Prophecies and fate; writing what you don't believe (was:The Second Prophecy)

[cubfanbudwoman]

No: HPFGUIDX 118051


Iris:
> I just don't manage to interpret JKR's intention. What does she 
> want to say when she writes Trelawney? Does she want to say that 
> seers are frauds? But in that case, why does she suddenly changes 
> completely the orientation of the character, and makes her become 
> the voice of Harry's fate? Does she want to say that Harry is 
> doomed, that it is all written in the stars, or elsewhere? But why 
> does she spend in that case so much time caricaturing the 
> Divination lessons?
> 
> There's something else; on JKR's web site, you can read that in 
> the F.A.Q. section: 
> Q: Do you believe in fate?
> A: No, I believe in hard work and luck, and that the first often 
> leads to the second.
> 
> Why would JKR use fate as a plotting device if she doesn't believe 
> in it? 
> Okay, you can object that when an author writes a fiction, he/she 
> doesn't necessary need to believe what he/she writes. 
> So back to JKR, to Trelawney, and to Harry.
> 
> And, as we need something to rely on, let's trust JKR's words: she 
> doesn't believe in fate.
> If we trust them, then we can consider this possibility: when she 
> writes the prophecies, she's mis-directing us, and there's 
> something more we don't see at first glance.
> That's where "the way it's all presented" happens to be important.
> 
> Don't you find the part Dumbledore plays in that "prophecy affair" 
> rather particular?
> I'm not meaning by this that Dumbledore is evil. I'm just 
> supposing he's an operator, working hard, on something even more 
> important than defeating Voldemort. Something like the 
> transfiguration of the wizard world, with Voldemort and Harry as 
> instruments. Will he be lucky enough to reach his goal?


SSSusan:
I am intrigued by these questions, Iris.  I have also wondered about 
her stating so forthrightly that she does not believe in fate and 
yet utilizing prophecies as such central features in the story.  
DOES her not believing in fate tell us something about what we 
should expect to discover about the "truth" of these prophecies 
before we're through?

OTOH, JKR is also on record as saying she doesn't believe in magic.  
Yet magic is one of the cornerstones -- if not THE cornerstone -- of 
the world she's chosen to write about.  What does that mean?  If 
anything?  

Or does it play right into your final statement, Iris, about the 
possibility that DD's goal is the transfiguration of the WW?

Siriusly Snapey Susan