeLynn, suggests an old fashioned view on why us women have a place on this earth, and why these particular reasons make us women "important."

Having the name: "God Made Girls," you'd think that it would prove a more modern and strengthening take on female rolls, but unfortunately, that is not the case. We're not asking for a feminist anthem or anything, but why is it ever so demeaning and stereotypical, as if the viewer is that out of the 50s, telling a women her place in life. Being a 2014 based song, you'd think this would be a great chance to see a fresh, new, endearing perspective of what purpose we serve, if that's what you want to call it. 

Here are the opening lines:

-"Somebody's gotta wear a pretty skirt/Somebody's gotta be the one to flirt/Somebody's gotta wanna hold his hand/So God made girls"

These lyrics kind of summarize the whole song, but here are some different ones:

-"To hold his hand"

-"To wear a pretty skirt"

-"To be the one to cry"

-"To teach him how to dance"

-"To be something fragile to hold him while he hurts"

-"To give him a reason to wash that truck"

-"To be the one to flirt"

-"To make him get dressed up"

-"To let him drive"

-"To put up a fight, make him wait on a Saturday night, to walk downstairs and blow his mind, so God made girls"

Now don't get me wrong, this is a very catchy and cute song, but the whole thing just suggests the minor, stereotypical characteristics of a female, and only emphasizes the weak "feminine" parts of us. Almost as if it only brings attention to the things that make us useful and valuable to men, as if we're tools. As for the video, it features, things like ballet, white horses, sparkles, flowers, and lots and lots of pink. Supposedly, this is supposed to be a "girl empowerment" sort of song, but it kind of takes a somewhat new-fashioned take on old-fashioned. Just to be clear, I've heard many country songs, and this sort of seems to be the norm in some way. I wouldn't know this firsthand, but it appears that many country songs have a more traditional outlook on life, but I may be wrong. Not all of the lyrics prove to be understating. Like "For dancing to our own beat." The song kind of has a whole goal to kind of balance out male/female roles in way that sort of sets men doing the physical burden of life, while females are here to help men understand themselves and feel masculine. But if you disagree with me, there's always another way to look at it. From a different perspective, you could see it as us women are here to remind men they don't have to be big and tough all the time, and they should take time to look at life differently.

This set of lyrics I'm not sure how to describe:                                                                                                                                                     -"He needed something soft and loud, and sweet and proud, but tough enough to break a heart/Something beautiful, and breakable that lights up in the dark, so God made girls."

This is a nice part of it, but it also seems like it's stating that the only tough thing a girl can do is break a heart. I think overall, the song suggests women are an accessory to men, and the big, but also very small and delicate rolls we play in society. It's kind of sad to think that the only thing we can supposedly account for is being soft, fragile, and delicate, and not be notable for being equal to men. This is a nice song, and I can see why it's currently climbing the charts, right now, but for now maybe we can focus on the strong, powerful qualities a women has. Like being capable of being herself, and being just as strong as she says she is. :)

Note: Even though the name of the song suggests religious belief, it does not mean I am speaking against anybody's religious choices. This is simply my opinion on the lyrics and representation, and not the singers belief, and affiliation with the suggested religion. 

~ Governess Bob