[HPforGrownups] Quidditch as Metaphor (was) The Gryffindor Quidditch Team

[elfundeb]

No: HPFGUIDX 53502

> Mr. Ed wrote, in part:
> > What if Quidditch is an idea that
> > overlays the entirety of the series?
> >
Petra Pan responded:

> Yes, this is my reading of the main
> narrative function of Quidditch too; the
> Quidditch positions had struck me as
> being reminiscent of archetypes when first
> I read of them.  JKR seems to be making
> this metaphor between sport and hero's
> journey with a very light touch though, and
> as it is, I am not convinced that JKR has
> already presented us with all that she
> has to say about the similarities between
> playing the Game of Quidditch and being
> the Hero of your own Life.
>
I agree that JKR is using Quidditch metaphorically.  Back in
December I wrote a lengthy post analyzing the game as metaphor for Harry's
struggle against Voldemort.
(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/48192)

Petra Pan:

> Pettigrew very well may be the Snitch
> in this metaphor and Ron trying to
> turn him yellow, the color of gold,
> may indeed be a bit of a punchline..
>
Mr. Ed:

> > Maybe the action in the story
> > will reach its conclusion when Pettigrew
> > is caught in a way that has some finality?
>
In my earlier analysis, I had simply suggested that the Golden Snitch simply
represents victory.  The idea that victory will turn on which
side is able to *capture* Pettigrew for its own use is interesting,
especially in light of Pettigrew's life debt to Harry.  This would tie
Harry's mercy to the eventual victory of the *light* side.  However, the
game must end with the
capture of the Snitch, and I don't see Pettigrew's capture as the climax of
the final battle, so I think I find the Golden Snitch as Victory to be more
satisfactory.
I should also add that my dictionary says that "snitch" also means "to
take by stealth" which is of course the best way to catch the Snitch --
without the Snitch itself or the opposing Seeker realizing it (the Snitch
is bewitched to evade capture as long as possible, according to QTTA).  This
would be an alternative, but fitting explanation for the Golden Snitch's
name.

Mr. Ed:

> > I note that in the Voldemort wars, one
> > of the key defenses is the use of a
> > secret KEEPER -- and the goalie/chief
> > defender position in the game is a
> > keeper.
> >
Petra Pan:

> I see these parallels too and am on the
> lookout for the foils for the Chaser and the
> Beater.  I haven't come up with any
> parallels yet.anyone?
>
I suggested previously that Harry needs the support of many chasers to
succeed, and they are not always the same persons.  In fact, the
metaphorical occupants of these roles need not remain static throughout the
series, since positions change hands as students leave school and others
take their places.  I also suggested the twins as Harry's on- and off-field
beaters and Ron's willingness to sacrifice for Harry suggests a
last-line-of-defense keeper-like role (though I don't think that actually
means he will be the next Gryffindor keeper).  To the extent that Ron and
Sirius function as generational parallels, Sirius' intended role as James'
[Secret] Keeper suggests that Ron is indeed intended to take on the role of
metaphorical Keeper.

I didn't spend any time in my earlier post assigning the roles of
Voldemort's keeper, beaters and chasers to specific persons (Voldemort being
the opposing Seeker, of course); I just treated the DEs generally as his
team.  Because there are so many gaps in our understanding of the DEs and
their roles, it's hard to assign them metaphorical Quidditch positions.  And
in any event, a position's occupant is likely to change over time, as some
players prove unworthy and others become unavailable.  But I'll throw out
some quick ideas anyway.

One argument would favor Lucius as Voldemort's keeper, as he kept
Voldemort's artifacts for him.  However, he failed in his role because he
abandoned his post when his
seeker went missing.  In another sense the Pensieve Four were Voldemort's
keepers, since they were the ones who kept the faith after Voldemort
disappeared.  They might also be characterized as Chasers, though, since
they were
"chasing" down information from the Longbottoms that would help them restore
Voldemort to power, i.e., put him back in the game.  Whatever their role,
however, they played dirty and
Crucio'd the Longbottoms into
insanity and were penalized for it, thus delaying Voldemort's return until
Harry's magical training had advanced sufficiently for him to be a
formidable opponent.

Pettigrew and Voldemort's other spies might also be characterized as
chasers, though Pettigrew comes by his information fortuitously, stumbling
across Bertha in Albania or being offered the role of Secret-Keeper.
Pettigrew, however, has also occupied the role of Keeper.  During GoF, he
literally kept Voldemort alive in his ugly baby form.  And of course, he was
once the [Secret] Keeper for the opposing team.

These are just some ideas based on our very sketchy information to
date, since the metaphor can't be fully fleshed out until the series is
over.

Debbie