[HPforGrownups] Re: End of PS/SS - Deus ex machina

[Susan Hall]

No: HPFGUIDX 26927

>Further follows a request from a brain-deficient Muggle...what
>does "deus ex machina" actually mean?


It refers to the custom of the Ancient Greek Theatre of having a god or
goddess appear at the end of the play in order to resolve all the
outstanding issues.  The standard of theatrical effects was very high, so
they were often swung in on cranes, descended in fiery chariots, etc etc and
the cranes, chariots etc were the "machines" (I once had to explain very
carefully that this phrase does not mean "making a god out of a machine" as
in "he makes a god out of that Ferrari, you know").

People subsequently got snobbish about deus ex machina endings because they
thought that their hero should battle it to a conclusion all on their own,
without the 7th Cavalry, or the eagles, or Aslan, or Dumbledore, showing up
in the final pages to pull the hero's chestnuts out of the fire.  Actually,
I don't think Dumbledore is a d.e.m because he has played a major role in
the story before (Greek d.e.ms made one appearance only) and he has plainly
been got out of the way by a subterfuge, which is a device of the enemy and
entitled to fail - ie, Dumbeldore can legitimately think "Funny, that
summons to the MOM, all very convenient, eh?  better check it out."
Furthermore, Harry specifically thinks of sending for back-up, so its all
part of the general plotting.  Fawkes in CoS may be rather more of d.e.m.

Incidentally, we've been talking about whether Neville got in the way of a
memory charm, but compared to the crucial things Voldemort forgets Neville
counts as Mr Eidetic.  I mean, PS/SS ("I forgot that a mother's sacrificial
bond was a powerful charm"), CoS ("Phoenix tears; healing properties - I
forgot") and GoF ("I forgot that saying "Leave him - he's mine" is one of
those devices of narrative casuality always prefiguring the hero's
miraculous escape").  Anyone want to suggest that the traumatic
circumstances of his becoming an orphan damaged Tom Riddle's memory?

Susan