Quidditch Metaphors Revisited

[elfundeb]

No: HPFGUIDX 88055

This is a post-OOP update of my original Quidditch-as-metaphor post http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/48192 in which I hypothesized pre-OOP that Quidditch provides much more than sport to the series, that JKR designed the game of Quidditch and the players as metaphors for Harry's overall role in the series and his support team, and that she choreographed the Quidditch sequences in each book to foreshadow its climax. 

OOP, I think, continues the metaphor, and particularly the foreshadowing, perhaps more clearly than the other four books. 

First, Harry the Seeker. In OOP, Harry for the first time does not carry the burden that is thrust upon him. He rebels against the solitary yet watchful role of the Seeker: He makes little effort to control his anger. He will not heed McGonagall's warnings not to cross Umbridge. He refuses to apply himself to Occlumency despite the urging of all those around him. He yields to the temptation of his vision of the locked corridor. And so on, until he falls for Voldemort's trap and rashly rushes to the MoM where his mission to *rescue* Sirius also fails, as Sirius was not there at all and he is killed in the effort to rescue Harry from the Death Eaters. For the first time in the series, Harry fails and Dumbledore arrives just in time to rescue him from certain death by Avada Kedavra. 

Harry's relationship with Quidditch foreshadows this result.  After the first Quidditch match, unable to control his anger, Harry succumbs to Draco's provocation (in the form of insults against Lily) and becomes involved in a fight that results in his banishment from the sport. His separation is so complete that by the third match, he doesn't even stay to support his team and his friend. In both Quidditch and in his life, Harry abandons responsibility.

Next, the Keeper. Ron is formally appointed Keeper of the team, a role I suggested earlier that he could fulfill for Harry off the Quidditch pitch. Indeed, he occupies the role of Keeper in two ways in OOP, as JKR has literally made him Harry's keeper. Though he is reluctant to shoulder either responsibility (his attempts to resign from the Quidditch team are paralleled by his constant claim that Hermione has sent him whenever he checks up on Harry), he is the one who wakes him from his visions of the locked door at the end of the corridor. And when Gryffindor's last chance for the Quidditch Cup is slipping away, Ron rises to the occasion.

This parallels the fact that throughout OOP, Harry has another Keeper who appears not to be fulfilling his role, either. In my earlier post, I suggested that Dumbledore's role in the series is fulfilled on the Quidditch pitch by the captain, who is in charge of strategy and training. In OOP, especially in ch. 37, Dumbledore's dual role of captain and Keeper (paralleling Oliver Wood's earlier occupancy of both positions) is highlighted more clearly. What changed in OOP was that Dumbledore apparently yielded the captaincy to others - he removes himself from Harry's presence, he does not explain things to Harry that now need explaining, and he delegates key tasks, such as Occlumency training, to others. 

Dumbledore only appeared on the scene (as metaphorical Keeper) at critical moments. This happened twice (at Harry's hearing before the Wizengamot and in the MoM when Voldemort has him cornered), if not three times (when Dumbledore took the fall for the DA). Indeed, Harry would be dead if it were not for Dumbledore's crucial save at the MoM.

The Chasers. More than ever, Harry's off-pitch Chasers show themselves to be essential elements of his support team, and in OOP they step out of the shadows and take on Harry's responsibilities when he does not. 

*Angelina, one of the Chasers, becomes Gryffindor's Quidditch captain. She asks Harry for assistance but he is rarely available when she needs him: first he is in detention with Umbridge when he should be helping her evaluate Keeper candidates; then he is banished from the team. She loses other key players as well, but still manages to produce a winner with less qualified substitutes. 

Angelina's counterpart off the pitch could be Hermione, whom I identified in my last post as chief Chaser. Off the pitch, Hermione "captains" Harry* when he fails to take charge of his own responsibilities. She pays attention to what the Ministry and the Daily Prophet are saying. She orchestrates the rehabilitation of his reputation. She exhorts him to work harder at Occlumency. She does his detective work for him. However, I think this role is temporary; the *real* captain of the fight against Voldemort - Dumbledore or perhaps Harry himself - will reassert himself in Book 6.

*Ginny acknowledges that she would rather be chaser, but instead takes Harry's place as Seeker, and does a creditable job as his substitute. Also, for the first time Ginny becomes actively involved in the Trio's efforts against the dual threat of Umbridge and Voldemort. She seems poised to take on the dual role of on- and off-pitch Chaser to Harry's Seeker in Book 6, paralleling her brother's role as Harry's Keeper. 

*OOP also introduces new off-pitch Chasers, including Luna Lovegood and various members of the Order on whom Harry must rely for help (remember that well-placed Memory Charm . . .).

The Beaters. I said in my earlier post that the Beaters' job is to create chaos by disrupting their opponents while protecting their own team. I also noted that Beaters tend to have a certain disregard for rules. Wildfire Whizbangs? A swamp in the corridor? I think the Twins get an "Outstanding" for their efforts to disrupt Umbridge. And then, the Twins were expelled from the Quidditch team, foreshadowing their departure from Hogwarts before Umbridge could turn them over to Filch for whipping.  

In short, Quidditch in OOP highlights the importance of Harry's team. Harry fails to carry the Quidditch team as he has done for the last several years. In fact, the Quidditch team nearly collapses without him. Gryffindor ultimately prevailed, though, because others picked up the slack. The Chasers did their job and more, and Ron finally came through when the chips were down and hopes were fading. (Fred and George, however, seemed to be irreplaceable.  ;-} )

Debbie

* Mandy (ghingapuss) posted the same idea earlier today, suggesting in http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/88019 that Hermione's hypothetical role is Quidditch team coach. I had already written this part, but she deserves equal credit. 


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