JKR's clues and Lily's eyes (Re: Uncle Tom?)

[va32h]

No: HPFGUIDX 167039

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "fireflyseason2" 
<lydiafrench at ...> wrote:
> I couldn't disagree more... I've been trying for nearly twenty
> minutes now and honestly, I just can't.
> The plots of these books, as you well know, are intricately and
> expertly woven. And what's more the subtly of the phrasing more 
>often than not is placed and worded precisely to lay the foundation 
>for plot events 2 and 3 books ahead! To say that readers extrapolate 
>in unfruitful directions is more than true but in my, clearly 
>passionate opinion, there is nothing in any of the 6 books that was 
>obvious that wasn't meant, often tongue-in-cheek to be so. So rarely 
>do dry wit and sarcasm translate well into print. I am quite certain 
>there is nothing that JKR made "actually anvil-level obvious" 
>unintentionally. Say what you will of my lame efforts but, please...
> I will say no more on the subject.
> 
> I defer to the "Book 7" section of Mugglenet.com under "Confirmed
> Information" for my earlier statement. I have found their reseach to
> be trustworthy to this point and they state: The fact that 
>Harry "has
> his mother's eyes" will prove to be an important plot point.

va32h here:

Well we can agree to disagree and no harm done. I'm sorry if I have 
somehow hurt your feelings -- I like the books very much, I wouldn't 
be here if I didn't. I still think the plot twists are -- not 
predictable per se, but conventional. True to life, even if they take 
place in a fantastical world. 

The two huge plot twists that people usually use as examples are 
Scabbers being Pettigrew and Fake!Moody. And indeed those were 
surprises. But the entire twist was based on characters that the 
reader was told were dead that were in fact actually alive. So I 
don't fault any of us for not guessing those ahead of time. What 
reason did we have, prior to PoA to assume that the author would 
dissemble to us over the dead actually being dead?

But other twists - like Lupin being a werewolf - I'm sorry but that 
was colossally obvious. It was obvious to my daughter who was 8 when 
she read PoA.  I am perfectly  capable of recognizing dry wit and 
sarcasm, and find the series very funny. But I also found many things 
obvious. Ron and Hermione. RAB being Regulus Black - and I know that 
technically the jury is still out on that, but really. If RAB isn't 
Regulus, I'll eat my copy of DH. Aberforth as the Hog's Head barman - 
yes, that is obvious. Why Harry hasn't picked up on it is a mystery, 
but then again, this is the same Harry who, after six years of study 
at Hogwart's, apparently never noticed that most of the spells are 
based on Latin words and that a spell called "Sectumsempra" might 
have to do with "cutting".

It is not a criticism of the book to say that the plot twists are 
conventional and based on the truisms of human nature. Quite the 
opposite. I think too well of JKR as a writer to think that she will 
introduce soap-opera level plot twists into the series. 

As for Mugglenet - well, that's what they think. Again, I disagree. 

va32h