Humor inside, terror outside. That’s the picture we keep getting from Rowling throughout this book. The humorous scene in which Hermione explains why Harry’s so “fanciable,” with Ron’s pleas for attention, is followed immediately by the delivery of the Prophet, commentary on the worry shared between parents and students, and the arrest of Stan Shunpike.
Which arrest, by the way, alerts us to the Ministry’s obvious willingness to abuse its own power under the guise of keeping the Wizarding World safe, all while simply trying to make itself look like it’s doing something. This particular commentary most likely stems from the practices many governments have used and continue to use in the “war on terror.”
We’re also learning how the terror outside is beginning to invade Hogwarts, as Hannah Abbot leaves school after learning that he mother was dead. Then, our emotions are immediately jerked back to the humorous, this time in the form of Quidditch tryouts. The humor usually pertains to romance, and of course, we get the set-up for the Ron-Lavender, Hermione-Cormac pairings in this chapter.
After Quidditch, the trio reuinites with Hagrid, who explains the real reason for his depression is the impending death of Aragog – and of course, we get the setup for the retrieval of the memory in chapter 22.
The chapter finishes up with another of my favorite lines, this one from Snape to Harry: “…you’re to come to his office at half past eight tonight to do your detention – er – no matter how many party invitations you’ve received.”
I shall leave insightful commentary to the pub tonight, as I need to finish this essay. Fire away!
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{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
Gotta love the “I’m tall” line, and it gets picked up several pages later after Hermione runs out to tell Ron he did brilliantly: “Ron looked extremely pleased with himself and even taller than usual . . .”
Several chapters ago I commented on Hermione’s resemblance to “half a panda” after the telescope punched her. I said that in England a police car is called a panda car and wondered if Hermione was half a policeman. At the time I said I couldn’t think of anything un-prefecty she did in book 6. Weeeeel. Reading this chapter I noted Harry tweaking Hermione about having confunded McLaggen during Quidditch tryouts. Harry says “But wasn’t that dishonest, Hermione? I mean you’re a prefect, aren’t you?” “‘Oh, be quiet,’ she snapped, as he smirked.” So perhaps the half-a-panda comparison was a (minor) setup for the confunding episode.
I do think it’s rather mean of Harry and Ron to laugh at the thought of poor Hermione being forced to go to party after party with Slughorn, Zabini, McLaggen, and “the charming Melinda Bobbin.” (There’s another spinning/sewing reference in her name, though we never actually meet her.)
In addition to being set up for the Ron/Lavender and Hermione/Cormac pairings, there’s quite a lot of foreshadowing in this chapter for the confrontation between Ron and the locket-horcrux in DH. Hermione, despite her comprehension of female feeling, ignores or is unconscious of the angst she is causing her future husband as she explains why everyone fancies Harry. The Riddle-Hermione repeats Ron’s interpretation of that: Who could look at you, who would ever look at you, beside Harry Potter? What have you ever done, compared with the Chosen One?… Who wouldn’t prefer him, what woman would take you, you are nothing, nothing, nothing to him.” I don’t think this chapter holds the only setup for that, of course, but it’s a strong one.
I thoroughly enjoy the scene where Harry threatens to break down Hagrid’s door. Visits to Hagrid are almost always good for a laugh, or at least an amused “Ewwww, gross!”
Since we mentioned alchemical hermaphrodite figures in the last chapter’s thread: gotta love good old Rubeus bawling and wearing the flowery apron.
Great catch with the “I’m tall”/taller!
Excellent point about the setup for the locket Horcrux fight! That moment where Ron peaks his head back out of the door of the Great Hall and says, “What are you two doing?” – “suspiciously” – says it all. It also sheds light on why Ron was just fine with Harry’s public, after-game snog with Ginny.
One can also clearly see how insecure Ron is, both in his relationship with Hermione but also in regard to other girls. His surprise at Lavender’s interest is comical but also telling. And Hermione’s flip flops on either showing Ron disdain or total affection can’t be helping him sort things out.
Plus, this chapter shows us just how silly & clueless we can be when we’re infatuated or in love with someone. And to what ends such feelings will drive us. Hermione, prim & proper, mistress of rule keeping, blatantly interferes with a sporting contest in favor of her love interest. But then again she never took Quidditch all that seriously.
This chapter also contains more narrative misdirection in regards to the great Draco mystery, with Harry coming up with theory after theory only to have Hermione shoot them down or Ron ignore them. One starts to get the feeling that Harry is just reaching for stuff & that there’s probably nothing to his feelings. Especially since he’s been wrong so many times before. But then in the following chapters JKR keeps giving us enough crumbs to keep us in doubt. Great writing.
Good observation, Travis, on the movement back & forth in this chapter from the humorous to the horrible.
I think my favorite line in the chapter is “‘I’m tall,’ Ron said inconsequentially.” That whole scene is so funny, while painfully revealing Ron’s insecurities. The fact that Hermione helps him shows that she wants him to succeed but also that she’s not entirely sure he will. If she’s willing to do something so unbefitting a prefect, it’s a pretty good bet that she really likes Ron, but it seems her respect for him needs to blossom a bit. He was being so petulant I couldn’t feel too sorry for him while Hermione was explaining why Harry was so fanciable, but I did feel bad for him when Slughorn acted like he was invisible.
In general, Hermione makes me happy in this chapter, especially since she’s the one who insists that they talk to Hagrid and she’s the one who turns his dark mood around by showing sympathy about Aragog and offering to help. I couldn’t imagine Hagrid holding a grudge against the trio for long, but it really was a relief to see the reconciliation.
I also like how this chapter sets us up for Harry’s refusal to kill Stan Shunpike in DH. “I won’t blast people out of my way just because they’re there; that’s Voldemort’s job” is probably my favorite line in that book.
Erin, love that line. Definitely one of the best of DH.