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Analysis of a Doodle
by Hermione Granger
September 21, 2004
If the eyes are a window to the soul, then surely the pen must be a screen door to the mind? The way a person writes can say a lot about them, as does their style of drawing. One of the "Easter eggs" you may have found on JKR's site is a drawing she did of a scene from "The Midnight Duel" chapter in PS/SS. Looking at it really is like climbing into JKR's head and seeing the characters through her eyes. We get to see the characters the way she sees them, the way she pictures them in her head when she writes and reads the HP books. I think the way it is drawn even depicts certain characteristics of each person that are subtle in the books, but are played out in this drawing. For instance, Harry is the main character and therefore in the centre of the picture, with Ron and myself (Hermione) who are secondary characters, on either side of him, and on either side of us are Dean and Neville neither of whom are central characters, but play interesting side roles. From left to right I will examine each person in detail as they are drawn in the picture.
Neville:
Neville is often described as round-faced, clumsy, and forgetful. Being a Gryffindor at heart he does have a brave and courageous streak in him, but he can at times be fearful and susceptible to being bullied. At the same time, I don't get the impression that Neville cares that much for the opinions of others, which could make him independent, or a loner, depending on your view. In PoA he is once described as wearing "fluffy-slippered toes", which I think ties into his bunny-patterned pyjamas in this doodle. He has grabbed a hold of Ron's arm, probably out of fear, yet his facial expression, to me at least, does not seem to hold fear, but rather surprise and a bit of curiosity. I think this somehow represents a dual nature for Neville: forgetful, clumsy and a bit shy, yet he is still brave and independent enough to do what he feels needs to be done and have his own opinions.
Ron:
Ron looks exactly as he is described in the books. He's taller than the rest, with lots of freckles, and a long nose. His housecoat/bathrobe is detailed enough to say something more about him. The sleeve ends halfway between his wrist and elbow, indicating that it is too small for him; it is likely a hand-me-down from one of his older brothers, but he has outgrown it. He is one of the three who are holding candles in this picture which to me, signifies that he is curious as to who and what they all might find and that he's sensible enough not to wander around in complete darkness. You may also note that his right arm is struck out in front of Neville, almost as though he's trying to protect him or stop him from going any further.
Harry:
Good old Harry is in the middle of things as usual. His position within the group represents something big about the books; they're about Harry. He's the central character and thus is in the centre, thrust towards all the action. Like Ron, he is holding a candle which shows Harry's ability to take charge of a situation when it's needed; he wants to be out of the dormitory late at night so he's in front, leading the group and lighting the way. JKR's depiction of Harry physically is also the same as he is in the books: messy black hair, round glasses and (although it's never directly said in the books, but is hinted at now and then) not quite as tall as the rest.
Hermione:
And then we come to myself in the drawing. As much as I hate to admit it, this is what I really looked like in first year. Most people have a different mental image of me in their heads thanks to Emma Watson and the 'magic' of Hollywood. But incredibly bushy hair, and slightly big front teeth are how I'm described in the books, and it really is the truth at that point. In the drawing I look a little frightened and worried, but beneath that, I assure you, is the calm and cool logical deduction you can expect from this character.
Dean:
(JKR had been calling him "Gary" at this point in time, but I will refer to him by his proper name here) This drawing has Dean standing slightly behind the rest which compliments the fact that he's a bit of what I call a "background character", in that he doesn't play a very large part in the books. Even though he is in the background, he is holding a candle. He may not be directly involved in things, but he's a nice guy and is genuinely concerned and curious about his fellow Gryffindors and the general state of things in the wizarding world.
Looking at the drawing as a whole, it's really amazing that JKR's drawings aren't the official illustrations in the Scholastic edition of the books. Writing may be Rowling's forté, but she is a creative drawer as well. The way in which the characters are represented and in light, shadow and texture, are perhaps indicative of why we love her as a writer: she revels in details that makes the wizarding world leap off the page. Although, I'd be more careful while drinking tea and drawing if I were you, Jo. =)
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