Harry Potter

Even though Harry Potter is the chosen one, it is very clear that the golden trio would not have been successful without Hermione Granger. Since her first appearance, Hermione was characterized as intelligent and hardworking. Neither of those qualities are inherently bad; however, J.K Rowling did not paint her in the best light. While it is positive that one of the main characters is a smart girl, her peers do not look at her in a kind light. She is seen as an annoying know-it-all that nobody wants to be friends with. Her character amplifies the idea that women who participate in class and take their schoolwork seriously are irritating and impossible to be around. Once Hermione’s character is portrayed as less of a know-it-all, she is seen as one of the boys. That is all fine and good, however, her character is not inclined to make any female friends. Her only real girl friend was Ron’s younger sister, Ginny, and even then they got along because they made fun of more feminine girls. A strong female character should be written in a way that they do not lose respect for femininity. They do not have to be feminine, but by making them degrade “girly girls,” it is creating the idea that for women to be strong they have to be more masculine, which links back to the idea that men are “stronger”. Although these problems sound small, it could mean a lot to a young girl reading or watching this series. Hermione Granger is a great female role model, but, there are many intricacies that should be worked out.