The OOTP Gripe List v5 432

[littleleahstill]

No: HPFGUIDX 126094


Lupinlore wrote:
(snip)
2. Harry. I think all of the people involved in this latest set of
discussions agree that his anger was believable. However, he seemed
to have curious (and, some suspect, authorally convenient) lapses in
smarts, particularly not bothering to open the mirror -- and I would
add that it seems contrived that neither Sirius nor Remus mentioned
the mirror during his firecall (as in, why aren't you using the
mirror, Harry?).

Leah:

The mirror really bugged me on first reading OOTP. It seemed such a 
massive plot hole.  We've now had the benefit of JKR's comment (in 
the Edinburgh Festival chat I believe) when she said words to the 
effect that the mirror would not have been as helpful as we might 
have thought.  There are also three textual clues to the mirror's 
use. One is that James and Sirius used the mirrors to communicate 
during detention. Detention is normally supervised, so how were they 
managing to chat away with these devices?  The second is Sirius' 
brief explanation that Harry can use the mirror if Snape is giving 
him a hard time, and the third is Sirius' note explaining that Harry 
would appear in Sirius' mirror and Sirius could talk in Harry's.  So 
one possible explanation is that(i)these are not walkie-talkie 
dvices, but that communication is by another means, such as words 
appearing on the surface of the mirror. (ii)Harry may not be able to 
talk/write; he just appears while Sirius communicates (iii) Sirius 
has told him to use the mirror if there are problems with Snape, so 
an appearance by Harry in the mirror would indicate just that.  Harry 
would not have been able to communicate his problems about James, so 
no need to remind him of the mirror. If Harry had used the mirror 
after the vision, he would have got some sort of reply from Sirius, 
but might have believed this to be a trick, since it would not have 
been the conversation Harry wished for.

Furrther on the lack of reminders from Remus and James over 
the 'worst 
memory' conversation is: Remus did not know about the mirrors/ Sirius 
(a) did not want Remus to know (why?) (b) forgets in his involvement 
with telling Harry about James (c)knows the mirror would not work in 
these circumstances

Lupinlore:
3) Ron. His development seems contrived to some, and perhaps even
offensive, since he was elevated to a position he had not earned at
the expense of Harry, who had earned it. In particular it seems
forced and manipulative as it seems designed to fulfill a
foreshadowing we had been assured was not a foreshadowing. That is,
we were specifically assured the Mirror of Erised did not foretell the
future. If it did foretell the future, even by coincidence, then the
whole thing smells of poorly conceived contrivance. Some also object
to the fact that Ron's Quidditch triumph, which he certainly HAD
earned, took place "off screen," thus once again making the sudden
eminence of his character seem hollow and forced.

Leah:
Ron becoming a prefect did not bother me. He has spent sixteen years 
living in his brother's various shadows, and five as Harry's faithful 
sidekick.  DD was right to give him a chance to do something on his 
own. As to this being a step on the path to headboyship, it ain't 
necesarily so. Being a prefect does not seem a necessary step to that 
position (eg James). Personally, I rather hope 'new-look' Neville 
gets the job.  As you say, Ron has worked at and earned his Quidditch 
triumph.  If he fulfills a particular desire through his own efforts 
then I don't think that negates what DD has told us about the Mirror 
of Erised. 'off-screen' didn't bother me in terms of story telling 
but that it might foreshadow further difficulties with the trio.    

Lupinlore:
4) Ginny. Her shift in personality came out of left field, and leaves
many people feeling that JKR was playing fast and loose with her
character in order to move her overnight into position for some future
role, quite possibly as Harry's love interest.

Leah:
Her first appearance in COS, was not, her brothers tell us, 'normal' 
Ginny. She's dealing with crushes, and the possible onset of 
adolescence.  Since then she's been possessed by VM, which must have 
been in some way a character forming experience.  She's had a couple 
of years to sort all of that out, and now she's back.

Leah