Mark Evans - evans, Evans, EVANS

[bluesqueak]

No: HPFGUIDX 86231

 
> > Pip!Squeak:
> > > 
> > > Not clear to me.
> > > 
> > > Firstly, there is no evidence apart from a coincidence of  
> > > surnames that Mark Evans is related to Harry Potter. My local 
> > > phonebook has an entire large page of Evans's. It's a very 
> > > common surname.
> > 
<Snip>
Steve (Bboy) writes:
> And just by happenstance, the name Evans is used in reference to 
> TWO seemingly unrelated people. It's hard to believe that JKR 
> could use the same name in the critical book in which Lily's 
> family name is revealed, to refer to two unrelated people. Really 
> hard to believe.

Pip!Squeak:

Ah, but the significance of the *name*?

JKR could have picked any surname she liked for Lily. Anything. 
There are plenty of surnames in the UK where the holders are almost 
certainly related to everyone else with that surname. Heck, my 
family includes one of those surnames, and it's spooky how people 
can often spot that my unbelievably distant cousins *are* cousins, 
because of the similarities.

But she didn't pick that type of surname for Lily. With all the 
possibilities - the place names where everyone is from the same 
small area, the names derived from famous families, the names 
derived from one small family who immigrated to England centuries 
ago ... she picked 'Evans'. 

And one thing we know about JKR - she picks character names with 
great care.

<Snip>

Steve:
> It seems to me that JKR was trying pretty hard to drill that name 
> into our minds; trying pretty hard, virtually screaming it at us, 
> to make sure we didn't miss that name.
> 
> That has to have some significants. Certainly, if there were none, 
> she would have used a different surname for Mark. I can't believe 
> she was so desperate for good names, that she had to recycle a 
> simple name like Evans. Certainly Smith or Jones would have worked 
just as well. 
<Snip>

Pip!Squeak:

Would it?

With Smith or Jones, we would *know* that a relationship is not very 
likely. 'Evans' is not as well known as those. 'Evans' is the sort 
of name that could have people saying 'are you related?' Because 
they're not as aware that it's a Smith/Jones type name, held by 
people who could have no relationship to each other.

[Look how many people are saying 'Aha, same surname - are they 
related?' here ;-)]

Steve:
> This doesn't seem to be that case. The only other explaination is 
> that JKR inserted a 'Got Ya'; something that serves no purpose at 
> all with regard to the story, it's simply there to screw with the 
> heads of the readers. That would seem to be a step out of 
> character for the books.

> The only conclusion I can reach is that this name has some
> significants, and since Harry and Mark share a common ancestral 
> name,the inference is that they share common ancestry. I've make 
> it clear that is this is true, I believe it is distant ancestry.

Pip!Squeak:

No, 'Mark Evans' serves a purpose. But I believe the inference that 
Mark Evans has a common ancestry with Harry Potter is false.

To recap:

JKR has set up that the *wizarding world* is inbred.
JKR has set up that *wizards* with common surnames are related.
JKR has given an off-stage character the same name as Harry's mother.
JKR has emphasised Harry's mother's surname.

OK. But...

JKR has given Harry's mother a surname where NOT all the holders are 
related.
JKR has emphasised that Harry's mother is *muggle-born*
JKR has given the same surname to another *muggle-born* character.

I think we're being led down a garden path of 'all characters in the 
Potterverse with the same surname are relatives'. Therefore 'Mark 
Evans' must be a relative.

However -

Harry makes no mention that Mark Evans is a relative.

Dudley doesn't see Mark Evans as a relative.

The only relative to visit the Dursley household was a Dursley. The 
only relatives Petunia mentions are her sister, her parents, and 
Harry. (Plus Dudley's Aunt Marge, mentioned in PS/SS as well as PoA).

Dumbledore refers to the Dursley's as Harry's only family.

Evans is a common name. Most people called Evans probably aren't 
related.

And, most importantly: 
Both Mark Evans and Lily Evans come from the muggle world. The world 
where everyone *isn't* interestingly inbred. The world where a 
coincidence of surnames may well be just a coincidence.

<Snip>
Steve:
> As with the real world, JKR's fictional world is very big, but our
> window into her fictional world is very small, we see it through
> Harry's eyes. For the name Evans to pass twice in front of that 
> small window without significants, seems very very unlikely.

Pip!Squeak:
And I think that JKR is using her Agatha Christie tricks again. [If 
you have a chance to look at the photo on the back of the UK adult 
edition of OOP, she's photographed in front of a bookcase which 
includes Agatha Christie novels].

It's a literary convention. Characters in novels (unlike in real 
life) don't have the same name. Present the reader with two 
characters with the same surname in a novel, they'll probably assume 
a relationship.

What Christie always did was to use those literary conventions to 
fool the reader. She would set up the convention (sweet innocent 
young thing, obviously predestined murder victim), then break it 
(sweet innocent young thing is currently on her third victim...).

JKR is, I think, doing the same thing. Harry wants a family; he is 
now aware of his mother's maiden name. Is he going to develop an 
interest in Mark Evans? If Mark Evans does turn up at Hogwarts, 
isn't he going to be *sure* that Mark is a long lost relative?

Aren't we going to be sure? The literary convention says that the 
author doesn't re-use a surname, after all ;-)

And yet ...

With all the interesting, meaningful surnames she could have picked 
(and has picked for other characters ) - she picked Evans.

"Why didn't they ask Evans?"

It's a Christie trick.

Pip!Squeak