CHAPDISC: DH 22, The Deathly Hallows

jkoney65 jkoney65 at yahoo.com
Tue Jun 10 22:19:03 UTC 2008


No: HPFGUIDX 183209

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "jmnabers" <jmnabers at ...> wrote:
>
> CHAPTER DISCUSSIONS: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Chapter 
22, 
> The Deathly Hallows
> 
> The chapter begins as Harry, Ron, and Hermione make their escape 
from 
> the Death Eaters at the Lovegood household. Hermione casts 
protective 
> spells over them as they return to their campsite; Harry and Ron 
both 
> recognize her genius at getting them out of yet another tight spot.
> 
> The discussion quickly turns to the wealth of new questions that 
> Xenophilius has raised: Is Luna still alive? Was the trip to the 
> Lovegood household just a waste of time? Is there any truth in the 
> story of the Deathly Hallows?
> 
> It is the last question that sparks the most vehement discussion. 
> Hermione, predictably, finds the entire story implausible if not 
> ridiculous. Ron disagrees, pointing out that lying under pressure 
is 
> more difficult than she can imagine. As they argue, the three start 
> to put together bits and pieces of information that might support 
(or 
> in Hermione's case, disprove) the story of the three brothers.
> 
> Hermione is adamant that there can't be any truth to any of the 
> magical items, referring to the Resurrection Stone while making 
> finger quotation marks to show her disdain. Harry realizes that 
talk 
> of living with the dead frightens her and he changes the subject to 
> the grave they found in Godric's Hollow.
> 
> Hermione, with Kreacher's help, has discovered that the Peverell 
> family was pure-blood but has been extinct in the male line for 
> centuries. Harry suddenly remembers that Marvolo Gaunt, Voldemort's 
> grandfather, claimed to be a descendent of the Peverell family. In 
an 
> intuitive leap, Harry speculates that Marvolo's ring must contain 
the 
> Resurrection Stone; furthermore, he realizes that Voldemort must 
not 
> know about the powerful Deathly Hallows if he risked destroying one 
> by turning it into a horcrux.
> 
> Harry, completely convinced that the Deathly Hallows are real, is 
> sure that the key to defeating Voldemort is to find the 3 objects 
and 
> become the master of Death. He realizes that he must be a 
descendent 
> of Ignotus Peverell and that his invisibility cloak must be one of 
> the Hallows. He also is convinced that the snitch from Dumbledore 
> must contain the Resurrection Stone in the form of the destroyed 
> horcrux.
> 
> Harry realizes he would only need the Elder Wand to complete the 
> trio. He intuitively understands that Voldemort must be after the 
> Elder Wand, too. Voldemort, not knowing its true power, wants it 
only 
> for its alleged invincibility: the ultimate weapon that will 
destroy 
> Harry.
> 
> Hermione tries valiantly to convince him that none of it can 
possibly 
> be true, but Harry will not be swayed. He realizes there is some 
> truth in Xenophilius's assessment of her as close-minded.
> 
> Weeks pass. Harry can think only of the Hallows; Hermione and Ron 
can 
> think only of the horcruxes. Harry's scar begins to prickle again, 
> but the images he sees are fuzzy and blurred. Finally, one night in 
> March, they are able to pick up the Potterwatch program.
> 
> Harry, Ron, and Hermione are heartened to hear the voices of old 
> friends that are supporting them. However, there is also 
distressing 
> news. Ted Tonks has been murdered, Dean Thomas is missing, and 
Hagrid 
> is on the run. As they hear the voices of their friends, the three 
> are overcome with sadness, gratitude, and shame. Finally, Fred's 
> voice appears and Harry laughs for the first time in weeks.
> 
> As the program ends, Harry's excitement prompts him to make a 
> terrible error. He utters the taboo name, Voldemort, and they are 
> instantaneously surrounded by Death Eaters.
> 
> 
> Discussion Questions:
> 1) Why does Hermione do her best to protect Xenophilius from the 
> Death Eaters? Is it only because of her feelings of friendship for 
> Luna? Or did she, like Harry, recognize his desperation to save his 
> child?

I think she feels some friendship for Luna but also knows the 
desperation of trying to save those that you love. After all she 
obliviated her parents so she has some experience here.

> 
> 2) Why does Hermione consider the trips to Godric's Hollow and the 
> Lovegood household "a waste of time"?

Neither led them to a horcrux or a clue for one and it brought in the 
Hallows which she deems unimportant.


> 
> 3) Harry realizes that his "talk of living with dead people" had 
> scared of Hermione. Why is living with dead people comforting to 
> Harry and yet frightening to Hermione?

Seeing his parents is one of Harry's greatest desires. Hermione 
hasn't ever lost anyone that close to her for her to miss that 
greatly.


> 
> 4) Why is Harry able to put the story together so quickly? It says 
> his "imagination was racing ahead, far beyond Ron and Hermione's." 
Is 
> it imagination, experience, or something else that allows Harry to 
> make the intuitive leaps that other cannot?

Harry is willing to believe the story which puts him ahead of 
Hermione. Ron is still trying to suck up to Hermione so I don't think 
he is trying as hard as Harry.


> 
> 5) When Harry realizes that Voldemort must also want the Elder 
Wand, 
> it "extinguishes" all of his hope and happiness. Why?

Harry is already fighting someone who has made it his goal not to 
die. Add in an unbeatable wand and Harry feels he is beaten and there 
isn't anything he or anyone else can do.


> 
> 6) If Harry is right, Dumbledore did not tell him the secret to 
being 
> the master of Death because he needed Harry to discover it for 
> himself. Does this agree with Dumbledore's previous treatment of 
> Harry? How would Harry be different if Dumbledore did tell him what 
> he needed rather than letting Harry work it out for himself? What 
> role do Ron and Hermione play in his discoveries?


Dumbledore hardly ever said the entire story to anyone, it was part 
of his personality. I think he also wanted Harry to learn to think. I 
don't think he could have told Harry the entire truth because he 
didn't think Harry could handle it until it was close to the time he 
had to sacrifice himself.

> 
> 7) Harry wishes his scar would burn again because "for the first 
time 
> ever, he and Voldemort were united in wanting the very same thing." 
> When his visions do return, they are blurred. Why are the visions 
> different now than they have been in the past?

I think the visions are blurred because Voldemort was still trying to 
block the connection but his emotional outbursts were seeping 
through. I also think Harry was starting to get better at protecting 
his mind even if he didn't realize it yet.


> 
> 8) Harry feels that Ron and Hermione are obsessed with the 
horcuxes. 
> She accuses him of being obsessed with the Hallows and tells him 
that 
> they are "the ones trying to do what Dumbledore wanted us to do!" 
Why 
> are they at an impasse over the way to proceed? Why does 
Harry "give 
> up on her"?

He gives up, because Hermione doesn't change her mind easily. She 
also doesn't truly believe in the Hallows. She is more of a bricks 
and mortar type of person. She needs solid facts, unfortunately magic 
doesn't always provide that. That was what she has needed to learn 
since the beginning of the story.


> 
> 9) As Harry retreats into his own imagination, Ron starts to take 
> charge. Is Ron only capable of leadership because Harry is 
distracted 
> or is it something else?


I think ron is trying to make up for leaving. Also he is still 
sucking up to Hermione.

> 
> 10)If Harry is so determined that finding the Elder Wand is the way 
> to proceed, why do they waste months without making any real 
> progress? What, if anything, is achieved in these long months of 
> camping?

I think it was just trying to keep the timing of the other books.


> 
> 11)What is it about the Potterwatch broadcast that makes Harry feel 
> more connected to the world?

He remembers he is not alone in the struggle. It is something to pick 
up his spirits after all of the drudgery they've experienced. I 
compare it to having a fire when you are camping in the wilderness. 
It just makes you feel better.


> 
> 12) Why do Lupin's words cause Harry to feel "a mixture of 
gratitude 
> and shame"?

He likes the compliments of someone he respects and he feels bad for 
yelling at Lupin.


> 
> 13) Why does Lupin say that Harry's instincts are "good and nearly 
> always right"? Are these words in reference to the past, or are 
they 
> meant to foreshadow events to come?

Because Harry's natural instincts are almost always good. It's better 
for him to trust them then to over think things.


> 
> 14) Is the rush of emotions Harry felt while listening to 
Potterwatch 
> responsible for his reckless saying of Voldemort's name? If not, 
what 
> causes him to break the taboo that he's kept for months?

I think the Potterwatch made him feel normal again. For Harry being 
normal means saying Voldemorts name. I don't believe it was 
intentional on his part.

> 
> jmnabers

Thanks to jmnabers for the fine job on the discussion questions.





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