OOP: General impressions (spoilers), plus The Death & SHIP: Harry/Snape

[ncdavis1]

No: HPFGUIDX 63023

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "rlharalson" <rharalson at h...> 
wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "ncdavis1" <ninacdavis at j...> 
> wrote:
> > Staying with Sirius for a moment, I too figured out he was The 
One 
> > (sorry, Neo) early on in the book, and was prepared for a good 
cry 
> > over the emotional scene.  I cry at the drop of hat.  I got 
> nothing. <snip> Nor do we get to feel shock, sadness ... I didn't 
> > expect a grusome scene, but some emotional tug.  Some indication 
of 
> > why Sirius and Sirius alone was the only character whose death 
> would do.
> > Nina
> <snip>

><snip> I also agree that we don't move too far foward with the 
whole "second 
> war" storyline, but then I think that's because JKR wanted to spend 
> some time on the impotency of the Ministry of Magic and how 
dangerous 
> that can be. It made me think of the isolationist policies prior to 
> both World Wars.<snip>
> Just my thoughts,
> Renee

Oppressionist institions -- McCarthyism, special segregation, etc. -- 
play heavily in the book, yes, in addition to the Muggle/wizard 
segregation that starts in earlier books.  How open societies often 
react to certain threats by stripping citizens of the very rights 
they're supposed to protect.  Not the least of which: knowledge as 
the ultimate weapon (the smear campaign, the Prophecy, though my 
jury's still out on the effectiveness of the what the Prophecy 
actually said as a plot device).  These were OOP's strengths.  Maybe 
that's it. If the death had played more into these threads, maybe it 
would've been stronger and more meaningful, again plotwise.  Let 
Sirius be drawn out and killed, not by a deranged DE, cousin or no, 
but by a regular person on the street, someone who believed the 
misinformation that was out there about him and about LV not being 
back and panicked.

I did feel bad for Harry afterwards, but I felt for Dumbledore more.  
He hurt so because he believed he'd let Harry down. Harry had been so 
angry for so much of the book, his emotions didn't register as 
strongly for me at the point.  What was frustrating was watching 
whatever understanding he had for Snape drown in his grief.  It's a 
vicious cycle.

Nina