(no subject)
I've been trying to catch up with the reading since I joined late, and have finally managed it. I haven't really got that much to say about most of it that hasn't already been said, and said better than I probably would have on my own. In any case, a few thoughts...
Dudley Demented
I really haven't that much to say about this chapter beyond that Harry is an awful lot like a small scale Voldemort. Dumbledore's always on about his capacity to love, but her it seems that he's got a pretty damn large capacity for seething hatred as well. He wants pretty desperately to hurt Dudley, to pay him back for all those times Dudley hurt him in the past. And maybe scaring him by flashing his wand around now and then isn't quite the same as murdering his entire surviving muggle family like Voldemort, but like I said.. small scale. He relishes the power he feels over Dudley when he's got his wand out and he really likes knowing that he could hurt Dudley. Not particularly loving of him.
At any rate, there's a really great graphic novel version of the park/beginning of the alley scene, which features sulky, smug, sarcastic, raging prick Harry in all his glory. The look on Harry's face just after he bugs Dudley about being called "ickle Diddykins" is so perfectly malicious it makes me wish it were a picture of Snape picking on Harry in potions class. I find it hard to believe that Rowling doesn't see how much she's turned around Harry's character in this chapter to make him into this Harry. A link.
A Peck of Owls
Figg really is there for the sole purpose of spewing magical proverbs, isn't she? I never noticed that before someone here mentioned it.
I can't imagine why on earth Dumbledore thought an aging squib and an unreliable drunk were adequate protection for someone the Death Eaters are presumably trying to find and kill.
Harry treats his aunt and uncle with the same contempt Malfoy has for muggleborns. "Dem-en-tors" and all of that, like they're too stupid to understand instead of just muggles and not likely to have heard of such a thing because the ministry would have obliviated it from memory if they weren't Harry's guardians.
Nothing on chapter 3, and only the briefest mention of chapter 4.
Number 12, Grimmauld Place
1. God he's a vindictive little shit, isn't he?
2. After a "but he killed my mom and dad" rant: "We know, Harry," said Ginny earnestly.
I think the word Rowling was looking for but didn't find was "exasperatedly."
Well, that wasn't very snarky, but that's what the rest of you are here for.
Dudley Demented
I really haven't that much to say about this chapter beyond that Harry is an awful lot like a small scale Voldemort. Dumbledore's always on about his capacity to love, but her it seems that he's got a pretty damn large capacity for seething hatred as well. He wants pretty desperately to hurt Dudley, to pay him back for all those times Dudley hurt him in the past. And maybe scaring him by flashing his wand around now and then isn't quite the same as murdering his entire surviving muggle family like Voldemort, but like I said.. small scale. He relishes the power he feels over Dudley when he's got his wand out and he really likes knowing that he could hurt Dudley. Not particularly loving of him.
At any rate, there's a really great graphic novel version of the park/beginning of the alley scene, which features sulky, smug, sarcastic, raging prick Harry in all his glory. The look on Harry's face just after he bugs Dudley about being called "ickle Diddykins" is so perfectly malicious it makes me wish it were a picture of Snape picking on Harry in potions class. I find it hard to believe that Rowling doesn't see how much she's turned around Harry's character in this chapter to make him into this Harry. A link.
A Peck of Owls
Figg really is there for the sole purpose of spewing magical proverbs, isn't she? I never noticed that before someone here mentioned it.
I can't imagine why on earth Dumbledore thought an aging squib and an unreliable drunk were adequate protection for someone the Death Eaters are presumably trying to find and kill.
Harry treats his aunt and uncle with the same contempt Malfoy has for muggleborns. "Dem-en-tors" and all of that, like they're too stupid to understand instead of just muggles and not likely to have heard of such a thing because the ministry would have obliviated it from memory if they weren't Harry's guardians.
Nothing on chapter 3, and only the briefest mention of chapter 4.
Number 12, Grimmauld Place
1. God he's a vindictive little shit, isn't he?
2. After a "but he killed my mom and dad" rant: "We know, Harry," said Ginny earnestly.
I think the word Rowling was looking for but didn't find was "exasperatedly."
Well, that wasn't very snarky, but that's what the rest of you are here for.