The "Insufferable Know-It-All"

I identify with Hermione most in this series. I was always pushed not just to participate but rather excel in everything I do. Whether it is my traditionally brilliant engineering parents or just my own intrinsic competition, I always strived to be my best and beat everyone around me. Thankfully, this mindset has worn off a bit since high school but at CCM we are constantly surrounded with passionate artists chomping at the bit to excel. From my perspective, Hermione doesn’t feel like an insufferable know-it-all rather fervent and eager.  Hermione’s character never annoyed me because it a way, I feel you should be that ardent when it comes to whatever you are passionate about. I think my competitive academic background and now the competitive nature of my theatrical world have constantly put me in a state where just participating was never good enough. Possibly people who have not been a part of an extremely competitive environment might find Hermione’s antics intolerable because they themselves have never felt so encompassed by their passion. Her passion is books and while mine is theater, I know how it feels to want to be the best.  

I feel like most people would say Hermione annoys them more than Ron did but to me, Ron was hands down one of the most maddening characters.  He just seemed to constantly complain about his standing rather than actively try to change anything. He also took every chance he could to be simply mediocre which is way more aggravating then an engaged student.  Let alone, without Hermione, Harry could never have accomplished half the things he was able to do. Hermione figured out Devil’s Snare and the Potions in book one and in book two, Hermione figured out the Basilisk and how it navigated the school.  Harry might be the figurehead but Hermione is the one that time and time again gets Harry to his heroic moment. Hermione is not an insufferable know-it-all; simply, her fervor is misunderstood.