GOF Chapter 2: The Scar
Jan. 9th, 2011 10:11 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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deathtocapslockHarry wakes up with his scar hurting. We are let to understand that he experienced the events of the previous chapter as a dream. He quickly starts forgetting the details so as to keep him from noticing when relevant information pops up again. BTW from what POV did he experience the vision? Starting from the following year his visions will be from Voldemort's POV but this does not seem to be the case this instance. Consistency? What consistency?
The description of Harry's room shows he was already on his way to becoming the worst slob child hero in the history of literature. Didn't living in a closet teach him to appreciate having space?
Harry can't even see a cat in the darkness (sorry Harry, your Head of House doesn't spend her summer spying on you) so he concludes there can't be any wizard lurking outside. Despite knowing at least one way to be invisible and knowing that some wizards don't need a cloak to be invisible.
Bizarre accidents and injuries are unavoidable at Hogwarts, which is why it is such a safe place.
The Dursleys weren't of any help to Harry while awake. Except by magically protecting him from Voldemort, just the wizard he feared might be near. OK, they didn't have to be awake for the protection to work, but their being awake didn't hinder it either. (I know Harry didn't know of the protection yet, it's just that he makes judgments in ignorance.)
The story about Harry supposedly attending St Brutus' Secure Center for Incurably Criminal Boys is now the official line the Dusrleys tell anyone. How does that fit with their desire to project the 'perfectly normal' image? (Note the foreshadowing of Barty entering Harry to the Tournament as a student from a different school.)
Voldemort is still "the most powerful Dark wizard for a century". Maybe the ones before him were Albus and Gellert, in the summer of 1899. Just under a century ago - the timing almost works. Gellert never came back to Britain and Albus thinks he abandoned Dark magic, under some definition thereof.
Harry thinks there was a fortnight to go until his return to school. Looks like ending his math education at 11 didn't do him good.
Harry's assessment of Hermione's probable response is realistic. However why does not knowing where Albus went for the summer preclude writing to him? Not knowing where Sirius was didn't stop Harry from writing to him. Ah, he's ashamed to look stupid for saying his scar hurt. What about including that it hurt while he was having a vision of Voldemort killing someone? Why would this look stupid to Dumbledore rather than, say, informative? But a Gryffindor can't afford to appear weak in any way, even if this means hiding potentially crucial information.
Arthur is described as a 'fully qualified wizard'. Aren't almost all adult wizards? How meaningful is this description? Again, Harry's fear of appearing weak to the Weasleys trumps any common sense.
Only Dumbledore believed the trio's story about Sirius. Maybe because he was the only one who heard it in detail from Sirius. Anyone else present (Severus, Fudge, Poppy) just heard kids insisting on something. Severus also heard Sirius and Remus admitting to being serial liars. And was repeatedly injured by Sirius (after already being injured by the kids) and thus was denied a chance to receive evidence of the truth.
So Harry writes to Sirius. The part about Dudley's diet looks like Harry already mentioned the diet in a previous letter, but on the previous page I got the impression this was the first time Harry writes to Sirius. Oh well.
Dudley is ridiculous for enjoying a game called "Mega-Mutilation Part Three". That's because Harry goes to a school where kids learn how to really mutilate each other.
Again, Harry avoids mentioning any part of his dream. Nor does he date his letter. How is Sirius going to know when 'this morning' refers to? Why be helpful to adults whose advice you are seeking?
The description of Harry's room shows he was already on his way to becoming the worst slob child hero in the history of literature. Didn't living in a closet teach him to appreciate having space?
Harry can't even see a cat in the darkness (sorry Harry, your Head of House doesn't spend her summer spying on you) so he concludes there can't be any wizard lurking outside. Despite knowing at least one way to be invisible and knowing that some wizards don't need a cloak to be invisible.
Bizarre accidents and injuries are unavoidable at Hogwarts, which is why it is such a safe place.
The Dursleys weren't of any help to Harry while awake. Except by magically protecting him from Voldemort, just the wizard he feared might be near. OK, they didn't have to be awake for the protection to work, but their being awake didn't hinder it either. (I know Harry didn't know of the protection yet, it's just that he makes judgments in ignorance.)
The story about Harry supposedly attending St Brutus' Secure Center for Incurably Criminal Boys is now the official line the Dusrleys tell anyone. How does that fit with their desire to project the 'perfectly normal' image? (Note the foreshadowing of Barty entering Harry to the Tournament as a student from a different school.)
Voldemort is still "the most powerful Dark wizard for a century". Maybe the ones before him were Albus and Gellert, in the summer of 1899. Just under a century ago - the timing almost works. Gellert never came back to Britain and Albus thinks he abandoned Dark magic, under some definition thereof.
Harry thinks there was a fortnight to go until his return to school. Looks like ending his math education at 11 didn't do him good.
Harry's assessment of Hermione's probable response is realistic. However why does not knowing where Albus went for the summer preclude writing to him? Not knowing where Sirius was didn't stop Harry from writing to him. Ah, he's ashamed to look stupid for saying his scar hurt. What about including that it hurt while he was having a vision of Voldemort killing someone? Why would this look stupid to Dumbledore rather than, say, informative? But a Gryffindor can't afford to appear weak in any way, even if this means hiding potentially crucial information.
Arthur is described as a 'fully qualified wizard'. Aren't almost all adult wizards? How meaningful is this description? Again, Harry's fear of appearing weak to the Weasleys trumps any common sense.
Only Dumbledore believed the trio's story about Sirius. Maybe because he was the only one who heard it in detail from Sirius. Anyone else present (Severus, Fudge, Poppy) just heard kids insisting on something. Severus also heard Sirius and Remus admitting to being serial liars. And was repeatedly injured by Sirius (after already being injured by the kids) and thus was denied a chance to receive evidence of the truth.
So Harry writes to Sirius. The part about Dudley's diet looks like Harry already mentioned the diet in a previous letter, but on the previous page I got the impression this was the first time Harry writes to Sirius. Oh well.
Dudley is ridiculous for enjoying a game called "Mega-Mutilation Part Three". That's because Harry goes to a school where kids learn how to really mutilate each other.
Again, Harry avoids mentioning any part of his dream. Nor does he date his letter. How is Sirius going to know when 'this morning' refers to? Why be helpful to adults whose advice you are seeking?
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no subject
Date: 2011-01-17 08:54 am (UTC)Well, that's a huge stretch that I for one never saw (or would have seen in a month of Sundays). After all, any male with a Christian name and middle name will have exactly the same problem - three male names in a row, X Y Z. And I can't see any 'love' - romantic love? - between Dumbledore and Harry. Ewww. Don't know where you were going with that.
It just feels to much like the first conversation they ever had - like the whole family materialized, just to give us a happy ending.
The epilogue is horrible in how trite it is. It's fact that Rowling wrote it a long time ago, right? I think she said that in one of those many interviews. I think it shows a simplicity and amateurish ability which she learned to hide on a superficial level as she progressed in the series ... but which sadly was exposed when it came time to get to the hard stuff and close the series properly.
but seriously EVER one of Harry's kids have got someone elses name, and not just first name, middle name to.
Yes, one big - but not the only - reason why the epilogue seems so childish. And it's so Harry-centred too!
I detest the canon H/G pairing and had to laugh once when I read a short story of a well-known H/G author and Ginny apologist which had Ginny at one point exclaim "I named you well, Lily Luna!". I left a short comment which had a single negative sentence along the line of it being a good try, but *every. last. name* in the epilogue had clearly been determined by, and related to, Harry and his side of the family. James. Albus Severus. Lily. The 'Luna' wasn't canon - it was an interview factoid - and so I just mentioned how it was extremely unlikely that Ginny had had a part in naming any of the kids, certainly their canon names, that the author's line was nice wishful thinking but unsupported.
She never replied; and six months later used that as grounds to ban me from her journal (she needed an excuse so as not to appear spoilt/petulant). :-) So I guess that's part of the 'stink' of the epilogue for me (and her)! Pro-Jo fans who so desperately want to support their author's post-publication propaganda but have no answer to the facts of canon.
I can't beleive Harry waited that long to tell his son who he was named for - plus the idea that the boy is scared and Harry didn't tell any of his kids they can choose their house.
And they didn't know what he was famous for? The lameness and superficiality and ... disconnectedness ... of the epilogue just goes on and on. A fitting end to the disaster known as DH though, I guess.
no subject
Date: 2011-01-17 02:18 pm (UTC)I make jokes, thats how I work. I mix humor in with serious comments an ideas.
I haven't had anyone yet totally misundestand my humor in this group, so I'm hoping so far that most people reading what I post can recognize the difference in my humor/silly comments and when I'm being serious.
Besides, the idea of the 3 trio name oddity of Albus, Severus, Potter didn't come from me, but I can't remember where the origial concept idea complaint came from.
But it's still creepy to me and also has a funny (haha) laugh side to it. And I don't see a general everybody first and middle name having the same meaning. This situation is Harry chose to put Severus name in the middle of Albus and Potter. In fact he chose to name all his kids first and middle name after someone else.
Melvin Douglas is only funny if Melvin and Douglas are two people that hate each other or wanted you dead. Then ending up with their names on your baby (and on the same baby) is kinda weird don't you think?
no subject
Date: 2011-01-17 07:13 pm (UTC)Sporks of HBP and DH often pointed out the Harrydore ship in these books. HBP gave them pedophilia vibes with Albus meeting with Harry in secret after dark, telling him how wonderful and special he was, and DH of course has Harry paralyzed for months on end because he doesn't know if Albus really loved him.
no subject
Date: 2011-01-17 11:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-18 12:02 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-18 01:54 am (UTC)Abused person killing his abuser
Date: 2011-01-21 12:59 pm (UTC)