Welcome to r/HarryPotter, the place where fans from around the world can meet and discuss everything in the Harry Potter universe! Be sorted, earn house points, debate which actor portrayed Dumbledore the best and finally get some closure for your Post-Potter Depression.
Question
I'm rereading GOF and I've gotten to Chapter 16: The Goblet of Fire. There is a line said by Ron that I don't understand, and I'm wondering whether somebody can explain it to me...
'What're we going to do today, then?' Ron asked Harry and Hermione, when they had finished breakfast and were leaving the Great Hall.
'We haven't been down to visit Hagrid yet,' said Harry.
'OK,' said Ron, 'just as long as he doesn't ask us to donate a few fingers to the Skrewts.'
A look of great excitement suddenly dawned on Hermione's face.
'I've just realised — I haven't asked Hagrid to join S.P.E.W. yet!' she said brightly. 'Wait for me, will you, while I nip upstairs and get the badges?'
'What's she like?' said Ron, exasperated, as Hermione ran away up the marble staircase.
'Hey, Ron,' said Harry suddenly. 'It's your friend...'
The students from Beauxbatons were coming through the front doors from the grounds, among them, the Veela girl.
My question is, what does Ron mean by "what's she like"? And whom is he referring to, Hermione, or Fleur, who is just now walking in? Ron's exasperated tone tells me he's frustrated at Hermione, but why would he ask what she (Hermione) is like? If he were talking about Fleur, then perhaps he might be asking what she's like because he's infatuated with her, and exasperated because, I don't know, he has a low self-esteem or she's out of his league...
Am I overanalysing this? Is it just a British expression that I'm not familiar with, directed at Hermione because she's pissing Ron off with her S.P.E.W. activism and is making him wait for her as she runs to get the badges?
It's not a big deal, I know that, but it's bugged me for quite some time. Cheers.
Sort by:
Best
Open comment sort options
Best
Top
New
Controversial
Old
Q&A
![r/Music - Neneh Cherry - Buffalo Stance [hip hop] (1989)](https://b.thumbs.redditmedia.com/z4BbHRfpJPsMWZhEoc6B1oupPrFtNFv6_O3ksWBN2VQ.jpg)
![r/Music - Eagle-Eye Cherry - Save Tonight [Pop Rock]](https://a.thumbs.redditmedia.com/Hfut_MHlC6ElU6TvDxym55lNQYycox66t7jMuAlzRC0.jpg)
Colloquial usage in some parts of Britain.
”What’s she like” is more like “here we go, we know what she’s like, she’s doing The Thing She Always Does again. Makes no sense, but she’s doing it”
Thanks!
It's just an expression we have in the UK to show exasperation with someone's behaviour.
Got it, thanks!
No problem :)
Not that I have a perfect memory of these books but I do remember dialogue pretty well and I had no idea what you were talking about with this line.
Interestingly, it's different in the Jim Dale audiobook of GOF. What Ron says there is "What is it with her?"
Yup. I remember Ron’s line being “What is it with her” as well.
I copied the dialogue from the Bloomsbury (UK) editions, perhaps you've read the US editions...
You are correct! That's the line in the US edition and in the Jim Dale audiobook! I was listening to that chapter yesterday coincidentally lol, and I also just checked my copy of the book
Mine too, mine's the Kindle version.
As an American, I only know this phrase from watching The IT Crowd
“What is he like?!” Neneh Cherry, Buffalo Stance.
As others have said, it’s a friendly, light hearted rhetorical question in reference to someone in your group doing something that’s a bit odd, unusual, and a little exasperating.
And I only post another comment to add that there people who try to flip this into themselves when they are acting in a way or doing something they they think is out there, unusual, funny to try to make themselves sound interesting or kooky. “Ooh, what am I like?!” they will “ask” hoping you’ll pick up on what they are doing.