[HPforGrownups] Re: Chapter 14 GF, weird?

[Annette Hamel]

No: HPFGUIDX 60323

Hi folks, first-time poster here :)

bboy_mn wrote:
<<<The fact that he didn't remember the dream wasn't the point in the
context of the original question. The point was that JKR told us about
a dream of Harry's that Harry doesn't know about. I though it was odd
  that she would give us this information, yet keep it hidden from Harry.
And what did the dream tell us? What purpose did it serve?>>>
<<<major snippage>>>

To which I respectfully say:
My comment is not so much about this dream in particular, as it is about 
hidden meanings in general.  Much has been written (on this list, and in 
books/articles) about how JKR's words, phrases and scenes have deeper 
meanings.  In most cases it's true, but I'd just like to postulate that it's 
*possible* that sometimes, a cigar is just a cigar (so to speak), and 
there's no deeper meaning than the face value.  JKR is a brilliant writer, 
and yet, it seems to me that even the most brilliant of writers would go 
batty trying to bury a hidden meaning in every turn of phrase.  If the 
Dursleys have peas for dinner instead of carrots or corn, maybe that's just 
what JKR felt like at the time she was at the keyboard (rather than 
foreshadowing a later attack of giant peas at Hogwarts).  Similarly, it's 
possible that this dream scene has no significance beyond informing the 
reader on some backstory.  That's my take on it anyway.

I'm currently reading a book (forgot the title at the moment, but I'm sure 
many of you have it) which analyzes the first four books chapter by chapter 
(practically line by line) looking for patterns.  A lot of these patterns 
make me go, "huh?"  Not, "gee, I didn't think of that", but rather, "this is 
supposed to be significant?"  I've read a lot of articles, too, where the 
authors find significance in the oddest things.  This is an exaggeration 
that I'm making up on the spot, but sometimes it's stuff like "there were 5 
chairs in the room where HRH were, and human beings have 5 fingers on each 
hand ... hmmm!  Could the number 5 have future significance for our 
threesome?"

Sure, "socks" is a recurring theme, but maybe JKR just likes socks.  But if 
she doesn't resolve the "sock thing" by the end of book 7, I'm sure there 
are readers who are going to say, "dangling plot line!  Loose end that 
wasn't tied up!"

I could be wrong.  I'm always willing to be wrong :)

Annette
=^..^=
Today is the tomorrow we worried about yesterday.

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