Plans

While we have seen Dumbledore have many complicated plans, same with Harry and his friends, as well as a few good plans originating from Voldemort, we haven't seen a plan such as the one carried out in chapter 27 from anyone else. It is surprising that Malfoy came up with such a plan on his own. Using the interconected vanashing cabinants was a particulary brillient idea, and the fact that he was able to fix the damaged one in Hogwarts shows that Malfoy is more than just skilled at dueling.

While I don't remember much of the 7th book (though Micaela did remind me of something in class today), when reading the part where Dumbledore dies, the part where he supposedly begs for his life, I never felt that he was begging for his life. The first time I read this I wasn't paying close attention to that part because I was too shocked and saddened and whatnot to really know what was going on, but this time I definitely felt there was something more going on than just begging for his life. Micaela reminded me that somehow this death was planned, but I still don't remember how, but that would make since. Snape is angry at what he has to do, not at Dumbledore himself (though the anger could be aimed at him as well because Dumbledore told Snape to kill him, if indeed thats what we find out later, not sure though). Same goes with when he is angry that Harry is calling him a coward, because a coward couldn't do something like that for someone, killing them I mean.

The 6th book!

So, we are now at the sixth book. Better than I remembered it being so far. I only read it once. I still think the fourth book starts off with much more excitement. This book brings more mystery though, with less action in the first eleven chapters. So far the major questions we readers should have in our minds are: What side is Snape really on and what task has Malfoy been assigned; who's The Half Blood Prince and is his potions book dangerous; what exactly is Dumbeldore trying to do with Harry; and on a more general note what areVoldemort and the Death Eaters up to?

As a craft element, Rowling's methods of introducing these questions are pretty transparent, but they are sucessful. We readers will now read through the book to find the answers to these questions, and a long the way we shall enjoy all the beautiful details and moments of humor. Any fan of the Harry Potter books would have a very hard time indeed putting the book down after being presented with these questions.

On a different note, the relationship between Hermoine and Ron is being flushed out. The last two books gave us small hints that they might like eachother, well mostly that Hermoine might like Ron, but here we see a definite sign of her feelings for Ron on page 232 when she admits to using the Confundes charm on Ron's main oponent for the position of Keeper on the Quiditch team. This is the first time she does something really disshonest without having a true greeter good motivating her. While sweet in one way, it actually makes me think less of her, and Harry for letting it slide. Disshonesty of that sort is not something I like to see.

Harry: Too Angry, Or Just Angry Enough?

So, I was thinking about some of the comments made in class on Wednesday about how Harry was acting like, for lack of a better word at this point, an asshole to people in this book and that he was acting too angry and it was mostly do to his age.

I disagree; so far, and I'll admit to being slightly behind as I'm just on page 237, Harry hasn't really done anything so rash, even though he feels bad after getting angry, which is normal for a person like him, or me for that mater, a person that doesn't hold grudges very well except against a very select few individuals.

Harry's first outburst was against Ron and Hermione when he first saw them at Black's house. It was justified. They should have never promised to keep their friend in the dark, which was there excuse for not telling harry, ". . . Dumbledore made us promise not to tell you anything . . ." I don't think they could make such a promise and think that they were being good friends; I for one would rather end up in more danger if it meant knowing what the hell was going on in a situation like they were in.

The second time Harry gets angry at them is a minor out burst telling them off for bickering like little five year old kids. Once again, anger at his friends justified. Sure, he relished the shock he might have caused a bit too much for a bit too long, but considering everything else, perfectly understandable.

Harry also is accused of "biting" Hermione and Ron's heads off on a few occasions, but really he's just proclaiming some of his anger around them, not at them.

He also lashes out many times when he is called, directly or indirectly, a liar, understandable as well. Perhaps he could be more tactful when confronting these acusations, but I think at his age, and with what he's been through, Harry is justified in the way he deals with them. I consider being called a liar one of the worst insults, so responding with anger is fine by me. Now, as I don't remember the entire book, some of his actions might be a little rash, a little overdone, but not by as much as some seemed to think on Wednesday.

Issues of Masculinity and Femininity in The Goblet of Fire

This is the book in the Harry Potter series where we really get a lot of information about the interactions between males and females beyond friendship. Sure, in the other books we see that Ginny has a crush on Harry, but its shown in a purposefully childish sort of way. In the Goblet of Fire, we see Harry having to deal with asking a girl to the Yule Ball, as well as his jealousy when Cho Chang goes to the Ball with Cedric Diggory. We see the way girls follow famous guys like Krum around and giggle a lot. We also get to see the stereotypical pack nature of girls when Harry can't find Cho alone.

Masculinity is portrayed in many different ways in this book. I think in the end though Rowling shows us that she thinks most forms of masculinity are silly, just as she seems to think that most forms of feminity are silly as well.

-Note, getting late now so I'm going to leave this as it is for now, maybe I'll get to come back to it (the stuff that comes after was written earlier).


Now shifting gears a bit. Contrary to what Walker said in and out of class about Harry Potter being useless and only being lucky, Harry comes by his luck for a reason: He is geniuininly a good, well rounded person with a properly calibrated moral compus. In this book we see Harry getting helped from people who want to help him because of who he is. Hagrid helps because Harry has always been a loyal, loving friend. Moaning Myrtle helps because he never treated her poorly, no matter how anoying she was. Dobby helped because Harry was always kind to him, even after Dobby tried to prevent him from going to school which really anoyed him. This moral fiber that drives Harry is exemplified in chapter 26, The Second Task, when Harry tries to save all of the people in the lake, not just Ron. He gets extra points because of this.

In the world of Harry Potter, people are usually rewarded for having strong moral fiber and determination of will, which is Harry's greatest atributes. He doesn't give up in the face of danger. Sure, Harry needs help, but most people, inlcuding most people in the books, would give up when facing what Harry has faced even if they were getting the same help he did.

Beginning of the 4th book

The beginning of the fourth book is one of the elements that make it my favorite book of the series. It is the absolute best beginning yet, especially compared to the second and third books. The opening chapter is not some boring description of Harry's life at the Dursley's, its a vivid and dark description of a killing. Even the first time I read this book I didn't think that the first chapter was just a dream, I knew it had really happened. Also, the Quidditch World Cup, which is a little past where I read to so far, is an amazing begining to this book. Also, the Tri-Wizard Tournament is amazing to of course.

I think some people stopped reading the series, or took a break at least, for several reasons. One, the time it took for it to come out. Two, the size probobly intemidated some people that wern't really fans. Third, some parents might not have wanted to read this one to thier children or didn't let their children buy it because it's slightly darker than the first three books.

For me, the second and third reasons are reasons why I liked the book more than the first three, but I was around 14 years oldwhen it was released and have always had a love of action and darknes in both books and in film.

Follow Up

In the world of Harry Potter, the teachers don't listen to the children enough so they are forced to go it alone to save the day. This is a mechanism to allow the story to progress, but I think the idea of appropriate rebellion is still an interesting one.

When is it okay for Harry and his friend's to rebel? Are all their rebellions throughout the series appropriate? If they are misguided but still rebelling for a good reason how do we seem them? Do we seem them as morally sound but misguided in the details, or as morally misguided?

On page 331 of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, we see Dumbledore, who had by now become the unofficial person to look to when it comes to morals in the Harry Potter series, say that Harry and Ron were not going to get punished for breaking the rules, but instead, rewarded. Dumbledore seems to think, as we the readers inevitably do as well, that people should follow the spirit of the rules, and not the letter.

Ideas to consider in the future

As I was going through my morning riutine, I came up with a few thoughts that I think the HP seminar should continue to think about as we read the rest of the books:

Harry's effect on other people, both negative and positive, especially people other than Hermione and Ron. Consider both his actions, and his fame.

Again, rebellion; what purpose does it serve, and why don't Harry, Hermione, and Ron try to make teachers listen harder, especially now that they have been proved capable and right two times?

More to come soon after class.