I'll definitely admit that Harry's jackassery in this chapter was pretty...yeah. :/ In fact, looking at it, it's a little unsettling. Just everything in this chapter stinks of Ron and Hermione basically being domestic abuse victims, with Hermione apologizing like a battered wife.
(And I don't usually go there)
I know Rowling was trying to show Harry was under a lot of stress, but I really doubt it came out well. And the capslock didn't help either. Kind of threatens to rupture your eardrums, really. :P
If I'd been writing this scene, I would have taken a leaf from Matthew Stover's book. (Warning: *Shameless* Stover pimpage. XD) There's a scene where Anakin returns to his apartment after Palpatine not-so-subtly insinuates that Padme and Obi-Wan are up to something, and Padme comes in. While Anakin doesn't capslock (Stover seems in favor of italics instead. :P), he does get quite emotional, and at one point, he describes Padme being a bit like a bug he could squash and keep on walking. (Which genuinely made me shiver) Fortunately, Padme snaps him out of it before it gets too bad, and Anakin just starts venting.
Why does it work where the Grimmauld Place scene failed? Let me try and list it.
First off, Anakin's actions, while unsettling, make sense in terms of the circumstances. He's being manipulated by both the Jedi Council and the Chancellor, he's been having horrible nightmares, and his sanity's generally slipping. Second of all, Stover doesn't shy away from Anakin's dark side (in fact, it's the focus of the book) while Rowling keeps trying to justify Harry's actions. (I understand it's mostly because he's like a child to her, and that's okay, but you shouldn't let it leak too much into the story) And finally, both sides are portrayed sympathetically, with Padme trying to keep Anakin from sliding into insanity and Anakin becoming more bitter and stressed, and torn between his duty to the Jedi and his filial love -- twisted as it may be -- for Palpatine. The fact that Stover's quite poetic in the process ("freefall in the dark") definitely helps, and the fact Padme's basically a Morality Chain for Anakin, even more so.
/end pimpage.
But pimpage aside, Rowling should have done something like that. She should have let us have a bit more of a glimpse into what Harry was feeling and thinking. And probably abandoned the capslock, or done it rarely. Like bungee jumping. ;-)
In fact, reading these capslock posts makes me realize how unintentionally mean-spirited HP is. It's funny and sad at the same time that Rowling didn't notice it. :(
Again, great analysis, and I really hope my reply wasn't too...irritating. XD
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2011-02-11 09:00 pm (UTC)I'll definitely admit that Harry's jackassery in this chapter was pretty...yeah. :/ In fact, looking at it, it's a little unsettling. Just everything in this chapter stinks of Ron and Hermione basically being domestic abuse victims, with Hermione apologizing like a battered wife.
(And I don't usually go there)
I know Rowling was trying to show Harry was under a lot of stress, but I really doubt it came out well. And the capslock didn't help either. Kind of threatens to rupture your eardrums, really. :P
If I'd been writing this scene, I would have taken a leaf from Matthew Stover's book. (Warning: *Shameless* Stover pimpage. XD) There's a scene where Anakin returns to his apartment after Palpatine not-so-subtly insinuates that Padme and Obi-Wan are up to something, and Padme comes in. While Anakin doesn't capslock (Stover seems in favor of italics instead. :P), he does get quite emotional, and at one point, he describes Padme being a bit like a bug he could squash and keep on walking. (Which genuinely made me shiver) Fortunately, Padme snaps him out of it before it gets too bad, and Anakin just starts venting.
Why does it work where the Grimmauld Place scene failed? Let me try and list it.
First off, Anakin's actions, while unsettling, make sense in terms of the circumstances. He's being manipulated by both the Jedi Council and the Chancellor, he's been having horrible nightmares, and his sanity's generally slipping. Second of all, Stover doesn't shy away from Anakin's dark side (in fact, it's the focus of the book) while Rowling keeps trying to justify Harry's actions. (I understand it's mostly because he's like a child to her, and that's okay, but you shouldn't let it leak too much into the story) And finally, both sides are portrayed sympathetically, with Padme trying to keep Anakin from sliding into insanity and Anakin becoming more bitter and stressed, and torn between his duty to the Jedi and his filial love -- twisted as it may be -- for Palpatine. The fact that Stover's quite poetic in the process ("freefall in the dark") definitely helps, and the fact Padme's basically a Morality Chain for Anakin, even more so.
/end pimpage.
But pimpage aside, Rowling should have done something like that. She should have let us have a bit more of a glimpse into what Harry was feeling and thinking. And probably abandoned the capslock, or done it rarely. Like bungee jumping. ;-)
In fact, reading these capslock posts makes me realize how unintentionally mean-spirited HP is. It's funny and sad at the same time that Rowling didn't notice it. :(
Again, great analysis, and I really hope my reply wasn't too...irritating. XD