[HPforGrownups] Re: It really annoys me ...

[k12listmomma]

No: HPFGUIDX 164048

> Peggy now:  I don't know if "annoyed" is how I feel, but there's one thing
> that seems very illogical to me.  In COS, after all the attacks, there's 
> all
> this tightened security, and no one's supposed to go anywhere without a
> teacher.  But when Professor McGonagall sees Ron and Harry sneaking off by
> themselves and they give her the story that they want to see Hermione in 
> the
> hospital wing, she tells them to go ahead and go and let Madam Pomfrey 
> know
> they have her permission.  She doesn't offer to go with them or tell them
> off for going alone.  It just seems illogical in light of the danger and 
> the
> tightened security.


Shelley responds:
Although this scene seems illogical on it's face, I think it's supposed to 
be. It shows several things. First, the utter bewilderment on the part of 
the boys that they got away with it. They KNOW it shouldn't have happened. 
And secondly, the humanity of McGonagall. She didn't just give them 
permission willy-nilly, in defiance of the rules; rather, it was a touching 
sentimental moment where she was emotional for once, identifying with their 
loss and how they must feel. It showed the stress that she was feeling, 
proving to all the readers that McGonagall, for all her strictness, was 
really a kind and thoughtful woman, able to identify with the emotions and 
feelings of the students. JKR is trying not to show her as just this strict 
bitch; rather, she's the kind of teacher you have to admire. So, I don't 
think this scene is there by accident, but rather purposely added to show 
the inner character of McGonagall. The illogicalness is put there on purpose 
to illustrate a point Rowling wanted us to see: McGonagall has an emotional 
soft side.

As usual, Rowling is prepping us for later:
1) The theme of friends needing to socialize and the emotional part of being 
separated: this shows up again with Harry and Sirius, and plays a role in 
Sirius's death.
2) Later, we would see McGonagall shamelessly attacked by wizards while 
Umbridge is in control of the school. We are supposed to feel more 
tenderness and outrage at this scene because we know that McGonagall is a 
kind soul that didn't deserve that. We would have had less sympathy for 
another teacher like Professor Binns, or Professor Sprout, but we feel it 
more for McGonagall because we've seen this soft, caring side of her.

Thus, I don't think this scene is illogical at all in the grand scheme of 
the themes of this series- it fits right in with Rowling's style of giving 
us clues and hints, of presenting information that we need later.

Shelley