Camping - with Harry ...(was Why down on all the characters?)

[Mike]

No: HPFGUIDX 179332

> > Alla
> > You know, to me, camping passed quickly enough. It is not like
> > I wanted more of it, but to me it did not seem to drag on and 
> > on and on.
> > 
> > Seemed to start and end fast enough. IMO of course.
> > 
> 
> bboyminn:
> 
> I'm completely baffled by people complaining about the Camping
> Trip. Apparently they don't recognize it for what it is. It is
> a mechanism by which the author moves her characters through
> the story, and allows them to go to several places and learn
> various things that are necessary to resolving the overall
> plot.

Mike:
I think part of the frustration came from knowing the inevitable and 
feeling it was taking too long to get there. For instance, who didn't 
think that Harry would return to Godroc's Hollow? It was brought up 
more than once. I know I started to think to myself, 'will you get 
there already'.



> bboyminn:
> -<snip>-
> 
> Let's look at the camping trip. It takes us from Grimmauld
> Place, to Ron leaving and returning, to the recovery of the
> Griffindor Sword, to Godrics Hollow, to the encounter with
> the Goblins, to Lovegoods, to Malfoy Manor, to Shell Cottage,
> to Gringotts, to Hogwarts. I'd hardly consider that /dull/. 
> And that only covers the major aspects, there are minor aspects
> where they are analyzing the clues they have, which eventually
> does lead to relevant conclusions. At each of those steps 
> along the way, more and more pieces of Harry's puzzle fall 
> into place, which is what needs to happen for Harry to choose
> his ultimate course of action.

Mike:
Don't forget that it was during this time that they got their hands 
on Rita's book and had the big bomb of DD and GG dropped on them. 
They also got Godric's sword, finally destroyed the locket Horcrux, 
learned that the Hallows were real and where the "death stick" was. 
Plus, we the reader got the replay through Voldievision of what 
happened 16 years before at Godric's Hollow. 

I agree with you, Steve, there was not only a lot going on, there 
were a lot of revelations occurring during the camping trip. Besides, 
I consider the camping trip over once they get captured and dragged 
off to Malfoy Manor. That meant nine chapters, with most of that time 
spent at GH/with Bathilda or at the Lovegoods.


> bboyminn:
> Again, that hardly sounds like a dull time to me. If fact,
> other than the climax, those seem to be the most exciting
> aspects of the story.

Mike:
It was certainly the most angst ridden time for the Trio. I wonder if 
JKR was trying to make us frustrated with their lack of progress to 
give us empathy for the frustration the Trio was experiencing.