Oh, if only I was on Livejournal still, what a party this would be.
So Rowling gave the Harry/Hermione fans a consolation prize...
http://www.hypable.com/2014/02/01/jk-rowling-ron-hermione-relationship-regret-interview/
I was there young ones, I was there for the shipping wars. I was there when Delusional comment was made. I was there for the aftermath when the Harry/Hermione crowd used the word delusional as kind of coat of arms. It was an interesting time to be a part of fandom.
All I can say now is...whatever...it is what it is. Rowling wrote the books as she saw fit at the time.
So what about the alchemy?
The paradigms that Rowling was using all required a union between the Mercury character and the Sulphur character. In her series that was Harry and Hermione. Symbolically they did fulfill the requirements, they were a working partnership. It was just in the personal area where the chemical marriage did not take place. So for the fans tuned into this angle or more sensitive to it, the fact that Harry and Hermione did not end up together was confusing.
Alchemy calls itself a cycle. A never ending search for greater purity, enlightenment. For an Alchemist to admit a mistake, is to declare his/her attempt at the great work a failure. In Lyndy Abraham's book, it is called an even more extreme word...an abortion. Why would Rowling admit this now?
Does she plan another attempt?
ETA: I've been lurking on LiveJournal and the hoopla is sweet. Just like the old days. Supposedly there was more angst on Tumblr but I haven't visited those fan pages. Oh for those younger days...pre-murder trial.Labels: alchemy, books, commentary, culture, Harry Potter