Future books: Humor element, Voldemort/Harry encounters & Non-Characters

[cindysphynx]

No: HPFGUIDX 34358

Elkins wrote:

> Me, I found GoF by far the funniest of the
> books to date.  The previous books, while they raised smiles in 
> places and even a few "mental chuckles," never actually made me 
> laugh out loud.  GoF's the only one that's done that for me.
> 
> But then, my sense of humor is *very* black (and also at times 
> just plain weird), so I don't know how typical my own experience 
> might be.  Did anyone else out there find GoF the funniest of the 
> four books?  Or am I alone in this?

Oh, I'd agree that GoF was the funniest book by quite a bit.  CoS 
might also contend if you like Lockhart.  PoA is my favorite book 
overall, but I think that is because of the characterizations, not 
the wit.

 Elkins again:

> Some of the brands of humor that JKR favors have never amused me,
> frankly.  I absolutely hate most varieties of "comeuppance" humor, 
> for example -- I always have, ever since very early childhood -- 
and 
> there's a *lot* of that in these books.  

Hmmm.  I'm not sure I follow you.  "Comeuppance" humor, I'm guessing, 
refers to things like Draco the Bouncing Ferret where we are supposed 
to think it is funny when a character is abused?  Are there other 
examples you're thinking of?

As for my own taste in humor, I like zingers and one-liners, I 
guess.  I also like when characters are dreadfully and painfully 
embarrassed, like the "Unexpected Task."  I also like Sir Cadogan a 
great deal, but I don't know what category his over-the-top dialogue 
fits into.

I once went to a lecture on humor in college.  I was so clueless that 
I assumed the lecture would be, well, humorous.  Instead, they talked 
about what makes things humorous, which isn't nearly as 
entertaining. :-)  I don't remember much of what was said.  So here's 
the question:  what are the types of humor?  Does anyone know, and 
are there examples of these categories in canon?

Elkins again (about future Voldemort vs Harry confrontations):

> They're already straining the leash, IMO.  PoA is my favorite of
> the books, and I often suspect that part of the reason for that
> might be that it contains no direct confrontation with Voldie.
 
In my opinion, the pattern of the first four books is that the 
Voldemort confrontations become more believable and suspenseful as we 
move along.  In other words, I liked the graveyard confrontation 
better than the chamber confrontation better than the PS/SS 
confrontation.  Frankly, I don't see how JKR can top the graveyard 
scene with anything other than the final confrontation.  So I kind of 
hope (and predict) we'll get conflict between members of Voldemort's 
team and Dumbledore's team, but no Harry/Voldemort smackdown until 
Book 7.  I also figure our team will sustain some serious losses in 
the next two books, but will manage a jaw-dropping comeback in Book 7.

Kimberly wrote:

> Mundungus Fletcher is far and away my favorite of the characters 
> we've never actually met, or even of the lower echelon of 
characters 
> we have met.  

It is funny that we can have favorite non-characters, isn't it?  I 
have very high hopes for Real Moody, Mrs. Lestrange and Mundungus, 
but I'm a little nervous that I won't care for Dedalus Diggle.  Toss 
in Rookwood and Mulciber, and I don't see how OoP can miss.

Cindy (starting to sweat bullets because it is almost February and we 
don't have an OoP release date)