CHAPTER DISCUSSION: Prisoner of Azkaban Chapter 6: Talons and Tea Leaves

[poohmeg20]

No: HPFGUIDX 189534


>
> Questions:
> 1. Why did you think the Dementors affected Harry so badly, compared
> to everyone else?

Megan:
I wasn't sure - Harry seemed more sensitive in a lot of ways than many of the other students, but at that point I didn't have a theory of why that was.

> 2. Did you think anything was going on with Hermione's schedule or
> have any idea of how she was taking so many classes?
> 

Megan:
I had no idea - I thought it was just supposed to be funny, sort of an extreme demonstration of what an overachiever she was. 

> 3. Did you think Sir Cadogan would become a more important character,
> or was he just comic relief?
> 

Megan:
I just thought he was comic relief.

> 4. Harry shows concern for Sir Cadogan by moving closer to the picture
> and asking if he is ok. On the other hand, Ron is scornful of the Knight
> and comments at parting that they'll call him if they need someone mental.
> Do you think the contrast in attitudes of the two boys says anything in
> particular about them? Is this an indication of their overall and eventual
> characters/personality, or is it just young teenage boy attitudes?
> 

Megan:
That certainly is a running theme through the book - Harry has just had so much more emotional and physical turmoil in his life than Ron has that he is bound to be sensitive and aware of others' feelings.

> 5. Did you think Trelawney was a true seer or a hoax? Did you expect
> any of her predictions to come true, even the simple ones? Do you think any
> of them did come true later? Just the predictions in this first lesson.
> 

Megan:
She seemed so wrong that I figured something she said had to turn out to be right.

> 6. Did you think Harry had truly seen a Grim?
> 

Megan:
Yes, but I wasn't sure what that would mean in the context of the story.

> 7. We meet our first animagi in this first Transfiguration class. Did
> you think this would be significant, or was it possibly just another fun
> magical ability?
> 

Megan:
I wasn't sure at that point - it seemed like a pretty good opportunity for plot development, but I didn't know how it would tie in. 

> 8. Do you think a person's Animagi form says anything about his or her
> character? Take McGonagall, does a cat fit her as you've come to know her
> through the series?
> 

Megan:
It does seem like the anamagi in the series have some connection between their personalities and the animal whose form they take. McGonagall seems pretty cat-like in some ways in her human form - keeps to herself, slightly superior attitude, etc. 

> 9. How did you like Hagrid's first lesson? Do you think he had
> potential to be a good teacher? Would you have enjoyed this first class?
> 

Megan:
I thought it was kind of cringe-worthy - I don't think I would have enjoyed it because I would have felt sorry for him. I think with a little more guidance, he could have done a much better job. It seems like they (the other teachers) kind of just left him to figure it out on his own rather than giving him any structure.

> 10. What did you think of Harry's interaction with Buckbeak? Did you
> think we would see Buckbeak again, as we did throughout the series?
> 

Megan:
I was pleasantly surprised that Buckbeak got to have a more significant role than it seemed like he would.

> 11. What are your thoughts on Draco's actions in this lesson? Should
> he have listened more to Hagrid's instructions? Does he have any blame in
> the fact that he was injured? Should 13-year-olds be taught to interact
> with dangerous creatures?
> 

Megan:
Draco was a little brat, and this was typical for him - unfortunately when you're planning lessons for kids that age, you have to assume there will be more Dracos than Harrys in the bunch. But it was not very nice of the other teachers to leave Hagrid on his own to deal with that kind of behavior when he'd never had to before. 

> 12. Did you agree that Hagrid should be disciplined for this lesson or
> that Buckbeak should be executed over what happened to Malfoy? Did you
> guess the significance Buckbeak's execution would play later in the book?
> 

Megan:
I thought that was a rather extreme reaction, but the Malfoys had been almost cartoonish up through this point in the series, so it didn't seem out of scale to what they would want.

> 13. And one for fun. Because I laughed a lot in this chapter, did you
> have a favorite funny line in this chapter?
> 

Megan:
I don't have a copy right in front of me, but I remember that there were many I liked. :)

> Please feel free to add your own thoughts or questions.
> 
> Sherry

>