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

[slgazit]

No: HPFGUIDX 105950

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "sevenhundredandthirteen"
<sevenhundredandthirteen at y...> wrote:
> 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 disagree. The conflict between Grawp and the centaurs is hinted at
since the reappearance of Firenze. Grawp was the first chip in
Hagrid's good relationship with the centaurs. It came to a head
because of Hagrid's rescuing Firenze later on, but note that almost
the first thing Firenze says to Harry is pass a message to Hagrid to
warn him about Grawp. Later when Hagrid meets the centaurs in company
with Harry and Hermione, the subject of Grawp is raised again by the
centaurs. I am sure that has not been the first time, and we know that
Grawp understands a lot more than he lets on. Perhaps Hagrid tried to
have the centaurs (the only forest creatures who can speak) teach him
English? I wouldn't put that past him... :-)

Grawp did not wonder there by chance when Harry and Hermione were
attacked by the centaurs. He heard the commotion (50 angry centaurs
make a lot of noise) and came to see what was going on. If he happened
to be near enough, he may have heard Harry and Hermione, and followed
them to ask about Hagrid.

If there is a part that I felt was handled lamely it is the thestrals.
JKR explanations about why Harry could suddenly see them are
unsatisfactory. They can be seen only by someone who has actually seen
 someone die, but not right away - they have to absorbe the death
first? Not convincing. Anyway, Harry did not see Cedric die - his eyes
were closed when it happened, so he should not have been able to see
them at all. I think the thestrals were a very cool creature (unlike
the boring flobberworms or skrewts), but their introduction could have
been done better.

Salit