[HPFGU-OTChatter] Re: Ultimate Unofficial Guide

[the.gremlin at verizon.net]

Gwen:
"I took some umbrage at her assumption that some of the readers were looking for a combination of Cliffs' Notes for the plot (I mean, seriously, was *anyone* really surprised that the potion Snape brings Lupin is Important and A Clue?) and a Bullfinch's Guide of sorts for the literary allusions, all of which are pretty easy to discover, if not patently obvious from the start (again, does she really think we need to be *told* that Sirius is the dogstar, and also that "Sirius Black" means Black Dog? Maybe the twelve-year-olds, but... Yeesh)."

In defense of the supposedly uneducated, I did not find out about a lot of the literary stuff in HP until I joined this group. I do not regularly study Latin and/or astronomy, so I did not know that "Sirius Black" means Black Dog. And I am not not 12, I'm 18. Granted, some of you may be more educated then I am, and have finished college. However, there are no classes that I can take at my college that would tell me that Remus Lupin is an obvious reference to the fact that he's a werewolf, duh, you're stupid for not seeing it on the first reading.

I have taken a look at this book, and while I found it a little intersting, I realized that most of the theories she presents in her books can easily be found here. I suppose a potential buyer of the book would have to decide which they would rather have: a book that will tell you everything straight off, or a 5,000 (is that the number?)+ group who debate their pet theories (in a rather enjoyable way, I might add)? I refer watching you all duke it out, and adding my random comment. 

However, I don't think we should automatically assume that *everyone* knows Sirius was going to be a black dog Animagus upon hearing his name for the first time and seeing that black dog for the first time. I didn't, does that make me stupid?

-Acire, who got deja vu typing that last sentance..., and who did notice that the postion Snape brought was important...just didn't know why (yes, i know now).


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