CHAPTER DISCUSSION: Prisoner of Azkaban Chapter 1: Owl Post

[dzturtleshell]

No: HPFGUIDX 189387

 Questions for Discussion:

1) Ron bought Harry a Sneakoscope, Hermione bought him instructions and products for broom care, and Hagrid bought him  the book "Monster Book of Monsters".  What did you think of these gifts? What do they tell us about the senders and their relationships with Harry? 

dzturtleshell: Hermione's gift is the most reflective of Harry, and is a great demonstration of Harry and Hermione's dynamic. In the books, especially up to this point, Hermione is more helpful than anything else. Whenever leisure activities are mentioned, it's usually Harry and Ron or Ron and Hermione. This is a very helpful gift to give him. 

I feel like Hagrid's and Ron's gifts are more geared toward things the gift-giver would want or find interesting. But, these gifts are also a good demonstration of both characters roles of introducing Harry to the wizarding world  and the wonders it holds - Hagrid and Ron are the first two wizards that Harry spent any real quality time with and they are the ones he turns to when he needs info about the wizarding world. 

2) With his gift of the Sneakoscope, Ron also sends a story about it: how it kept going off and Percy thought it was broken, but Ron knew the Twins were putting beetles in Percy's soup. This story shows us several of the Weasleys interacting. What does it tell us about the actors? What do you like/dislike about the characters in this scene and how they are written?

dzturtleshell: I think the point of Ron's story is to let the reader know (or at least plant the seed) that the Sneakoscope actually works. It creates dramatic irony and allows for the "I should've known!" feeling that most get later the book.

The story does provide some insight into the cohesiveness of the Weasley family. It shows that is just what they are: a family. Personally, I really respect the way the entire series promotes the importance of family and sticking together. From the confident and loving Weasley family to the insecure and greedy Malfoy family, each character will fight endlessly to protect their family and its honor.  (My two cents: I think today's society regards family relationships less and less important. Kudos to JKR for promoting the importance of where you came from)

3) This story is also our first clue to the big Scabbers/Peter surprise in the climactic scenes of the novel. What do you think of it in this context?


4) This chapter includes information relevant to the relationship between the Muggle and Wizard worlds, including Harry's History essay on witch burnings and Ron's ignorance of the proper use of a telephone. What light do these details shed on your understanding of this relationship?

dzturtleshell: I notice two things from these examples: First, although Muggles and Wizards are in close proximity physically, they are worlds apart on a personal (emotional?) level. Different cultures in our world can often be delineated geographically, and even cultures that are physicially closer to each other tend to have traditions and habits that are more similar to one another. All of these Muggles and Wizards live pretty close together, yet there are very few similarities between the groups. 

Second, there is a lot of ignorance and misunderstanding going both ways. Ignorance about other people creates fear which in turn creates hatred. The story about the witch burnings reminds us of what humans have actually done in history to those they didn't understand or were fearful of. The story about the telephone points out that Wizards also don't understand Muggles and that can create some apprehension. It makes it less surprising to the reader when we find out that there are some Wizards who would lead a war on Muggles.


5) In this as the third book of her series, Rowling devoted time in the first chapter to recapping events an persons of significance. What do you think of her choice to do this in PoA and other books of the series? It is appropriate or unnecessary?
> 
> 6) Do you like how she did it? Do you agree on her choice of things to re-introduce? Did you find reading these bits pleasant, annoying, repetitive, etc.?

dzturtleshell: The books came out far enough apart that a recap makes sense. Also, it allows people to pick up the series part of the way through. If I remember correctly, you don't get a recap at the beginning of HBP or DH which also makes sense to me, if you're going to start reading the series, it wouldn't do to start with one of the last 2 books of the series. 

Also, this is something I really wish Stephen King would have done with his Dark Tower series. The first half of the first book in that series is... well... difficult to get through, but the rest of the series is one of the most amazing things I've ever read. I'd like to recommend the series to others, but you can't just pick up book 2 and start reading, you'd have no clue what was going on and there's never a refresher for things you might have forgotten. JKR was really good at reminding you of things you might have forgotten - like when Harry realizes he's a parselmouth in CoS, she reminds us of the scene at the zoo at the beginning of the SS/PS.  


7) Why do you think Dumbledore selected Percy to be Head Boy? Do you agree or disagree with this decision? The other Head Boys/Girls identified in canon are Tom Riddle, Bill Weasley, James Potter, and Lily Evans. From this evidence, what do you think is involved in choosing Hogwarts Head Boys/Girls?

dzturtleshell: In retrospect, I'm kind of surprised Percy was Head Boy. (It's probably so he could remain an authority figure that Fred, George, and Ron had to be a little more wary of because he could see through them better) 

All the other Heads had very strong characters, they were leaders, people that thought for themselves. We never saw much of Percy, but I remember thinking he was kind of a stick-in-the-mud, he followed rules because they were rules, he was inflexible, and not very free-thinking. Even Tom Riddle was flexible and free-thinking, he just used those qualities to promote evil. Later, after Percy graduates, it's even more apparent that he is a brown-noser, the guy who is always the right-hand man and is never the star of the show. (Now that I say this, I'm reminded a little bit of Peter Pettigrew)