Reacting to DH (was:Snape Reduced LONG(was: Re: Villain!Dumbledore...

[lizzyben04]

No: HPFGUIDX 177992

> Magpie:
> Did I get the Americanized Hollywood version of the book then? 
> Because the one I read ain't Bergman. I'm sure JKR considers the 
> flaws in the WW to be flaws the way she always has, but I don't think 
> this makes the ending any more ambiguous. Harry isn't a social 
> revolutionary. He's defending his own world and friends as they 
> are/were. The central issue has always been Harry and his happiness, 
> and in the end he gets that in true Hollywood fashion with a passel 
> of kids hired from central casting. He gets the girl, the sidekicks 
> get each other, everybody has children, preferably with even more 
> people in his little circle. His life's exactly the way it was before 
> only no Voldemort so there's no threat to any of them.


lizzyben:

I'm considering the possibility that the house-elf, goblin, Slytherin
issues *were* resolved at the end - they just weren't resolved the way
most readers thought they would be. At the end of DH, Harry & co. have
assumed their rightful place at the top of society. In the beginning,
Harry & Hermione both wanted to free house-elves, now they understand
that house-elves like being enslaved. In the last pages of DH, Harry
wants Kreacher to get him a sandwich - he's finally assumed his rights
as a slave-owner. Harry's learned how to treat goblins as well - as
second-class citizens who can't be trusted & can be double-crossed.

Magpie:
> I don't see anything not triumphant or happy about that ending just 
> because she didn't include Slytherin and Gryffindors singing kumbaya 
> together while House Elves board the Express as students. Harry's 
> line to his son gives props to poor old Snape who could maybe have 
> almost been a Gryffindor, and harks back yet again to Harry's choice 
> of Gryffindor which has always been a bood thing--remember kids, all 
> you have to do is choose not to be Slytherin. He's no longer 
> disturbed by the hat suggesting he'd have been good in the house. 
> (Kids choosing their house with the hat without interference of older 
> siblings or parents has never been an issue for anyone.) I just don't 
> read the imperfect state of affairs as some indication of darkness. 
> It's just not of primary importance to Harry's happiness and never 
> has been. He's happy in his imperfect world, living his ordinary 
> life. He's got an enviable place in his society. I took "all is well" 
> at face value. How could it not be--look at all the babies they've 
> got.
> 
> -m

lizzyben:

I found the epilogue somewhat creepy, because on one level it's all
about Yay!Happy!Babies!, but on another level it's about power. The
Yay!Babies! thing could've taken place at a big family dinner or
something & it still would've been cheesy, but it would have been
good-hearted. But this epilogue took place at the Train Station, as
they're loading the next generation to go to Hogwarts. And the text
makes clear that Gryffindors are now on TOP, & Slytherins are the
bottom of the hierarchy of society. The Malfoys no longer own a slave;
now Harry does. Ron threatens to disown his daughter if she marries a
pure-blood, just like the Malfoys stood against marrying "mudbloods".
All the Gryffs have intermarried, ensuring no diversity at all. Draco
gives a nod of submission to Harry, which is not returned. Being a
"Slytherin" is the ultimate taunt for the young kids, & Snape is
honored for showing a Gryffindor trait - because Gryffindor traits are
what matter now. In this happy epilogue, Gryffindors have triumphed &
Slytherin is under their boot. And all was well. It reminds me a
little of the Lottery, like all these happy people might just turn
around and start stoning a Slytherin. The epilogue focuses on
families, etc., but there is an undercurrent of the power play -
making sure we as readers know that the Gryffindors have switched to
the top of the power triangle (for now).


Magpie:
Corruption has helped the good guys during the story, yes. It's still
corruption. Arthur doesn't stand out to me as the guy getting
punished for not being corrupt. He's got his own personal
justifications and ideas about what it's okay to do, and just sticks
to that. I think people--including good guys--would benefit more from
less corruption.

-m

lizzyben:

And I'm not sure that changed. JKR says that Shacklebot became
"permanent" minister, and that Harry became an Auror at 17. Now,
supposedly Aurors need top NEWT marks & 3 years of training after
Hogwarts graduation. Yet Harry becomes an Auror w/o having attended
his last year of Hogwarts, no NEWTS, & no training. And he gets the
job because of his connection with Shacklebot. The book knocks the
Slug Club, but seems to be fine w/powerful people showing favoritism
as long as the *right* people are in power. 


lizzyben