Trelawney and divination

[rja.carnegie at excite.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 19117

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., Samaporn Teeravechyan <teeravec at f...> wrote:
> >> TRELAWNEY'S PREDICTIONS
> >> This is a sub-group of divination credibility. But Trelawney's 
> >> Christmas Lunch prediction in PoA was that whoever rose from the 
> >> table first would be the first to die. Harry and Ron rose 
> >> simultaneously. Most of Trelawney's predictions are partially correct 
> >> (Parvati's "beware of a red-haired man", when Padma was Ron's date 
> >> for the Yule Ball). Is the Christmas Dinner prediction a red flag or 
> >> a red herring? Will Ron and Harry be the only survivors of those 
> >> seated at the table? Will Ron and Harry cause a death?
> >
> >I've been someone disappointed with JKR's use of divination in the books. I 
> >think she trivializes the importance it has in some religions and practices. 
> >Sure, there are kooks like Trelawney, but they are exceptions, not rules. I 
> >hope in future books, Harry finds someone who treats divination with some 
> >respect, and shows him the way it could be.
> 
> Perhaps JKR trivialises Trelawney more than divination itself. The fact
> that she has made predictions which can be argued to be true could mean
> that she does see the future ... but is just rather weak at interpreting
> what her 'inner eye' shows her. From the way Trelawney is characterised, I
> wouldn't be surprised if the quality of her mental filter is somewhat flimsy. 

I reckon Dumbledore and McGonagall don't believe she can do it,
and they should know wizards.  I think that Professor Trelawney
knows all _about_ Divination, so she's able to teach it, but
that's about all.  There must be some good in teaching it, though.

Look at Gilderoy Lockhart - Dumbledore had him as a teacher and
he was appalling.  However, Gorgeous Gilly does actually know
about DADA (or did ;-) - I'm sure Dumbledore knew all along that
he hadn't really done any, but he's dug up plenty of stories.
He puts them across in print quite well; his books sell.  But in
the classroom, he's useless.

Some magic and stage management could bring about some of the little
predictions she makes, such as Neville breaking a teacup - it could
have been enchanted to break on cue - but not that everyone gets
flu, I hope, although in the unhealthy atmosphere she likes, nothing
would surprise.

Dumbledore says her total of real predictions is two; maybe the
first was a really big one, and it used up most of her power.

> My guess is, in one way or another, her predictions will come true.
> Including, I might add, the ominous death prediction - with a twist, though.

CPR?

Robert Carnegie
Glasgow, Scotland

"I read them all when I was seven and I hated them" - unnamed American
office worker on the Harry Potter books (www.dilbert.com, List of
Stupid Things Overheard)