 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
The Arc of the Potter
In this book as well, we have the three of them working together
to save the other students. Though Hermione is petrified, without
her help Harry would never have figured out that the monster was
a basilisk and how it was getting around. sm
In the beginning of the book, we have Harry’s breakout from
Privet Drive. We are introduced for the first time to a
completely magical house and lifestyle. Harry’s still awestruck
by it all.
He learns why Ginny’s afraid of him…she has a crush on him, which
flusters and annoys him (when he is attacked by singing
Valentine’s Day wishes). We learn more of the Weasly’s in
general. Arthur works for the ministry, Bill’s in Egypt,
Charlie’s in Romania, Percy’s a prat, the twins are louder at
home, if possible. And that’s strange for Ginny to be shy and
silent, cause usually they can’t get her to shut up.
We learn of the clever ways magic is used to get around stupid
muggle trappings like physics and gravity. Harry travels by floo
for the first time...and winds up in Knockturn Alley.
From here, we start to see the underside of this wonderful
Magical World. We meet Mr. Malfoy and maybe start to understand
why Draco is the way he is. We also get a mention of the Hand of
Glory (and maybe the cursed necklace) which is used in Book 6.
to save the other students. Though Hermione is petrified, without
her help Harry would never have figured out that the monster was
a basilisk and how it was getting around. sm
In the beginning of the book, we have Harry’s breakout from
Privet Drive. We are introduced for the first time to a
completely magical house and lifestyle. Harry’s still awestruck
by it all.
He learns why Ginny’s afraid of him…she has a crush on him, which
flusters and annoys him (when he is attacked by singing
Valentine’s Day wishes). We learn more of the Weasly’s in
general. Arthur works for the ministry, Bill’s in Egypt,
Charlie’s in Romania, Percy’s a prat, the twins are louder at
home, if possible. And that’s strange for Ginny to be shy and
silent, cause usually they can’t get her to shut up.
We learn of the clever ways magic is used to get around stupid
muggle trappings like physics and gravity. Harry travels by floo
for the first time...and winds up in Knockturn Alley.
From here, we start to see the underside of this wonderful
Magical World. We meet Mr. Malfoy and maybe start to understand
why Draco is the way he is. We also get a mention of the Hand of
Glory (and maybe the cursed necklace) which is used in Book 6.
Chamber of Secrets
"Can I have that?" interrupted Draco, pointing at the
withered hand on its cushion.
"Ah, the Hand of Glory!" said Mr. Borgin, abandoning Mr.
Malfoy's list and scurrying over to Draco. "Insert a
candle and it gives light only to the holder! Best friend
of thieves and plunderers! Your son has fine taste, sir."
Draco paused to examine a long coil of hangman's rope and
to read, smirking, the card propped on a magnificent
necklace of opals, Caution: Do Not Touch. Cursed - Has
Claimed the lives of Nineteen Muggle Owners to Date.
withered hand on its cushion.
"Ah, the Hand of Glory!" said Mr. Borgin, abandoning Mr.
Malfoy's list and scurrying over to Draco. "Insert a
candle and it gives light only to the holder! Best friend
of thieves and plunderers! Your son has fine taste, sir."
Draco paused to examine a long coil of hangman's rope and
to read, smirking, the card propped on a magnificent
necklace of opals, Caution: Do Not Touch. Cursed - Has
Claimed the lives of Nineteen Muggle Owners to Date.
| ... |
| Chamber of Secrets Chapter 4 |
They meet up with Hermione in Diagon alley to get their school
supplies. While there, they run into Malfoy and his father…we
learn here of the class system in the Wisarding World and the
Malfoy’s and the Weasley’s have apparently never gotten along.
Malfoy does the plant…he gives Ginny the Diary to discredit Mr.
Weasley and his raids. But really why not Hermione, if he’s
apparently heard so much about her from Malfoy? Lucius knows that
a muggleborn beat out his son for top marks and he isn’t pleased
about it.
supplies. While there, they run into Malfoy and his father…we
learn here of the class system in the Wisarding World and the
Malfoy’s and the Weasley’s have apparently never gotten along.
Malfoy does the plant…he gives Ginny the Diary to discredit Mr.
Weasley and his raids. But really why not Hermione, if he’s
apparently heard so much about her from Malfoy? Lucius knows that
a muggleborn beat out his son for top marks and he isn’t pleased
about it.
"Though if his grades don't pick up," said Mr. Malfoy,
more coldly still, "that may indeed be all he is fit for
-"
"It's not my fault," retorted Draco. "The teachers all
have favorites, that Hermione Granger -"
"I would have thought you'd be ashamed that a girl of no
wizard family beat you in every exam," snapped Mr. Malfoy.
"Ha!" said Harry under his breath, pleased to see Draco
looking both abashed and angry.
more coldly still, "that may indeed be all he is fit for
-"
"It's not my fault," retorted Draco. "The teachers all
have favorites, that Hermione Granger -"
"I would have thought you'd be ashamed that a girl of no
wizard family beat you in every exam," snapped Mr. Malfoy.
"Ha!" said Harry under his breath, pleased to see Draco
looking both abashed and angry.
| Chamber of Secrets Chapter 4 |
However, had it been Hermione the story probably would have ended
before it began as I’m sure she would have had enough sense to
talk to someone about this strange book she’d never seen before
that talks back to her.
before it began as I’m sure she would have had enough sense to
talk to someone about this strange book she’d never seen before
that talks back to her.
From there, we see that even sensible Hermione has
a crush on Lockhart, even she can be taken in by
brave deeds and heroism. Harry doesn’t fall for it,
but doesn’t suspect Lockhart’s rotten. He’s just an
affable, self-absorbed oaf...once again we’re all
proved wrong in the end.
a crush on Lockhart, even she can be taken in by
brave deeds and heroism. Harry doesn’t fall for it,
but doesn’t suspect Lockhart’s rotten. He’s just an
affable, self-absorbed oaf...once again we’re all
proved wrong in the end.
Harry is resilient and resourceful when it comes to
fighting for something he believes in and he’s not
going to allow Ron’s little sister to get hurt...
because that’s all she is at this point. We hardly
know her as that even.
fighting for something he believes in and he’s not
going to allow Ron’s little sister to get hurt...
because that’s all she is at this point. We hardly
know her as that even.
It doesn’t even dawn on Harry to let someone else
do the fighting or to sit back and do nothing. He
has to take action, because he can. There is no
other option. He is a good boy just and true and
has an acute sense of fairness that motivates his
protection of others, even people he hardly knows
before himself.
do the fighting or to sit back and do nothing. He
has to take action, because he can. There is no
other option. He is a good boy just and true and
has an acute sense of fairness that motivates his
protection of others, even people he hardly knows
before himself.
Even though he was an inch from death, Harry stabbed the fang through the
diary. He knew then that he had to stop Tom Ridddle from coming back to power
anyway he could. It’s not really murder (though killing any bit of a soul can
kind of fall under that heading) it’s about stopping a greater evil. So is
Harry capable of stopping Voldemort...definitely yes!
He has great stores of strength within him that we only scratch the surface
of here. His capacity to love is astounding given his upbringing, it’s his
saving grace. It’s more love of other people, the desire to protect them that
motivates Harry’s fight.
We see it in the fact that he is genuinely hurt that people think he’s
attacking muggleborns and terrified that he really may be Slytherin’s heir.
Having been bitten by the fang of the basilisk, Harry knows he’s not going to
make it. Yet he still fights Riddle and when Ginny finally wakes up he tells
her to save herself. After all, if she doesn’t make it...this would all have
been for naught.
He went after Ginny more for Ron and because it was the right thing to do. He
didn’t know her, didn’t feel any personal tug for her. Not like when he went
after Hermione when the troll was in the school.
He knew Hermione and there was a sense of urgency that he go back and save
her. With Ginny, when you find out, it’s more like “aw, man, Ron’s little
sister.” It’s more about Ron than Ginny. Hermione was threatened first year,
so now it’s Ron’s turn...
Fawkes comes in and saves Harry’s neck. He cries for the Boy Who Lived so he
could live once more.
diary. He knew then that he had to stop Tom Ridddle from coming back to power
anyway he could. It’s not really murder (though killing any bit of a soul can
kind of fall under that heading) it’s about stopping a greater evil. So is
Harry capable of stopping Voldemort...definitely yes!
He has great stores of strength within him that we only scratch the surface
of here. His capacity to love is astounding given his upbringing, it’s his
saving grace. It’s more love of other people, the desire to protect them that
motivates Harry’s fight.
We see it in the fact that he is genuinely hurt that people think he’s
attacking muggleborns and terrified that he really may be Slytherin’s heir.
Having been bitten by the fang of the basilisk, Harry knows he’s not going to
make it. Yet he still fights Riddle and when Ginny finally wakes up he tells
her to save herself. After all, if she doesn’t make it...this would all have
been for naught.
He went after Ginny more for Ron and because it was the right thing to do. He
didn’t know her, didn’t feel any personal tug for her. Not like when he went
after Hermione when the troll was in the school.
He knew Hermione and there was a sense of urgency that he go back and save
her. With Ginny, when you find out, it’s more like “aw, man, Ron’s little
sister.” It’s more about Ron than Ginny. Hermione was threatened first year,
so now it’s Ron’s turn...
Fawkes comes in and saves Harry’s neck. He cries for the Boy Who Lived so he
could live once more.
So despite his willingness to sacrifice himself, he didn’t need to. Thank
Merlin!
Harry is saved by an unusual House-Elf. In return, Harry frees Dobby from
abusive owners. Maybe like he sometimes wished someone would save him….and
then did when he was 11 and he became a wizard. (The slavery, and resulting
emancipation by Harry, of this little guy is what inspires Hermione to start
SPEW in the first place.)
The symbolism here is heavy and dripping from the edges. I’ll only touch on
it lightly. A House-Elf is an image of slavery and bondage and brainwashing.
It has no free will, must punish itself for even thinking of disobeying
orders. Dobby stands up for himself, tries to protect Harry, and gets
punished for it. Both by himself and by others for ostracizing him from their
community because he was different. Is it really a wonder why Hermione would
feel for these creatures and want to help them.
It shows how help and how those who want to help can be misguided and
misunderstood. And that sometimes being helped can be more dangerous than
not...but Dobby is a bit overeager.
Because Dobby was trying to prevent Harry from going back to school, we
discover that the Ministry monitors magic levels and usage especially
underage wizards, especially in primarily muggle areas. (We find out later
that they can’t tell so much when there are other wizards around, that’s why
they couldn’t tell that it was a House-Elf not a wizard in this case, but
there is something that registers.)
This book is very important. It brings up the idea of the Heirs of the
Founders...everyone thought Harry was the Heir of Slytherin, but we know that
to be Riddle. Is Harry the last heir of Gryffindor?
It shows Horcruxes for the first time, though no one knew what it meant then.
House-elves and blood bigotry are introduced and highlighted. The link
between Harry and Voldemort is further illustrated with Harry speaking
Parseltongue. All of these things are relevant and recurring in all of the
other books.
Perhaps it is the key to unlocking series?
Merlin!
Harry is saved by an unusual House-Elf. In return, Harry frees Dobby from
abusive owners. Maybe like he sometimes wished someone would save him….and
then did when he was 11 and he became a wizard. (The slavery, and resulting
emancipation by Harry, of this little guy is what inspires Hermione to start
SPEW in the first place.)
The symbolism here is heavy and dripping from the edges. I’ll only touch on
it lightly. A House-Elf is an image of slavery and bondage and brainwashing.
It has no free will, must punish itself for even thinking of disobeying
orders. Dobby stands up for himself, tries to protect Harry, and gets
punished for it. Both by himself and by others for ostracizing him from their
community because he was different. Is it really a wonder why Hermione would
feel for these creatures and want to help them.
It shows how help and how those who want to help can be misguided and
misunderstood. And that sometimes being helped can be more dangerous than
not...but Dobby is a bit overeager.
Because Dobby was trying to prevent Harry from going back to school, we
discover that the Ministry monitors magic levels and usage especially
underage wizards, especially in primarily muggle areas. (We find out later
that they can’t tell so much when there are other wizards around, that’s why
they couldn’t tell that it was a House-Elf not a wizard in this case, but
there is something that registers.)
This book is very important. It brings up the idea of the Heirs of the
Founders...everyone thought Harry was the Heir of Slytherin, but we know that
to be Riddle. Is Harry the last heir of Gryffindor?
It shows Horcruxes for the first time, though no one knew what it meant then.
House-elves and blood bigotry are introduced and highlighted. The link
between Harry and Voldemort is further illustrated with Harry speaking
Parseltongue. All of these things are relevant and recurring in all of the
other books.
Perhaps it is the key to unlocking series?