Post DH meaning of PS/SS chess game.

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 184735

Zara:
If the desired parallel is about Ron, then whatever we come up with
is going to be (in my opinion, no offense to big fans of Ron) not
that significant to the overall plot of the series.

Alla:
Sorry dear for not replying right away. 
Well, yes in the hindsight I can see that, but that was one of my 
points – that I was thinking that maybe Ron's sacrifice in chess game 
in PS will foreshadow Ron's sacrifice on the bigger scale which will 
allow Harry's to go forward and achieve ultimate victory. In fact, I 
believe at some point in time I was totally sold on the idea that Ron 
will be either dead or will be presumed to be dead. I mean of course 
Ron is the sidekick and I did not expect him to steal Harry's thunder 
at the end, but I did expect him to do something **as heroic** as 
what he did in chess game. 

Zara:
If we do want to talk about that one chess game as saying something
about the whole series, I would begin by asking, "Who is playing?"
and to me, only one answer makes sense - Albus Dumbledore. He's the
guy on the "good side" making the plans, moving the pieces, and
insert your favorite chess-related cliche here.

Alla:
Oh yeah and now I think that chess game indeed says this about whole 
series, exactly what you wrote – Albus Dumbledore is playing. I am 
not even sure if Voldemort is playing on the other side.
Yeah, I guess author was always blatantly honest with me, I was just 
deluding myself that blatant manipulation and moving characters as 
chess pieces is not something to glorify. Sigh. So, yes, I agree with 
you if I understood you correctly.

Zara:
<SNIP>
Also, the knight in the game is described as a very active piece, one
which travels about the board removing many white pieces from play.
(Sorry, no quote, I was checking my Lithuanian copy...) This fits
Harry far better. And Albus carefully arranges matters so that Harry
would choose to be taken (die, or not really die, whatever) in the
endgame, by specifying to Snape when Harry needs to learn of the soul
bit.

Alla:
Right, agree again that Albus **carefully arranges matters so that 
Harry would choose to be taken**, but I suppose I hoped that at the 
end kids will be the one arranging the matters. I also agree that 
Harry's sacrifice fits in some ways and does not fit in others.

Zara:
Well, if it did nothing else, it dramatized for the first time a
motif (? hope I used the right word there...) that is repeated
through the series - someone making a sacrifice so that others could
go on to achieve hoped for successes. <SNIP>

Alla:
Right, it definitely does that and also IMO establishes Albus 
Dumbledore being firmly behind the scenes and moving them, I was just 
wondering if more direct parallel can be established and I guess not.
Oh, and I am also wondering if you see a direct parallel with Snape's 
infamous puzzle with anything in the finale. You think Albus' sending 
them on the wild goose search to figure out staff about Hallows can 
count as such?
JMO,
Alla