The two-way mirror - a cruel useless plot device

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 163721

> Carol, fearing that Harry won't realize his various mistakes when
> he finds the pieces of the mirror in his trunk but expecting him to
> repair it and put it to use, regardless

Ken:
<snip>
> From reading the whole thread I wonder if *the* most significant
> use that could be made of that mirror is precisely to allow Harry
> to see how his own failings and decisions have affected those
> around him, Sirius in particular. I think that would be more
> satisfying than merely having him glue it back together and talk
> to... well anyone really.
<snip>
> A few shards of broken glass that prove to be the key to emotional
> and intellectual growth would be a welcome departure from the norm.
> Maybe Harry will be fighting Snape at some point and one of them
> will break another mirror. Snape will undoubtedly be delivering one
> of his trademark life lesson lectures while the fight rages.
> Harry's gaze will fixate on some bits of broken glass and Snape's
> words will, finally, sink in. Harry will become a man.

Jen: If the broken mirror comes back to represent Harry's mistakes, I 
will be sorely disappointed.  That mirror is a symbol of his 
connection to Sirius and through Sirius, his father.  I'm wishing for 
a more hopeful scenario, one in which Harry repairs the mirror and it 
connects him to someone or something important rather than being a 
punishing representation of his failures.  

Harry realized his failings in OOTP, he blamed himself for mistakes 
that were not solely his fault: 'He just wanted to get them all out 
alive, make sure that none of his friends paid a terrible price for 
his stupidity.'  And, 'It was his fault Sirius died; it was all his 
fault.'  And, 'The guilt filling the whole of Harry's chest like some 
monstrous, weighty parasite now writhed and squirmed.'  There are 
several more such thoughts during his talk with Dumbledore.

Whenever this discussion comes up, I always wonder what Harry didn't 
say or do that causes people to think Harry wasn't owning up to his 
mistakes?  Is it because 'he felt a savage pleasure in blaming Snape, 
it seemed to be easing his own sense of dreadful guilt, and he wanted 
to hear Dumbledore agree with him'?  Because he was so angry at 
Dumbledore and Kreacher?  To me those were such normal human 
reactions to the situation, to the stress he's just been through, the 
frustration & the loss, that it's hard to read them as a total 
negatiion of Harry acknowledging his mistakes. 

Harry realizes he made mistakes *and* he blames others for what 
happened, it's just not a black/white issue to me.  And some of the 
people he blamed actually did contribute to Harry going to the MOM 
and Sirius' death so the blame wasn't even misplaced.  


Ken:
> As a long time science fiction fan I suppose this is out of
> character for me but the Harry Potter books are a little *too* full
> of magical technologies that are simple solutions to all possible 
> problems.  Having the mirror be yet another wouldn't do anything
> for me. 

Jen: I share your belief there are a few too many simple magical 
solutions in the series.  Somehow JKR writes in such a way that I buy 
every one of them, though!  Take the brother wands, how convenient 
was that?  No wonder that particular plot point has spawned thousands 
of theories about a Manipulative Dumbledore arranging everything 
behind the scenes.  And yet when reading that scene not once did my 
mind wander outside the story, JKR drew me in with what happened when 
the wands connected and the emotional impact of what Harry was 
experiencing.