Prophets without Honour

[B Arrowsmith]

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From:  "jwcpgh" < jwcpgh at y... >
Date:   Sun Aug 31, 2003  1:44 am
Subject:   Re: Prophets without honour


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--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com , B Arrowsmith
<arrowsmithbt at b... > wrote:
 > Dumbledore seriously considered dropping divination classes as
being a
 > waste of time.
 > Hermione thinks it's rubbish.
 > Firenze warns against relying on it.
 > Trelawney inspires no confidence as a teacher.
 >
 > So why are we so obsessed, spending hours beating our heads against
 > *that* prophecy?
 >
 > Throughout the series divination in any form is presented as a
 > 'pretend' subject. 'Pretend' it means something, 'pretend' to do
the
 > set homework, 'pretend' that even if real seers exist, it can be
taught
 > to non-seers. Yet we are expected to take two supposed prophecies
as
 > serious predictions, capable of definitive interpretation. Really?

<remainder snipped>

Laura:

Your post makes a lot of sense to me, but my question is this: if in
fact the prophecy is a red herring, why did JKR spend so much time on
it? It's important in that it motivates LV, but if DD really thinks
it's no big deal, why didn't he tell the Order and/or Harry? That
would have stopped Harry's interest in the corridor dreams for sure-
and our beloved Sirius would still be alive.


Me now:
Are you a film buff? Remember the concept of the McGuffin?
Much loved by masters such as Hitchcock. A device which keeps everyone 
busy, but is of no significance otherwise. The classic is probably The 
Maltese Falcon. I'm not saying that this is the case, but after weeks  
of getting nowhere I'm ready to start grasping at straws.

I can't quite see how it would have stopped Harry's interest in the 
corridor dreams. While they were progressing Harry did not know what 
they signified, just that it was something compulsive. Never having 
been there, he couldn't be expected to recognise the Dept.  of 
Mysteries until too late. I doubt warnings from DD would have made any 
difference; Harry is not naturally compliant.

I see DD as the Ultimate Pragmatist; not evil but ready to grit his 
teeth and do the necessary, even if it requires casualties on the side 
of good. Why didn't he confide in the others? Well, when you're the 
puppetmaster, it doesn't do to let the puppets know how they are being 
manipulated.

What we don't know is whether DD is also being manipulated by JKR. Is 
the prophecy valid? Can we trust Trelawney to turn out a real, 
complete, accurate prophesy? I suspect not. That's the way the canon 
leans in its  treatment of Divination. But taking that line complicates 
  things enormously. Who can be trusted? Either, (if so, which?) both, 
or neither? Does it matter in the scheme of things or will it turn out 
to be the McGuffin? We'll probably find out sooner or later, but 
meanwhile it's teeth-gnashing time.

Kneasy









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