CHAPTER DISCUSSION: Chamber of Secrets Chapter 17: The Heir of Slytherin

[poohmeg20]

No: HPFGUIDX 189240


<snip of lovely, brief summary> 
> Questions:
> 
> The first two questions are based on this quote:
> 
> "I suppose the real reason Ginny Weasley is like this, is because she opened her
> heart and spilled all her secrets to an invisible stranger."
> 
> 
> 
> 1. How is the magical diary in CoS like a modern Muggle device that young
> (and not so young) use? Do you think this was intended as a warning?
> 

Megan:
That is a good point - at the time the book originally was published, online interactions tended to be more in the form of these types of forums or chat rooms, which lent themselves more to the type of semi-anonymous interpersonal exchange that would be analagous to the diary. The current Facebook and Twitter formats are more like generally broadcasting to a wide audience that includes known and unknown individuals than individually communicating with an unknown person. It would be interesting to see if it would be presented differently now. 

> 2. How does Riddle's comment fit with the theme of secret keeping we see
> throughout the Harry Potter series?
> 

Megan:
I had never looked at it that way, but in that light, it certainly seems consistent with both sides' encouragement of secrecy to a certain extent.

> 3. Riddle says he grew stronger on the diet of deepest fears and darkest
> secrets. What dark creature does this recall? Is this also the nature of a
> Horcrux? Did the locket in DH do the same thing?
> 

Megan:
That certainly did make him seem more devil-like - I remember thinking that when I first read this chapter and wondering if the story was going to have more Christian themes. Anything made by the devil is an extension of his evil, so following that line of thinking, the horcruxes would respond the same way.

> 4. How did Ginny hide her feather-covered, paint-splattered robes? Did
> House Elves clean them without telling anyone?
> 

Megan:
I never thought of that - good suggestion!

> 5. When the Basilisk appears, Fawkes flew off Harry's shoulder. Harry
> wanted to cry, "Don't leave me!" Compare this to Harry's experience in DH when
> he goes to face Voldemort in the forest.
> 

Megan:
There is a big difference between being twelve and facing this kind of battle for the first time, and being seventeen and having gone through so much growth, learning, and experience. I think this is an excellent illustration of that. 

> 6. Several times Riddle's expression is described as "hungry." Young
> Severus's expression was described the same way in DH. What do you make of this?
> 

Megan:
I think they both were very jealous of those around them for their own reasons - up to a point, I think they both would have given quite a bit to be feared by those who tormented them, which drove a hunger-like desire for power. Obviously the choices they made and the circumstances of their lives differed, but both came from that same motivation.

> 7. Riddle comments on how similar he and Harry are. We can make several
> comparisons: Harry and Tom; Severus and Tom; Severus and Harry. What is JKR up
> to with this Trio?
> 

Megan:
I think like I started to get into in the previous answer, the big theme of the series is choices - and the three of them made different ones. They all were up against some serious odds early on in their lives, all were offered life-changing opportunities by Dumbledore - but they took those opportunities in totally different directions.

> 8. What questions do you have?
> 
Megan:

I believe this came up in earlier discussions in this forum, or perhaps I read it elsewhere - but why do you think that Riddle wasn't wearing the ring?