[HPforGrownups] Re: Chess Theory

[Angel Moules]

No: HPFGUIDX 85956

hickengruendler wrote:

> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Angel Moules
> <angelofthenorth at c...> wrote:
>
> >
> > The Game
> >
> > The first thing that strikes me is the chilling metaphor between
> the
> > chess game and life. When Harry walks into the chess room, the
> pieces
> > have all healed themselves, and returned to their original
> positions
> > just as if nothing has happened. If Evil is White and Good is
> Dark, 
>
> A short comment: If this is a reference to the chess game from book
> 1, than white isn't evil. It just seems so, because the trio played
> with the black figures. But the white site is the one who protected
> the stone. Therefore, it is the good side. Quirrell had to play with
> black, too.

The White is now protecting Quirrellmort. The white lets whoever past 
that can play its way across, not caring how good or bad that individual 
is. It harms the players that come through. In some ways white could 
also be a metaphor for the ministry.

>
> > In part, it's also a metaphor for death - Harry experiences losing
> Ron,
> > and having to go on without him not knowing if he's still alive. In
> much
> > the same way Sirius' death evokes a similar response. Harry has to
> go on
> > with the game, whether he likes it or not.
>
> I agree. Harry has to continue, no matter how much it costs.


THis could be interesting in the later books - Harry has a ruthless 
streak that is only starting to come into its own.

>
> >
> > The Pieces
> >
> > Canon gives us the positions of Harry, Ron and Hermione from the
> chess
> > game. I'm assuming that the three of them begin as the King side
> pieces.
>
> No matter which part he played in the chess game in PS, Harry is the
> king. He is the one, who must be protected to all costs. The moment
> the King (Harry) is killed, Voldemort has won the game. The only
> other (but less likely) alternative for the King is Neville, as the
> other prophecy boy. Dumbledore would be the queen, the most powerful
> figure. 

I don't like this, because the nature of Evil is that it doesn't get its 
hands dirty, it lets others do it for them. Dumbledore sets himself up 
as the main counter part to Voldemort, however:

1. Dumbledore is not powerful enough to destroy LV utterly. A Queen 
would be able to do that. Kings, however, can't get within a square of 
each other. Voldemort and Harry in GoF can touch each other. c.f. a 
bishop being in close proximity to the king, but not on the same diagonal.
2. Harry moves around, gets into the thick of things, but isn't powerful 
enough to be the queen. He is protected by the queen, but has influence 
in his own right.  Kings are in the background, their influence isn't 
immediately felt - DD is only a background figure in Harry's life for 
msot of the time. Harry's influence is felt through the wizarding world.
3. Neville is better as a pawn, because, like the king, he can only move 
one step at a time, but will, ultimately be more powerful than the king. 
Pawns are frequently overlooked as being modest pieces, but can be 
critical to a game.

"Angel"