Myrtle, Dumbledore's parties

[dfrankiswork at netscape.net]

No: HPFGUIDX 28754

Tbuly wrote, in House-elf language:

> (Tabouli is a bit disappointed, as she has long cherished David's comment that he found Moaning Myrtle (!) sexy, and has been intrigued by what this says about his tastes in women (and wife!).  This, she feels, takes an impressive amount of imagination.   She's also long hoped that he will one day explain why he fancies this glum ghost, as the answer is sure to be entertaining...)

Oh dear.  It's as much by contrast with the other characters, rather than any absolute level of erotic powers.  My vague memory is that my original post on the topic listed the reasons, but since the vagueness extends to remembering when I made it, here they are:

- she acknowledges that her sexuality is part of her character, though as a ghost her opportunities are limited. Despite crushes etc. I can't think of any other character for which this is true.  The closest is Ron, who suppresses what he thinks about Rosmerta.
- she shows interest in Harry (remember when they come out of the Chamber she hoped he'd be a ghost). Bloody Baron aficionados note that she blushes silver, something that IMO undermines the unicorn-blood theory of his stains.
-she teases and flirts with him

I just think that the bathroom scene is the only erotic moment we have had to date - not just Myrtle but also the possibility that the mermaid may wake up at any moment.  (That's different, BTW, from the sexual tension between Ron and Hermione that Jenny mentioned a couple of weeks ago, which I also see and one day intend to post about.)

More generally, she seems glum, but as we get to know her and she gains confidence with Harry, we see a different side:

- she helps in the lake and in the bathroom
- she outrageously admits to spying on prefects bathing
- she admits to stalking Olive Hornby

She is not a paragon of virtue, but she is clearly a feisty person, a 'strong female character' despite her limited screen time.  I don't think we know how old she was when she died, but I've always guessed 13 or 14 - any other offers?

Sorry, the entertainment value isn't that great - I've got a cold and the entertainment modules are misfiring.

> Tom Bombadil:  Outrageously omitted from the forthcoming (LOTR) film by Peter Jackson, and unjustly maligned by OT-Chatter listmembers who shall remain nameless.

They-who-must-not-be-named, eh, Tabouli? Always call things by their proper names.

Dumbledore's knowledge of parties at the beginning of PS - couldn't he have visited a number of people on the way for various reasons and seen the parties - assuming he wasn't invited, of course.  I reckon McGonagall got owls from her friends during the course of the day, which was where she got the rumours.  It's clear too that the WW has quicker ways of communicating we don't really know about - how else did they manage to organise the parties so quickly?

David


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