Deus ex Machina

[cynthiaanncoe at home.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 26969

Luke wrote:
<snip>
Because obviously it's use has expanded 
> in modern day beyond just divine intervention, but I'd say it's 
still 
> at least limited in more proper usage to the protagonist being 
saved 
> by some external force or third party in a contrived way.  It's not 
> just any unnatural or contrived attempt, because I (at least) 
wouldn't 
> classify the incompetence of the antagonist (see below about GOF), 
> which is nonetheless often contrived, as "deus ex machina".  
Because 
> while it is a force external to the protagonist, it is not external 
to 
> the conflict since it belongs to the villain.  The intervening 
force 
> of "deus ex machina" is usually external to the conflict up until 
the 
> point of intervention--hence why many consider it contrived in the 
> first place.
> 
<snip>
>  
> Basically, I'm trying to clarify that "deus ex machina" isn't just 
a 
> matter of the credibility or contrivedness of the situation, but 
> whether or not the conflict resolved itself (which is not "deus ex 
> machina") or was solved by something else "just in the nick of 
time" 
> for the hero (which is "deus ex machina").  
 

Luke and Mike, I suppose we could say that there aren't any 
real "deus ex machina" problems in the climax of the four HP books, 
if I'm following the discussion properly.

But are there any "deus ex machina" problems in any of the smaller 
scenes in the books (I assume that "deus ex machina" isn't limited to 
the main climax at the end)?  There are several instances when Harry 
was in a bit of a fix, and something or someone swooped in and saved 
him.  One is when the centaur carries Harry out of the Forbidden 
Forest in PS/SS.  Another is when the Flying Ford Anglia swooped down 
and saved Harry and Ron from Aragog in CoS.  Another would sudden 
appearance of the Knight Bus in PoA.  Another is when Lupin wards off 
the Dementor, and again when Dumbledore slows Harry down when he 
falls off of his broom in PoA.  One more is when Moody "rescues" 
Harry when his foot is caught in the trick step in GoF.

Are these examples of "deus ex machina"?  Why do some work better 
than others?  Of the ones I listed, the only one that didn't work for 
me is the Flying Ford Anglia, although I'm not entirely sure why.

Also, you mentioned that "The intervening force 
of '"deus ex machina"' is usually external to the conflict up until 
the point of intervention--hence why many consider it contrived in 
the first place."  I am wondering whether it is possible 
to "foreshadow" one's way out of a '"deus ex machina"' problem by 
dropping enough hints.  Perhaps my difficulty with the Flying Ford 
Anglia rescue is that it did seem to come out of nowhere, whereas 
Lupin warding off the Dementor seemed natural because he was already 
there.

Cindy (enjoying this discussion because it explains that Harry's 
escape from the graveyard was so satisfying because he did it all by 
himself)