The Quidditch Metaphor: The Role of Quidditch in HP

[vmonte]

No: HPFGUIDX 126772


Debbie wrote:

PS/SS

I've left this for last, because the parallels do not seem to work as
foreshadowing like the parallels in the later books do. The primary
parallel I see in the first Quidditch match, against Slytherin, is
that the Trio suspect Snape both of trying to kill Harry during the
Quidditch match and of trying to get through the obstacles to reach
the Stone. However, since Harry doesn't learn that Snape was
protecting him instead of jinxing him at the Quidditch match
until he faces Quirrelmort, the element of foreshadowing is lacking.
There is some foreshadowing in the Hufflepuff match, where Harry's
grab of the Snitch in record time foreshadows his ability later on to
retrieve the Stone instantly from the Mirror when he realizes he
needs to keep Quirrelmort from getting it (ch. 17). However, I find
this parallel less satisfying than those in the later books.

That's the nutshell analysis; the full, pre-OOP version is here:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/48192
And the post-OOP update is here:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/88055


vmonte responds:

Debbie what an excellent post! I have also written about
quidditch as a metaphor for the war and the roles the children will
play in that war. You have really written great stuff here!

Now about your problems with quidditch during SS/PS:
I believe that the quidditch in this book reflects what happened at
Godric's Hollow. You wrote about the ease of Harry catching the
snitch above. Well, look at how baby Harry was able to defeat
Voldemort at GH. (And it was really due to the fact that his mother
had placed a spell on Harry to protect him.)

By the way, should we start thinking that Snape was at Godric's
Hollow too? And what about Wormtail's role? Didn't Peter turn out to 
be as "two-faced" as Quirrell?! Peter and Quirrell were both 
perceived as being harmless, but in the end it turned out they were 
both working for the baddest guy of all.

By the way, I knew that Ron would be the eventual Keeper in the
series. It fits quite nicely with another theory of mine...

Vivian