Potterverse Coherence

[archeaologee]

No: HPFGUIDX 38854

There are two simple points I would like to raise with the issue of 
coherence in the Potterverse.

Firstly the books are meant for children.  When I saw 'acio' being 
practiced in class - and then the solution to the first task(well 
half of it) I thought it obvious and telegraphable, it was the same 
for my reaction to Ron and the Wizard Chess, or to the re-use of 
polyjuice poition.  There are only a limited amount of things she can 
explain, chlidren are not adults.  They are lead into a concept 
before it is fully exploited.  The wonder of the books is that they 
patronise so little, this is partly by introducing concepts in a 
natural environment, rather than explaing in words of one sylable 
during the course of the action.

Secondly, the main characters ARE children.  It is entirely 
reasonable that they take weeks completing a complicated plan and 
miss the obvious.  Furthur to this it is entirely psycologicaly 
sound.  The trio want to believe that Draco is responsible.  They 
hate him. So they decide on a plan that will not only take time 
(allowing them to cling to their unfounded belief longer) but also 
one that has a high possiblitiy of failure (so they need never find 
out at all).  When they eventually, and to their credit, succeed (two 
out of three ain't bad) they are very disturbed to find out they are 
wrong.

I think the solutions are retro fitted to the plot, we read in a 
straight line - they are not written that way.  If a spell is needed 
then the backstory is fitted earlier.  If a character is important, 
then a titbit is added earlier.  JKR says she re-wrote the first 
chapter several times because it gave too much away - she has also 
written the last chapter (I've seen it, not the text, in a 
documentary).  She will add details and people in current\future 
books so the end makes sense.  Not foreshadowing but reto-fitting.

Also (and my pedentic side somes out here) she doesn't have a shoebox 
full of notes - it's more like a mountain, including sketches(sp?).  
Again seen in the documentary.

This has come across as rather confrontational, it's not meant that 
way.  I apologise for any possible offence, but stand by my points.

James (a ravenclaw for sure)