Alternate Titles

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 171638

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "jelly92784" <jelly92784 at ...> wrote:
>
> jelly92784 wrote:
> If you could rename each of the already published 
> Harry Potter Books, what would you call them?
>  
> Here's what we came up with:
> SS:  Harry Potter and Hogwarts School of Witchcraft 
> and Wizardry
> CS:  Harry Potter and the Heir of Slytherin
> POA: Harry Potter and the Servant of Voldemort
> GOF: Harry Potter and the Triwizard Tournament
> OOP: Harry Potter and the Department of Mysteries
> HBP: Harry Potter and the Unbreakable Vow
>  
> Bart:
> But what is your goal in renaming them? How are the new
> names superior to the old names?
> 
> ...
> 
> 
> Jelly92784:
> 
> I wouldn't say that there is anything necessarily 
> "wrong" with the titles, in fact, for the most part, 
> I like them all!  The topic came 
> up as we were discussing the titles JKR said she had
> prior to Deathly Hallows and wondering what they 
> could've been, which led us to wondering what other 
> titles she may have had for the other  books.  It was
> really just meant as a fun exercise.  
> 
> ...

bboyminn:

Now that you mention it, I occurred to me that the title 
of each books is actually -

'Harry Potter and the McGuffin'

A McGuffin is a plot device, it is the thing that all the
characters are concerned about, but the readers have very 
little concern for. 

For example, 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone'. 
All through the story Harry is concerned about the Stone,
first finding out about it, then protecting it, then
getting his hands on it. We as the readers don't 
necessarily care about the Stone, but we do care that
Harry cares about it. Our concern as readers is for
the feelings, adventures, and safety of our hero. 

In light of 'Harry Potter and the McGuffin', we can see
how that applies to 

HP and the Chamber of Secrets

Harry is concerned about the Chamber and finding it, 
and just when he has it figured out, circumstances call
for him to go their.

HP and the Prisoner of Azkaban

On the assumption that Sirius Black wants to kill him,
Harry is very much concerned with Sirius Black - the
Prisoner of Azkaban, as is everyone else in the story.

HP and the Goblet of Fire

This one fall slightly short, but the whole Tri-Wizard's
Tournament centers around the decision made by The Goblet.
In a sense, the Goblet is the instigator of everything
that happens. It sort of represents the pivotal moment
in the story; the point at which 'the game is afoot'. 

HP and the Order of the Phoenix

This one is close enough. The Order and it's action,
and the result of knowing about the Order stimulate the
action for the rest of the story. 

HP and the Half-Blood Prince

This one is clear; Harry is totally obsessed with the
Half-Blood Prince throughout the entire books. Yet, 
while the revelation of who the Half-Blood Prince is
is interesting, it really doesn't add much to the 
overall story or plot. It is simply a fact revealed at
the end. Half-Blood Prince=Mystery becomes Half-Blood 
Prince=revealed.

HP and the Deathly Hallows

If the theme carries through, everyone, especially Harry,
will be obsessed with the 'Deathly Hallows' but in the 
end, I don't think they will really mean much. Do we
still really care about the Sorcerer's Stone or the 
Chamber of Secrets or the Half-Blood Prince? 

The real question is, are the Deathly Hallows simply 
another name for something we already know about, like
the Horcruxes, or are they a whole new plot element being
revealed in the story? Or maybe a combination of the two;
a new and unsuspected aspect of known objects. And if they
are a whole new element, how will they be introduced? ...by
accident? ...by legend? ...by exposition? ...found in a 
book? ...found on the back of a secret treasure map? 

Harry Potter and the McGuffin want to know.

Steve/bboyminn