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

[Megan Real]

No: HPFGUIDX 189396

This message is a Special Notice for all members of
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups
In addition to being published onlist (available in webview), this post is also
being delivered offlist to email in boxes) to those whose "Message Delivery" is
set to "Special Notices." If this is problematic or if you have any questions,
contact the List Elves at (minus that extra space):
HPforGrownups-owner @yahoogroups.com
----------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER DISCUSSION: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Chapter 2: Aunt Marge's Big Mistake

Summary:
Harry hears muggle news reports about Sirius Black's escape, but the focus soon shifts to the impending arrival of Aunt Marge, who has been very unpleasant to Harry on her previous visits to the Dursleys. Harry gets Uncle Vernon to agree that he will sign Harry's Hogsmeade permission slip if Harry behaves like a muggle during Aunt Marge's visit. Harry almost makes it through the week, but loses his temper on the last day when Aunt Marge insults his parents. Realizing that he could be in big trouble in the wizarding world for inflating Aunt Marge, he packs up and runs away from the Dursleys' house.

Questions:

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

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?

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?

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?

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

6. Anything else that caught your eye in this chapter that should be discussed?
NOTE: For more information on HPfGU's chapter discussions, please see " POST DH
Chapter Discussions" at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/database?method=reportRows&tbl=33
Next Chapter Discussion, Chapter 3 of Prisoner of Azkaban coming soon. If you
would like to volunteer to lead a Prisoner of Azkaban chapter discussion, please
drop a note to HPforGrownups-owner @yahoogroups.com (minus that extra space).

Megan Real