Trelawney,Drink, MacBeth Witches (was Re: Part 3 of JKR's MN/TLC interview)

[Milz]

No: HPFGUIDX 134552

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "templar1112002" 
<templar1112002 at y...> wrote:
> **Marcela now: This would only apply if Trelawney knew that she'd 
> made two real prophecies.  The fact of the matter is that she 
> doesn't remember making any of them.

She might not remember them, but she has some type of memory of the 
incidents which is why she's able to tell Harry that it was Snape who 
interrupted. If you want to get into psychological theories, 
Trelawney's behavior is reminiscent of someone with PTSD (post-
traumatic stress disorder)---they remember the events leading up to 
and after, but don't remember the actual traumatic event. And 
unfortunately, they continue to suffer from it.

> I don't think that we can excuse Trelawney's liking for the bottle 
> to that.  

I'm not attempting to excuse her behavior in anyway. I am merely 
offering another avenue to explain it, in light of Rowling's MacB 
Witches statement. 

>Trelawney started smelling like sherry in OoTP, when she 
> was under the pressure of Umbridge's probation time and then got 
> chucked out -but saved by Dumbledore. Harry never smelled any 
sherry 
> aroung her in PoA and GoF.
> Then in HBP, we see her continuing with the sherry because she was 
> discontent with Firenze and their sharing the students Divination 
> classes.  And finally, perhaps because Dumbledore was not taking 
> heed of her card reading and/or her complaints about Firenze's 
> classes.  Ever since OoTP and Umbridge, Trelawney's little world 
> started falling apart... 
Yes,and this time period also corresponds with the second prophecy 
and with the return of Voldemort.
The mind is a wonderfully mysterious thing. I've known of people 
who've gotten "stressed out" as their children reach certain ages 
because at that time in their childhood, something 'traumatic' 
happened to them and their adult stress is a manifestation of their 
anxieties. 

>If Hogwarts remains opened in HP7 wiht 
> McGonagall in charge, I can only see McG sparing Trelawney because 
> of Dumbledore's previous attachment to the Divination teacher, not 
> because she'd think that Trelawney was a necessary teacher at 
> Hogwarts.

McG has Dumbledore's portrait to give her guidance at this point. 
Moreover, she has Dumbledore's penseive. So, she'll probably keep 
Trelawney at the school for those reasons---and once she finds out 
the Trelawney does have some powers, I hope she'll be partaking a big 
piece of humble pie.

> And, to go even further with speculation -or clairvoyance <g>, I'd 
> say that Trelawney's choice of sherry might get upgraded for 
> something a bit heartier than that... Funnily enough, I wonder if 
Jo 
> will keep her around, this character has surely done some very good 
> predictions so far, :D


>anthyroserain:

>Something that amuses me is that even though we're told Trelawney is
>bad at divination, all evidence seems to indicate she is one hell of 
a
>seer. Not only are there her two big, dramatic prophecies (one of
>which is surely the greatest in the wizarding world for some time),
>there are her minor predictions, like the reappearance of the Grim in
>POA and her cartomancy in HBP. Sure, she misreads the omens, but the
>omens show up for her nonetheless. Yet she gets NO respect... poor
>woman, no wonder she's taken to drink!

Yes, Trelawney does suffer. But it's an example of academic rivalry 
that some subjects are "better" than others because they use 
a "scientific method" and have statistics to back them up.  
Unfortunately, statistics can be manipulated and the "scientific 
method" can be flawed---these aren't things most academics take into 
serious consideration. 

Milz