Tons of HBP Wafflings...
Jul. 31st, 2005 10:13 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kennahijjaAnd some more close-reading-of-HBP waffling on Chapters 5 and 6... Probably not the brightest revelations either. Containing Spoilers, of course!
Molly Weasley - a rant(let):
With every new book, I like Molly less – I don't mind that she's 'only' being housewife and mother, and cook for the Order... But she's a *bad* mother, too overprotective and trying to stifle the spirit of her more adventurous children.
I understand how that can result from the effect of the first Voldemort War, but as a bright commentator (forgot who...![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
millefiori?) has said, it's significant that all of her sons try to get out and as far away from home as possible as soon as possible. Unlike Percy, whose attitude is closest to Molly's, and who's been actively driven out by Arthur.
In addition to that, I wonder if Molly's stifling protectiveness also has the effect of her sons choosing the most dangerous possible occupations around (cursebreaking, Dragons, testing new magical items) to compensate... (and choosing those for partners that are least like Molly – Fleur, Hermione (who's ambitious and intelligent), or a sequence of boyfriends like Ginny, close to what Molly would define as 'scarlet-woman-like'. (Yes, I never forgave her for instilling that attitude in Ron and her treatment of Hermione in GoF...).
I thought her behaviour towards Ron (and Fleur) was pretty inexcusable, especially in front of others. What bothers me even more was that, for a full-time mother, she knows her children so little; Ginny has a better insight into what Bill is after, she completely discounts the twins' creative potential (and whatever you think about the pair, they *are* talented), and I feel she never treats Ron as a 'person'... To me, it seems as if she's trying to make her children live *her* expectations without once pausing to think whether it's right for *them*.
Department of Foreshadowing:
Two nifty Narcissa bits from the 'Draco's Detour' chapter:
"I see that being Dumbledore's favorite has given you a false sense of security, Harry Potter. But Dumbledore won't always be there to protect you."
Oh, yes, because Snape has already made the Unbreakable Vow to kill Dumbledore!
"I expect Potter will be reunited with dear Sirius before I am reunited with Lucius."
I did pause at that on first reading, because I wondered whether she does not *want* to be reunited with Lucius, but it makes sense in the light of Dumbledore's comment that 'poor Lucius' feels much safer in Azkaban...
And Narcissa's death threat to Harry is still one of my favourite lines in the whole book!
Draco and the Dark Mark:
On Malfoy having the Dark Mark in Madam Malkin's... Yes, it would make sense that he'd pull his arm away when Madam Malkin tries to roll up his sleeve, to escape detection, but... the next moment he pulls the robe off altogether, sleeves and all, and nothing. Sure, he might wear something underneath, but that was also the case then when she tried to adjust his sleeve?
Fred & George's Shop:
1) I can't wait to see some smut involving the Patented Daydream Charms!
2) On the Ginny/love potion debate, well, it seems as if she gave it some thought here:
"There you go," said Fred proudly. "Best range of love potions you'll find anywhere."
Ginny raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Do they work?" she asked.
No, I don't personally believe she used a love potion to snare Harry; but well, this makes me think... Also, it makes me think of Hermione's rule-breaking tendencies in this book... But nah! Not possible!
Molly Weasley - a rant(let):
With every new book, I like Molly less – I don't mind that she's 'only' being housewife and mother, and cook for the Order... But she's a *bad* mother, too overprotective and trying to stifle the spirit of her more adventurous children.
I understand how that can result from the effect of the first Voldemort War, but as a bright commentator (forgot who...
millefiori?) has said, it's significant that all of her sons try to get out and as far away from home as possible as soon as possible. Unlike Percy, whose attitude is closest to Molly's, and who's been actively driven out by Arthur. In addition to that, I wonder if Molly's stifling protectiveness also has the effect of her sons choosing the most dangerous possible occupations around (cursebreaking, Dragons, testing new magical items) to compensate... (and choosing those for partners that are least like Molly – Fleur, Hermione (who's ambitious and intelligent), or a sequence of boyfriends like Ginny, close to what Molly would define as 'scarlet-woman-like'. (Yes, I never forgave her for instilling that attitude in Ron and her treatment of Hermione in GoF...).
I thought her behaviour towards Ron (and Fleur) was pretty inexcusable, especially in front of others. What bothers me even more was that, for a full-time mother, she knows her children so little; Ginny has a better insight into what Bill is after, she completely discounts the twins' creative potential (and whatever you think about the pair, they *are* talented), and I feel she never treats Ron as a 'person'... To me, it seems as if she's trying to make her children live *her* expectations without once pausing to think whether it's right for *them*.
Department of Foreshadowing:
Two nifty Narcissa bits from the 'Draco's Detour' chapter:
"I see that being Dumbledore's favorite has given you a false sense of security, Harry Potter. But Dumbledore won't always be there to protect you."
Oh, yes, because Snape has already made the Unbreakable Vow to kill Dumbledore!
"I expect Potter will be reunited with dear Sirius before I am reunited with Lucius."
I did pause at that on first reading, because I wondered whether she does not *want* to be reunited with Lucius, but it makes sense in the light of Dumbledore's comment that 'poor Lucius' feels much safer in Azkaban...
And Narcissa's death threat to Harry is still one of my favourite lines in the whole book!
Draco and the Dark Mark:
On Malfoy having the Dark Mark in Madam Malkin's... Yes, it would make sense that he'd pull his arm away when Madam Malkin tries to roll up his sleeve, to escape detection, but... the next moment he pulls the robe off altogether, sleeves and all, and nothing. Sure, he might wear something underneath, but that was also the case then when she tried to adjust his sleeve?
Fred & George's Shop:
1) I can't wait to see some smut involving the Patented Daydream Charms!
2) On the Ginny/love potion debate, well, it seems as if she gave it some thought here:
"There you go," said Fred proudly. "Best range of love potions you'll find anywhere."
Ginny raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Do they work?" she asked.
No, I don't personally believe she used a love potion to snare Harry; but well, this makes me think... Also, it makes me think of Hermione's rule-breaking tendencies in this book... But nah! Not possible!
