CHAPTER DISCUSSION Chamber of Secrets Ch. 2, Dobby's Warning

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 188738



--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "ZaraG" <zgirnius at ...> wrote:
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Zara:
<SNIP summary>

1) We first learn of House Elves in this chapter. What was your reaction to
Dobby's self-punishments and description of his the conditions of his
enslavement?

Alla:

I actually just reread this chapter half an hour ago before responding to your questions and you know, thinking now about all our discussions about house elves, I have to say, I am pretty sure that my first reaction was that this is a disgusting cruel slavery and nothing else. I suppose that means that my thoughts about how house elves issue was eventually resolved in DH will probably change. After reading this chapter and rereading this chapter I could not imagine other resolution of house elves' issue than freeing them, I think. Oh well.



2) Dobby states that he heard about Harry's recent (end of PS/SS) confrontation
with Lord Voldemort. Who do you suppose was his source?

Alla:

I would imagine somebody in Malfoy's household, if the whole school knew I think it could have just as easily been Draco as Lucius.


3) Dobby intercepted all the letters Ron, Hermione, and Hagrid wrote to Harry.
How do you suppose he did this?

Alla:

Eh some sort of complicated elfy magic I would imagine but this was a very big reason why I did not like him from the beginning.

4) Why do you suppose Lucius picked this year to open the Chamber of Secrets?

5) Harry has a dream in this chapter after the Dursleys lock him up, that he is
on display in a cage labelled "Underage Wizard", and Dobby refuses to rescue him
because he is safe in there. Any thoughts on the meaning of this dream, and how
it is similar to/dofferent from, other dreams of Harry's we read about in the
series?

6) Harry receives a reprimand by Owl from the Ministry after Dobby uses a Hover
Charm to destroy Petunia's pudding. This is our first encounter with the
Ministry. What was your reaction to this letter? How does it fit in with what we
learn of the Ministry throughout the series?

Alla:

I do not remember my first reaction at all, but upon rereading I wondered why the heck owl was being so careless and dropped the letter in front of the muggles to see. I mean I know they do not work in secrecy and for example Harry's letters also came to him when Dursleys could see them, but Masons are strangers. I would think owl would wait or something?

7) Dobby reappears in several of the books, and his story culminates with his
rescue of Harry and death in "Deathly Hallows". What was your first impression
of Dobby? How has it changed?

Alla:

First impression – beyond annoying, but yes I shed tears when he died.

8) Feel free to add your own questions/comments about this chapter.

Alla:

Not a question, more like observation, while CoS is not a book which I reread so very often, some chapters do stick with me more than the others. This chapter stuck with me for what I consider one of the cruelest depictions of Dursleys' abuse – locking Harry in the room, letting him out only to the bathroom, etc. But when I reread this chapter the other paragraph stroke me as even more poignant description of how bad Harry had it with Dursleys dearest IMO.

"W-what?" Harry stammered. "But I've got to go back – term starts on September first. It's all that's keeping me going. You don't know what it's like here. I don't belong here. I belong in your world – in Hogwarts" – p.16, CoS, paperback.

Alla:

When I read this outburst, I want to hug Harry all over again (and yeah, strangle Dumbledore all over again lol), but yes, I find it interesting that while I always remembered this chapter for Harry being locked in the room, I completely forgot the sentences which to me describe so much in so few words.

Thanks for the great questions, Zara.