Comments on: Chamber of Secrets: Plotpoints and Plotholes (?) http://thehogshead.org/chamber-of-secrets-plotpoints-and-plotholes-350/ Harry Potter News and Commentary Sat, 20 Mar 2010 22:05:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Jeremy http://thehogshead.org/chamber-of-secrets-plotpoints-and-plotholes-350/comment-page-1/#comment-47428 Jeremy Mon, 09 Apr 2007 17:22:46 +0000 http://swordofgryffindor.com/2007/04/04/chamber-of-secrets-plotpoints-and-plotholes/#comment-47428 I'm stickin with scarcrux (nice word, by the way). It just seems too obvious that Harry and Dumbledore are talking about a piece of Voldything being transferred into Harry while the diary is laying on the table in front of them. Way too coincidental. A clever bit of foreshadowing, in my opinion. I’m stickin with scarcrux (nice word, by the way). It just seems too obvious that Harry and Dumbledore are talking about a piece of Voldything being transferred into Harry while the diary is laying on the table in front of them. Way too coincidental. A clever bit of foreshadowing, in my opinion.

]]> By: Eeyore http://thehogshead.org/chamber-of-secrets-plotpoints-and-plotholes-350/comment-page-1/#comment-46668 Eeyore Sat, 07 Apr 2007 19:29:48 +0000 http://swordofgryffindor.com/2007/04/04/chamber-of-secrets-plotpoints-and-plotholes/#comment-46668 Travis, whether you are right or wrong in plot holes depends entirely on what Rowling does with Deathly Hallows. There may well be some things that we think are plot holes that will turn out not to be. And there may be, and I'm afraid there will be, some things that just remain unresolved, from the sheer size of the story. Some of those plot holes might be the things that she intends to correct if she does go back and redo the books later, as she mentioned she might. I try not to get too caught up with them. Mainly, because a lot of inconsistent behaviour on the part of the characters, even the adults, is that teens and adults are not perfect, nor are they always logical. How many times have we all said after some disastrous decision--"well what was I thinking! Why didn't I do (or say)...." I've enjoyed reading all the explanations, though. So sometimes a post on plot holes is a good way to discuss those details in the books, all those things that are easy to miss as we get caught up in the story. Oh, and I agree--I like COS much better after having read Half-Blood Prince. It all makes a lot more sense. Pat Travis, whether you are right or wrong in plot holes depends entirely on what Rowling does with Deathly Hallows. There may well be some things that we think are plot holes that will turn out not to be. And there may be, and I’m afraid there will be, some things that just remain unresolved, from the sheer size of the story.

Some of those plot holes might be the things that she intends to correct if she does go back and redo the books later, as she mentioned she might.

I try not to get too caught up with them. Mainly, because a lot of inconsistent behaviour on the part of the characters, even the adults, is that teens and adults are not perfect, nor are they always logical. How many times have we all said after some disastrous decision–”well what was I thinking! Why didn’t I do (or say)….”

I’ve enjoyed reading all the explanations, though. So sometimes a post on plot holes is a good way to discuss those details in the books, all those things that are easy to miss as we get caught up in the story.

Oh, and I agree–I like COS much better after having read Half-Blood Prince. It all makes a lot more sense.

Pat

]]> By: waclimber http://thehogshead.org/chamber-of-secrets-plotpoints-and-plotholes-350/comment-page-1/#comment-45908 waclimber Fri, 06 Apr 2007 05:34:46 +0000 http://swordofgryffindor.com/2007/04/04/chamber-of-secrets-plotpoints-and-plotholes/#comment-45908 Hi Travis, Please continue your series on 'plot holes'. I thought you made good points. And the feedback was even better! I learned alot! Hi Travis,

Please continue your series on ‘plot holes’. I thought you made good points. And the feedback was even better! I learned alot!

]]> By: Travis Prinzi http://thehogshead.org/chamber-of-secrets-plotpoints-and-plotholes-350/comment-page-1/#comment-45614 Travis Prinzi Thu, 05 Apr 2007 17:05:41 +0000 http://swordofgryffindor.com/2007/04/04/chamber-of-secrets-plotpoints-and-plotholes/#comment-45614 I agree. I think <strong>Johnny</strong> hit the nail on the head with the good wizard thing. I agree. I think Johnny hit the nail on the head with the good wizard thing.

]]> By: Felicity http://thehogshead.org/chamber-of-secrets-plotpoints-and-plotholes-350/comment-page-1/#comment-45610 Felicity Thu, 05 Apr 2007 16:43:33 +0000 http://swordofgryffindor.com/2007/04/04/chamber-of-secrets-plotpoints-and-plotholes/#comment-45610 Yikes! What a lot of grammatical errors in my post above. Good points about Harry being a representative of a "good" wizard to Dobby. Yikes! What a lot of grammatical errors in my post above.

Good points about Harry being a representative of a “good” wizard to Dobby.

]]> By: Travis Prinzi http://thehogshead.org/chamber-of-secrets-plotpoints-and-plotholes-350/comment-page-1/#comment-45609 Travis Prinzi Thu, 05 Apr 2007 16:42:14 +0000 http://swordofgryffindor.com/2007/04/04/chamber-of-secrets-plotpoints-and-plotholes/#comment-45609 The only thing that works for me in any of this is <strong>Johnny's</strong> point, "It doesn't matter what we would do...these are twelve year old kids." That's fair enough. The only thing that works for me in any of this is Johnny’s point, “It doesn’t matter what we would do…these are twelve year old kids.” That’s fair enough.

]]> By: Johnny http://thehogshead.org/chamber-of-secrets-plotpoints-and-plotholes-350/comment-page-1/#comment-45602 Johnny Thu, 05 Apr 2007 16:20:18 +0000 http://swordofgryffindor.com/2007/04/04/chamber-of-secrets-plotpoints-and-plotholes/#comment-45602 I just saw Roxanne's post and yes, McGonagall did delegate that task to Lockhart. That is key as well. :) I just saw Roxanne’s post and yes, McGonagall did delegate that task to Lockhart. That is key as well. :)

]]> By: Johnny http://thehogshead.org/chamber-of-secrets-plotpoints-and-plotholes-350/comment-page-1/#comment-45601 Johnny Thu, 05 Apr 2007 16:15:48 +0000 http://swordofgryffindor.com/2007/04/04/chamber-of-secrets-plotpoints-and-plotholes/#comment-45601 As far as the whole Harry-and-Ron-not-telling-McGonagall potential plot hole, remember what happened the last time they tried to tell McGonagall something? In the first book Harry (along with Ron and Hermione) was looking for Dumbledore, who responded to an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic. Harry then tried to tell McGonagall that they knew about the Philosopher's Stone and that someone was trying to steal it. Shocked and suspicious, McGonagall assured them the Stone was safe and to go outside and enjoy the day. She did not believe them then so Harry and Ron probably thought the same result would happen if they told her the location of the Chamber. Also like you said Travis, Ginny changed everything. Harry and Ron needed someone whom would go with them without question. Yes, they knew Lockhart was a fraud but what they didn't know was that he was a coward. They were banking on Lockhart's desire to show off. Perhaps they thought that taking Lockhart would benefit them for he would probably be petrified or killed in the process while they would be safe enough to save Ginny. Of course we all know that everything went wrong and Harry was forced to face the Basilisk and Tom Riddle...alone. What we would have done in that situation does not matter. These are twelve-year-old kids and immature at that, filled with emotions over their friend Hermione being petrified and Ginny being taken alive. As far as the whole Harry-and-Ron-not-telling-McGonagall potential plot hole, remember what happened the last time they tried to tell McGonagall something? In the first book Harry (along with Ron and Hermione) was looking for Dumbledore, who responded to an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic. Harry then tried to tell McGonagall that they knew about the Philosopher’s Stone and that someone was trying to steal it. Shocked and suspicious, McGonagall assured them the Stone was safe and to go outside and enjoy the day. She did not believe them then so Harry and Ron probably thought the same result would happen if they told her the location of the Chamber.

Also like you said Travis, Ginny changed everything. Harry and Ron needed someone whom would go with them without question. Yes, they knew Lockhart was a fraud but what they didn’t know was that he was a coward. They were banking on Lockhart’s desire to show off. Perhaps they thought that taking Lockhart would benefit them for he would probably be petrified or killed in the process while they would be safe enough to save Ginny. Of course we all know that everything went wrong and Harry was forced to face the Basilisk and Tom Riddle…alone.

What we would have done in that situation does not matter. These are twelve-year-old kids and immature at that, filled with emotions over their friend Hermione being petrified and Ginny being taken alive.

]]> By: Roxanne http://thehogshead.org/chamber-of-secrets-plotpoints-and-plotholes-350/comment-page-1/#comment-45597 Roxanne Thu, 05 Apr 2007 16:09:03 +0000 http://swordofgryffindor.com/2007/04/04/chamber-of-secrets-plotpoints-and-plotholes/#comment-45597 Sorry - In my #2 above, that would be Sorcerer's Stone. Good grief. Sorry – In my #2 above, that would be Sorcerer’s Stone. Good grief.

]]> By: Roxanne http://thehogshead.org/chamber-of-secrets-plotpoints-and-plotholes-350/comment-page-1/#comment-45595 Roxanne Thu, 05 Apr 2007 16:06:47 +0000 http://swordofgryffindor.com/2007/04/04/chamber-of-secrets-plotpoints-and-plotholes/#comment-45595 As to not telling McGonagall about the Chamber, I see the discovery of Ginny having been taken as being the catalyst for the change in plan. Take these factors together: 1) the focus for the boys changes from one of just "locating the Chamber" to that of "rescuing Ginny who is in immediate danger" - the first is after the fact of a crime, and the second is in the midst of one; 2) the boys had the experience just the previous year of McGonagall not believing them about the danger to the Sorcerer's Tone; 3) also as in the previous year, there would be no appeal to the absent Dumbledore if McGonagall again blew them off; and 4) they had just heard McGonagall herself default the task of finding the Chamber to "Gilderoy." Also, hearing McGonagall actually conceding a task so important to the likes of Lockhart, when the boys knew of her disdain for him, is hardly something that would inspire confidence in HER. As to not telling McGonagall about the Chamber, I see the discovery of Ginny having been taken as being the catalyst for the change in plan. Take these factors together: 1) the focus for the boys changes from one of just “locating the Chamber” to that of “rescuing Ginny who is in immediate danger” – the first is after the fact of a crime, and the second is in the midst of one; 2) the boys had the experience just the previous year of McGonagall not believing them about the danger to the Sorcerer’s Tone; 3) also as in the previous year, there would be no appeal to the absent Dumbledore if McGonagall again blew them off; and 4) they had just heard McGonagall herself default the task of finding the Chamber to “Gilderoy.” Also, hearing McGonagall actually conceding a task so important to the likes of Lockhart, when the boys knew of her disdain for him, is hardly something that would inspire confidence in HER.

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