DU treatment of Trelawney

[finwitch]

No: HPFGUIDX 117863


 
> --- Kathleen Hunt <figgys26cats at y...> wrote:
> > I'm sorry if this has been covered in the past, but
> > I would like to know if any of you have a theory on
> > why Umbridge hated and picked on Trelawney? Trelawney
> > mentioned that  Seers have been persecuted for years, 
> > but why? Was Trelawney considered part human because
> > of her gift? I would say no, but I don't understand 
> > why DU went after her. Please let me know.
> 
> 
> Juli: I think the reason DU picked on Trelawney was
> that she's a bad teacher, I mean she can't see the
> future even if her life depended on it, sure she's
> made 2 real prophecies, but I doubt DU knew anything
> about them. 
 
Finwitch:

I disagree with you, Juli - I'd say Trelawney can tell the future. 
Aside from predicting Harry (and various other living persons, acc. 
to McGonagall) to die (which they will do, considering that the 
Philosopher's Stone is gone, none of them would drink Unicorn Blood, 
and are probably too wise to choose immortality anyway), have any of 
her predictions as yet not happened?

Look at her predicting that Neville would break two teacups, that one 
of their number would leave them before Easter (turned out to be 
Hermione, of whom she *correctly* said lacked the Sight), that 'thing 
you dread will happen'.. (I think she *did* dread of finding that her 
rabbit had ended up eaten - which is why she didn't bring the rabbit 
into a place crowded with carnivores like cats and owls). Only, the 
thing about her superstition - about 13 at the table - I think she 
was joking... or if she wasn't, with Ron&Harry leaving at the same 
time, there was no *the first* - so it doesn't really count.

As what comes to Seers being procecuted - a Greek legend of Cassandra 
(the author of Unfogging the Future? or a descendant/relative?) who 
had the talent of Seeing, was also cursed so that none would believe 
her (by Apollo). Also, as Seeing is a way to find what one could not 
possibly know - of a crime, say - it follows to being a suspect, just 
because you *know*.

Also, as is pointed out elsewhere, it was an indirect attack on 
Dumbledore, not Trelawney.

Anyway, I think many people expect too much of true Seers. I think 
Seeing is like quantum physics and includes what is known as the 
uncertainty principle. Also, you can either give a few lines on the 
what and a quite exact WHEN - or a quite exact WHAT with much less 
exact when.

Channeling a prophecy, OTOH, does not allow the Seer to remember the 
event at all, nor is she in anyway controlling it.

Firenze comes right out and says so, and that the uncertainty 
involves *everything*; Sybilla Trelawney practises the art of Seeing, 
and as she knows she's given a true prophecy at least once (I'm 
positive Albus Dumbledore told her of it), well - we can know 
*something* about the future.

Finwitch