Topic Summaries/new subjects for discussion

[carolynwhite2]

--- In HPFGU-Catalogue at yahoogroups.com, "Debbie" <elfundeb at c...> 
wrote:
 
> Carolyn:
> But I would  be interested to know more about how the topic list 
>is/was agreed on. I think it would worthwhile to put a suggested 
>list of topics to the members (maybe on Feedback), and see what 
>responses there were. 
> 
Debbie:
> Do you mean a list of FP topics or topics for structured list 
> discussion?  Either way, it was before my time.  But since I seem 
>to have inherited the FP project, I'm for considering any topic 
>people want to see.  Overlap can be dealt with via links.

Carolyn:
I think at the topic stage FP themes and ideas for structured 
discussion are the same thing. The one drives the other. The FP 
project got a bit stuck on characterisations, IMO. Obviously they are 
important and need to be updated thoroughly, but there is relatively 
little there on big themes.

What I had in mind was coming up with a list of about 20 topics and 
put it up for discussion on Feedback and/or OTC, to see what big 
subjects really interested people. You could then use that to 
prioritise which subjects to kick off with.

A slightly more elitist approach is to make sure that list doesn't 
have anything too tedious, like food & drink, geography, students at 
Hogwarts, SHIPping...need I go on, I think we could all fill in the 
blanks. My criteria to reject a topic would be if there was a long 
essay on the Lexicon about it - no point in duplicating.

To get discussion started on the main list, you'd take the same 
approach as the chapter summaries. Someone does a pull-together 
overview, with good references, and a list of pointed questions. 

The FP could be pulled together quite quickly using that starter pack 
plus the assorted responses and a bit more digging.


Carolyn: 
> > Personally, I think the concept of FAQs should be re-thought. 
> > Dumbledore's gleam, to take the most frequently cited, is in fact 
> a very interesting question, and I think this could be more 
usefully treated within a longer essay. Its a moot question whether 
that essay should, essentially, be a DD character review (I think 
not), or a mixture of character/plot review.
> 
Debbie:
> When I first joined the list the elves were prohibiting discussion 
> of topics in the FAQs.  My first crusade as an elf was to convince 
> the old-timers that discussion of the gleam should not be squelched 
> just because they were tired of it, because it did not have a clear 
> answer.  However, I'm interested to know why you think it should 
not be part of a character review.  Perhaps the answer turns on 
whether you're interested in plot or in characterization.

Carolyn:
It's not that I'm uninterested in character discussions, of course 
not, most of whodunnit aspects of the plot turns on whether we are 
correct in our assessment of the character as presented. But I do 
differentiate between an analysis which sets out to be eg the 
definitive character sketch of Dumbledore, warts and all, and 
explication of knotty plot problems, such as the gleam.

One aspect of the gleam is obviously that it means something to DD, 
but the whys and wherefores of what that might be, and how it affects 
future events is not really related to his character, although it 
certainly may be to his agenda [which is why we have the two 
categories on our coding list].

I don't think it should be dismissed as a FAQ - which tend to be 
fairly short bits of analysis, and in this case, mainly consists of 
saying 'yes, we all noticed it'. [Actually, it is a while since I 
looked at the FAQs, so apologies if it has been updated since I last 
read it].


>Debbie:
> Can we bin them now?  We've got a poll question to cover it.  All 
we need to do is save the really well-reasoned ones.  Like Boyd's, 
> which was priceless and deserving of a triple FEATHERBOA.
> 
Carolyn:
Is that in the FP database ? I hope I didn't miss it. It's his 
updated sock theory that I remember most vividly!

Boyd -where are you, if you read this, remind us of your HBP post.