CHAPTER DISCUSSION: Chapter 29, Career Advice

[shallowdwell]

No: HPFGUIDX 115908


>Potioncat: 
snippage
> CHAPTER QUESTIONS:
> > 2. Harry lets everyone think his bad mood is due to the upcoming 
> > O.W.L.s.  But Ginny sees that it is something else.  She advises 
> > immediately that he talk to Cho.  But when he tells her the real 
> > problem she quickly comes up with a solution for that. What does 
> > this say about Ginny? 
> 
> Meri: That she's got brains and moxie. Ginny really gets developed 
> in this book, and though some people find it out of character I 
> couldn't disagree more. She's grown up a bit, gotten over the self-
> confidence problem that she had around Harry, still perhaps harbors 
> an unrequetted crush on him, but is ready to live her own life, too. 
> She fought so well in the DoM, she really proved herself as better 
> than just "Ron's little sister". <snip>

I agree wholeheartedly!  This wasn't a sudden character change, nor 
was it unexplained.  Ginny was already identified as a forceful 
character several books ago by her brother Ron ("she never shuts up, 
normally") and Hermione has evidently gathered lots of evidence of 
her individuality from their long-standing acquaintance.  

That some growth happened "offscreen" so to speak is evident, but 
since the narrative POV always hovers around Harry, and since Ginny's 
tendency was to clam up around him because of her crush, this is to 
be expected, IMO.
 
To be a bit more specific about the implications about Ginny from 
this scene:  1)She is intuitive. She knows there's more to Harry's 
distress than he lets on.  2)She is still very aware of and concerned 
for Harry's emotional well-being, but has truly let go of her own 
hopes for a relationship.  She knows he and Cho are on the outs, and 
figures that for a likely cause of Harry's unease.  Rather than 
saying "you're better off without her," she says, "talk to her."  
This is one really together young lady.  3) Her major familial 
attachment-- I mean the people in her family that she feels most 
admiration for, the ones whose attitudes and actions most infulence 
her--is to the twins.  That explains several of her other unexpected 
character traits/actions in the book, like throwing dungbombs at the 
door at 12 Grimmauld Place.
 
> snip 
> > 8. McGonagall ignores Umbridge, and pretends to think Umbridge 
> > has a sore throat.  Then she is scornful of Umbridge's note and 
> > quotes Lupin as a better judge of DADA knowledge. What do you 
> > think of McGonagall in this situation?

This scene really tickled me in many ways, especially since early in 
the book, it was MM urging Harry to keep his tongue and his temper 
around DJU.  And yet, on Harry's behalf, she winds up in a yelling 
match that Harry hears all the way down the hallway on his way out!  
Of course, even if she doesn't meet her own principles of behavior, 
her repartee and cleverness in disputing outclasses the toad's on 
every level.

> snip 
> > 11. The twins leave Hogwarts as heroes.  Do you think we'll see 
> > these two playing a big role again?

Having declared their independence from Hogwarts and having proven 
themselves quite capable of taking care of themselves financially (I 
wonder how soon they'll be trying to pay back Harry's "investment?") 
I am sure that not even their formidable mother can keep them from 
joining the order.  And they could be brilliant at it, as well as 
funny.  I just hope that DD remembers their hot-headed nature and 
doesn't put them in temptations' way of acting without thinking of 
the consequences.  Of course, whatever they do for the Order will put 
them in harms way, and that shivers me.

> > 12. Your own question here. 

Meri:
> How freaking awesome was Fred and George's escape? Was that not the 
> single coolest scene ever? Was anyone else cheering and jumping up 
> and down when that happened? [Awkward silence...] Okay, just me 
> then! 

No, Meri, it was not just you.  I'm sure I did a little dance right 
there in the middle of the livingroom.  Just thinking about that 
scene still gets me to grinning.

exultantly,

Andrea