Neville and the Clean Break

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 85616

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "mom31" <mom31 at r...> wrote:
> 
> 
>   Joj :
> 
> ...edited...
> 
> Ron's wand  broke to serve the plot.  ...edited...
> 
> Which brings us to Neille.  There was no purpose served by his wand
> being broken.  The importance of it happening, therefore, must come 
> in the replacing of that wand.  There must be either an improvement 
> with the new wand, or we find out something about the old wand or if 
> Gran will "kill him" for breaking it.  It just seems very significant 
> to me.  
> 
> 
>  Joj (mom31)


bboy_mn:

I think Neville's wand was broken for a purpose. To see the purpose we
must first look at Neville's Grandmother. She is holding Neville to
the idealized standard of her once popular and now disabled son;
Neville's father. And in doing so, is constantly critisizing Neville
and thereby undermining his confidence, for not measuring up. He
doesn't have the talent his father has. He's not up holding the family
name. Etc...

Of course, Neville can never measure up against an idealized heroic
martyred standard of his father because, first, he is not his father,
and second, no one can live up to a standard like that. And let's not
forget that his father was an older experience wizard, and Neville is
just a little boy with little experience, few opportunities, and not
much support.

Certainly, Gran gave Neville his father's wand in hopes that Neville
would live up to him. In sense, she is trying to recast Neville in his
father's mold. 

Neville's wand breaking is one of the steps to Neville becoming and
being recognised as a powerful wizard in his own right. His
grandmother will eventually have to recognise Neville for his own
skills an accomplishments. Excelling in the DA Club was the first
step, his heroic actions at the Ministry of Magic - Dept of Mysteries
was the second, the third step will be finally getting his own wand,
the next of many steps will be to continue to become a unique,
accomplished, and repected individual as he continues to improve in DA
Club, DADA and his other classes, and continues to show his courage
and heroism. 

Indeed, Neville needed a clean break from his old self, and breaking
his father's wand is a very symbolic way of doing that.

I had this, sort of, fantasy that Neville will invite Harry, Ron, and
Hermione to his birthday party, which is very close to Harry birthday.
This would provide the perfect opportinuty for Gran to start ragging
on poor Neville about not being 'good enough', and for Harry to set
her straight in no uncertain terms by recounting Neville's heroic
deeds in the fight against the Death Eaters. About time she realized
that Neville doesn't have to be his father in order to be worthy of
admiration.

Just a thought from an obvious Neville fan.

bboy_mn