The Arc Theory and The Deathly Hallows
I did not encounter this theory until about a year ago, when it was brought to my attention that JKR might be writing the Harry Potter series in an “arc”. I saw it as the truth: I quickly became confused by any mention of the fact that it is only a “theory”.
Some people like it, some people don’t. Some people prefer to think of the series as circular. Or square. The whole thing is probably a stupid discussion, knowing how JKR is with maths.
The arc theory is the idea, surprise surprise, that JKR is writing the series in an arc: with Philosopher’s Stone/Sorcerer’s Stone and Deathly Hallows at the bottom on either side, and Goblet of Fire as the “peak”, pairing Chamber of Secrets with Half Blood Prince and Prisoner of Azkaban with Order of the Phoenix.
There are obvious, large plot points shared by the “parallel” books: books two and six both deal with the boy Tom Riddle, Horcruxes, Ginny Weasley, fifty-year-old “friendly” books that turn around and bite you on the arse. There are more trivial things, too: the “birth” and death of Aragog, bathrooms and Moaning Myrtle, excessive and pointed use of Parseltongue, and students using Polyjuice Potion to get past the members of rival houses. Etcetera.
With books three and five, the parallels run along a similar gist: a stress on the generation of the Marauders, the “birth” and “death” of Cho, the “birth” and literal death of Sirius, the two prophecies of Trelawney. Again, the trivial things: attacking Dementors and using strange flying creatures to attempt to rescue Sirius. Buckbeak was not inserted into the scene with Harry and Hermione at Christmas in book five because he is a symbol of their undying love; he is far more likely to have been in there because he was “the creature” of the parallel book.
Even the moods of the books are the same: CoS and HBP are light-hearted, humorous and romantic; PoA and OotP are darker, tenser and angrier. There are far too many parallels for pure coincidence.
Now, the important question: will Deathly Hallows conform to this? And if so, to what extent can we use Philosopher’s Stone to predict what will happen in it?
There are billions beyond billions of things that we could see again. The Mirror of Erised - will it be making a grand return? Will the Horcrux Hunt, as often prophesised, mirror the six tasks the trio had to perform to get to the Stone? Will Miss Weasley only appear at the beginning and at the end of the book? With Aragog and Buckbeak each having their own pair of books, will we be seeing the return of Hagrid’s first baby, Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback? Will the last chapter of the last book be called “The Boy who Lived”? Will there be centaurs? Unicorns? Quirrell? Blown-up toilets? Remember, back in the innocent days of book one, Snape was the only real villain right up until the last chapter, when - BOOM! Actually, he’s been saving Harry’s life all along! … Sound familiar?
Firstly, dear readers:
Poll The Introduction
If you answered Yea, congratulations! You have reached the Grand Poll. Fill it in. It is very important. THE FUTURE OF YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT.
Many questions. Only Yes or No answers. NO MAYBES. Ready? Okay … GO!
AND REMEMBER: vote not for what you WANT to happen, but for what you think WILL happen.
Poll PS and DH: what will we be seeing again?
Poll PS and DH: what will we be seeing again? PART THE SECOND
P.S: Thinking, "Aah, book one ... long time no read"? Go and check out canon_reread, the FUN place for a pre-DH reread! And where I will be cross-posting this once the comm has been opened where it has been posted!
P.P.S: Commenting? Go for it!
Some people like it, some people don’t. Some people prefer to think of the series as circular. Or square. The whole thing is probably a stupid discussion, knowing how JKR is with maths.
The arc theory is the idea, surprise surprise, that JKR is writing the series in an arc: with Philosopher’s Stone/Sorcerer’s Stone and Deathly Hallows at the bottom on either side, and Goblet of Fire as the “peak”, pairing Chamber of Secrets with Half Blood Prince and Prisoner of Azkaban with Order of the Phoenix.
There are obvious, large plot points shared by the “parallel” books: books two and six both deal with the boy Tom Riddle, Horcruxes, Ginny Weasley, fifty-year-old “friendly” books that turn around and bite you on the arse. There are more trivial things, too: the “birth” and death of Aragog, bathrooms and Moaning Myrtle, excessive and pointed use of Parseltongue, and students using Polyjuice Potion to get past the members of rival houses. Etcetera.
With books three and five, the parallels run along a similar gist: a stress on the generation of the Marauders, the “birth” and “death” of Cho, the “birth” and literal death of Sirius, the two prophecies of Trelawney. Again, the trivial things: attacking Dementors and using strange flying creatures to attempt to rescue Sirius. Buckbeak was not inserted into the scene with Harry and Hermione at Christmas in book five because he is a symbol of their undying love; he is far more likely to have been in there because he was “the creature” of the parallel book.
Even the moods of the books are the same: CoS and HBP are light-hearted, humorous and romantic; PoA and OotP are darker, tenser and angrier. There are far too many parallels for pure coincidence.
Now, the important question: will Deathly Hallows conform to this? And if so, to what extent can we use Philosopher’s Stone to predict what will happen in it?
There are billions beyond billions of things that we could see again. The Mirror of Erised - will it be making a grand return? Will the Horcrux Hunt, as often prophesised, mirror the six tasks the trio had to perform to get to the Stone? Will Miss Weasley only appear at the beginning and at the end of the book? With Aragog and Buckbeak each having their own pair of books, will we be seeing the return of Hagrid’s first baby, Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback? Will the last chapter of the last book be called “The Boy who Lived”? Will there be centaurs? Unicorns? Quirrell? Blown-up toilets? Remember, back in the innocent days of book one, Snape was the only real villain right up until the last chapter, when - BOOM! Actually, he’s been saving Harry’s life all along! … Sound familiar?
Firstly, dear readers:
Poll The Introduction
If you answered Yea, congratulations! You have reached the Grand Poll. Fill it in. It is very important. THE FUTURE OF YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT.
Many questions. Only Yes or No answers. NO MAYBES. Ready? Okay … GO!
AND REMEMBER: vote not for what you WANT to happen, but for what you think WILL happen.
Poll PS and DH: what will we be seeing again?
Poll PS and DH: what will we be seeing again? PART THE SECOND
P.S: Thinking, "Aah, book one ... long time no read"? Go and check out canon_reread, the FUN place for a pre-DH reread! And where I will be cross-posting this once the comm has been opened where it has been posted!
P.P.S: Commenting? Go for it!