[HPforGrownups] CHAPTER DISCUSSION: Prisoner of Azkaban Chapter 2: Aunt Marge's Big Mistake

[lui]

No: HPFGUIDX 189401



1. Seriously - what is wrong with Aunt Marge? What kind of person hits a 5-year 
old in the shins?

luirhys:

I have this idea that it's probably how the Dursley's (Marge & Vernon) were 
brought up. Possibly they learned from an early age that exercising authority is 
the way to gain respect (or at least fear). Additional question though: It seems 
obvious that nobody likes her visiting, yet she still bothers/ Do you think 
Marge is the older or younger sibling here? 


2. Given the little glimpse of Harry's life with the Dursleys that we see at the 
beginning of each book, what do you think the Dursleys' neighbors believe to be 
the reason that Harry attends St. Brutus's Secure Center for Incurably Criminal 
Boys? And do you think they are concerned that he is allowed to come home every 
summer?

"Pippin:
I doubt they believe the St Brutus story and I'm sure they know Dudley  is a 
bully. But they probably think there's something odd and possibly  very wrong 
about Harry too. Their kids will  be aware of the weird stuff  that happens when 
Harry's around. Best not to get involved. It isn't  all wizard concealment that 
allows the WW its clandestine existence.  There's a great deal of Muggle denial 
involved as well."

dzturtleshell: With Petunia being the type to crane over the garden  fence to 
spy on the neighbors and Vernon calling the family out to  admire the new car in 
loud voices for the rest of the street to hear,  I've always felt that the 
Dursleys don't really have friends in their  neighborhood. We never hear about 
Petunia having ladies over for tea or  Vernon out doing something with the other 
dads. All of their  interactions are related to image - cover up anything 
embarrassing and  flaunt anything even mildly impressive. Taking this into 
account, I  doubt the residents of Privet Drive believe anything the Dursleys 
say. 



luirhys:

Both Pippin and Dzturtleshell have good points here. The neighborhood  WOULD 
know about Harry and Dudley, but given the Dursley's being SUCH  LOVELY PEOPLE, 
I don't think they would be overly concerned, aside from  the entertainment 
value they give. I could just imagine them  saying/thinking "Look at that stick 
gloat over her son, you'd think we  don't have eyes to see that he's just a 
blimp that talks."

3. Back to Aunt Marge - would you have been able to control yourself as long as 
Harry did? How about when you were his age?

luirhys:

I don't handle confrontations very well, I'd probably act all tough and like "I 
don't care" but conveniently hide up to my bedroom to cry.

4. Do you think that students from wizarding families are watched as closely by 
the ministry to see if they perform magic during the summer? Why or why not?

luirhys:
I think I read somewhere that they can detect magic in muggle households, but 
NOT who did it. That's why they can't detect underage magic in some wizarding 
households (like the Weasley's) and think that Harry did magic back in CoS. 
Putting these ideas together, I don't think the MoM dispatches employees to 
households with underage wizards, waiting for them to do some magic. Possibly 
they have a thingamagic that registers magic around muggle households with 
underage students, which alerts the ministry of the time and place/ possibly 
also a list of inhabitants and in turn, they send out a warning.

5. OK, one more about Aunt Marge - can you think of any way in which she could 
have been written to be more unlikeable?
lets look at the checklist:

    1. She likes Dudley- always a bad sign
    2. She routinely beats Harry 

    3. She gives dog biscuits to Harry (not that this is significantly BAD, as 
in EVIL but really, it shows         that either she thinks that Harry's a dog 
or just gave him the first thing she grabbed in her bag).         Remember that 
Harry is the main character, so HIS pain is OUR pain.

    4. She routinely seeks to make Harry's life miserable
    5. AND makes sure that everyone else is making his life miserable
    6. She trash talks Harry's parents
    7. She is related to Uncle Vernon, need I say more?

Have I forgotten anything? I don't think Rowling could have made her more 
unlikeable even if she made her related to Voldemort.


6. Anything else that caught your eye in this chapter that should be discussed?

luirhys:
This chapter inspire rage.




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