Train Stomp - personal initial reading

[David <dfrankiswork@netscape.net>]

No: HPFGUIDX 51560

Elkins asked for personal initial reactions to the 'train stomp' 
scene in GOF, with a comparison to the PS points award ceremony.

I have not gone back to re-examine either scene, but I'm not sure it 
would help for the purpose of this post.  Not that my recollection 
is very good.

IIRC, my reaction to the scene did not really centre around the 
behaviour of the trio as such.

My reading was that it's about Cedric.  I felt that the point was 
being made that Cedric's death (which, in common with many other 
readers, I found it hard to feel very much about) mattered.  So, we 
have a portrayal of Draco that seems extreme even for him, 
especially as he apparently joined in the 'Cedric Diggory' toast a 
little earlier, and which provokes an extreme reaction.  I felt the 
message was "This was perceived to be so bad that even the normally 
level-headed Harry and Hermione, who usually hold Ron back, join in 
a spontaneous attack."  A bit like the Mudblood reaction in COS.

Subsequently it made me wonder if Draco is being misunderstood in 
some way, and a scenario of the type Heidi advocates is being set up.

I posted about the points award scene in message 51315.  You can see 
my reaction was different in the two cases, though what light a 
comparison affords I cannot say.

David