[HPforGrownups] Re: The scar

[k12listmomma]

No: HPFGUIDX 182646

Shelley:
Like Carol, I think JKR made the scar lightning shaped to be special, 
unique. As pointed out, a mere smudge or even normal shaped scar would not 
have drawn as much attention to it. She could have made it some other shape, 
but maybe lightning was the simpliest, and easiest shape that could be 
recognized by anyone without having to spend many words descibing it. 
Authors often use tricks like this- giving reference to a well known object, 
rather than to have to take a long time describing that object themselves. 
Many sci-fi authors will call a futuristic vehicle a "car" or "rocket", 
since that conjures familiar images in the reader's minds. A smudge would 
have been quite boring, yet  the words lightening shape instantly produces a 
clear image for the reader, accomplishing the task of having successfully 
described the scar. I don't think lightening has any further significance at 
all, or any connection to electricity.


> Barry wrote:
>> I was wondering why Harry had a scar shaped like lightning rather
> than a smudge. A zig-zag lightning shape is, of course, a symbol of
> power. Yet the power that creates lightning is an electronic one.
> Rowlings has been quoted here as saying that magic negates
> electricity. So a magic person wears a sign of a power that is negated
> by magic! Am I reading this correctly?
>
>>
> Carol responds:
> I don't think that the lightning-bolt shape of Harry's scar has
> anything to do with lightning, any more than it represents an Eihwaz
> rune 9protection) as I used to think. Sure, he was struck by an evil
> spell, but Avada Kedavra doesn't leave a mark, so probably (this is
> just my own view) the jagged cut was caused by the Killing Curse
> bursting *out* of Harry's forehead (leaving a nice opening for the
> soul bit to enter through).
>
> Of course, on a more mundane level, a jagged scar that resembles a
> lightning bolt is more distinctive than "smudge" or a circle, and she
> wanted Harry to be distinctive, all eyes going immediately to his
> forehead when people first see or meet him.
>
> Carol, hoping that you won't find her answer *too* disappointing