Role of ESE in Hero's Quest / McGuffins & Horcruxes

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 147688

Jen: First, I read the article you posted and even though I snipped 
your list of ways JKR could resolve the plot, I think it's very 
possible several of them will be important along with the horcruxes 
for defeating Voldemort. The first obvious thing that comes to mind 
is how many alliances Harry has formed over the years which will 
likely come into play in Book 7. Now, you may call these--what was 
it, plot vouchers (?)--the cashing in on an alliances (magical 
spells, potions, etc.) brought into the story only for that reason. 
But take Viktor Krum, or Dobby, or Beauxbatons, pretty much anyone 
besides Grawp <g>, and they have been woven logically into the story 
for more reason than simply "Harry needs them later" from how I read 
it.

Neri:
> Instead, JKR had Dumbledore, which is a classic Wise Old Man stock
> character, inform the hero that in order to defeat the evil
> overlord he must locate and destroy several magical objects. The 
> identities of these objects are completely arbitrary. Their 
> magical properties are completely arbitrary. Their histories and 
> hiding places are completely arbitrary. JKR could have chosen them
> to be anything she feels like.

Jen: Here's another point I'm in disagreement with. To me JKR very 
carefully set up Voldemort as a person obsessed with immortality, an 
irrational person who sees objects as having a 'magical' value in 
the sense of having a value beyond monetary. Yes the Wise Man stock 
character tells Harry about the horcuxes but only after we get to 
the bottom of the story as to why Voldemort would go that route as 
opposed to drinking the Elixer, or performing some old dark magic 
with no psychological fascination for him. 

What I'm saying is the objects aren't arbitrary to Voldemort, nor 
are the hiding places. Taking myself completely out of the story as 
the writer of that article did makes practically any plot sound 
absurd! JKR did 'make it so' as author/god, but she also tried to 
back it up and give it a viable reason for being there. Maybe the 
reasoning appeals to me more than someone else because I thought she 
did a damn good job creating a psychological case study to 
underscore Voldemort's choices. And I think it's very possible LV's 
irrational obsessions could be taken even further, i.e. the gleam.

Neri:
> So this kind of plot is much easier to write, but it's also much
> more artificial. It has the feel of a video game quest, of a set
> contest, like the tasks in the Tri-Wizard Tournament. It makes you
> suspect that the author was simply lazy, or that she didn't think 
> she would be able to put together a more complex and realistic
> plot. 

Jen: It could have the feel of a video game. The idea may sound that 
way at the moment without the written word. It's impossible to say 
what JKR can spin it into though, as you mention later on.

Neri:
> It seems to me that the only way to save the Horcruxes is if the
> whole "how to split your soul and make a Horcrux" thing, rather 
> than being mere arbitrary back story for a collect-the-coupons
> quest, would prove central to the story, both plot-wise and in the 
> thematic level. I think JKR can do that because she already did a
> similar thing with the prophecy. 

Jen: I'm wondering if you feel only Harrycrux could achieve this 
end? Maybe instead Harry does help unite many allies (and possibly a 
few enemies) by accessing their talents for finding and/or 
destroying horcruxes. Or Harry's refusal to work with the MOM 
finally forces a crack in the corruption there and leads the way for 
at least a faction of the MOM to stand beside him and force some 
changes in the future. Ancient magic, Dobby being the first of many 
later House elves to own a wand and go to Hogwarts, Harry 
discovering he has other powers transferred by Voldemort and using 
them---the combination of events is endless. JKR could choose any 
and all to go along with the horcrux search to fit with her major 
themes. Basically I can't see the horcruxes standing alone because 
she doesn't write events in isolation for the most part.

Neri:
> The directions for operating this device are
> incredibly easy: do you need to explain the readers why only a mere
> kid can defeat the greatest Dark wizard of all times? No problem! 
> Just put in an arbitrary prophecy in mock-archaic verse that
> foretells it. JKR used this cheap trick in her plot, but then she
> went and "subverted" it. She gave her prophecy a central thematic
> value by involving the Choice factor. I predict, or at least I 
> hope, that she'll do a similar thing with the Horcruxes.

Jen: I'm glad she chose that route because the prophecy was ...not 
my favorite part <g>.

Jen R.