Deus Ex Machina/Plot Devices (was: Snape, Harry, Dumbledore, and flaws...)

[sevenhundredandthirteen]

No: HPFGUIDX 105899

James wrote:

>On a somewhat unrelated note, the only thing that's ever *really*
>bothered me in Harry Potter as a "plot device" was the Ford Anglia 
in
>the Forest in CoS, aka the Deus Ex Machina Car. Gawp is admittedly
>similar, but Gawp makes more logical sense (Gawp is in the forest, 
but
>could easily break his bonds, Gawp knows Hagrid and 
remembers "Hermy",
>etc).

I (Laurasia) reply:

That's interesting, because I was far more bothered with Grawp 
as Deus Ex Machina than I was as Flying Ford Anglia as Deus Ex
Machina. In fact, I was tearing out my hair when Grawp came 
back, because it was *so* obvious to me. The Ford Anglia, 
however, I thought was much better handled. While I agree 
with the movie treatment of the Ford Anglia escape (that is, 
not showing the car living wild in the forest 5 minutes 
before hand, just having it charge on in), I still think the 
car makes better sense because, the car's actions are, 
arguably, premeditated. From the treatment of the car, I 
get the impression that it didn't just coincidentally stumble 
across a certain part of the forest, but was actively trying 
to save Ron and Harry. Grawp, on the other hand just turned 
up by chance. And all he did was make a distraction, rather 
than a choice.

This is the reason why I was unsatisfied with Grawp- his 
presence was enough to cause the centaurs to attack, and 
that was just chance. Whereas the Ford Anglia had to appear, 
and then get them out, which it appeared to do by an active 
choice.

I originally wrote:
>>> Dumbledore _doesn't_ recognise Imposter!Moody until the end
>>> of the year even though he's allegedly an old friend.

James responded:
>That's a valid point, but it makes enough sense to me.

I reply: 

I agree. All the `inconsistencies' I brought up had very easy
explanations, like the many you posted. That was the very 
purpose of my post- to prove that whilst there are 
`inconsistencies' they can be explained away without batting 
an eye-lid because they all relied on inaction, rather 
than action.

~<(Laurasia)>~