Lily's Letter was Epilogue (was Re: Ron and Parseltongue)

[zanooda2]

No: HPFGUIDX 183542

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Jen Reese" <stevejjen at ...> 
wrote:
 
> Jen: It could be a situation where Sirius sent the broom because he 
> couldn't be there for the party but Lily didn't get around to 
> thanking him until Oct.


zanooda:

Thank you, Jen, for offering another solution for the problem :-). It 
is the one that I thought of myself at first, while trying to solve 
this puzzle :-). Both scenarios (1. Sirius sending his present in 
October instead of July/August, and 2. Lily sending the thank you 
letter three months later than she should have :-)) are theoretically 
possible. But both situations ar rather unusual, so I would expect 
Lily to mention this in the letter. Wouldn't she write something 
like "Sorry it took me so long to answer"? Politeness (and logic) 
would require it, right :-)? I still think that it's JKR's little 
mistake.


> Jen wrote:
 
> Evidence against that idea is why Lily didn't mention the thank you 
> coming 3 months late.  Not that she had to explain it but it would 
> make the timing of the letter match up with other evidence.  And 
> wouldn't Sirius have had more contact with them?  He'd at least 
> like to know how the Potters were faring and that Harry received 
> the broom.


zanooda:

I agree with every word :-).


> Jen wrote:  

> My last thought is why should one detail take so much discussion 
> from readers to figure out?!?  It shouldn't imo.  The letter 
> should be clear, having a date on the letter for instance to 
> signify to the reader when events are occurring, since what's 
> in the letter is important for backstory (among other things).  


zanooda:

Well, I wouldn't say that Lily's letter is *that* important to the 
story, but the timing is not very clear, and for some reason it gets 
on my nerves :-). It's an individual reaction, I guess. As I said, 
there are other details that don't bother me at all, but this one 
does ;-(. 

Another thing that irritates me every time I read it is why would DD 
put the ring on his finger? He knew better than anyone how the Stone 
worked, and it was *not* by putting it on the finger! I just can't 
understand why he would do it. It should be "I took it" or "I touched 
it", not "I put it on"! 

I know that it doesn't matter for the plot, but again, for me 
personally it's irritating (sorry, Lynda :-)). I know it shouldn't 
be, because this is such a small detail, but it is, and there is 
nothing I can do about it! And I am one of those who liked this 
book :-)! As I said, it's just some sort of individual reaction, 
which I can't control :-).