Chapter Discussion: Chapter Sixteen, Goblet of Fire: The Goblet of Fire

[Geoff]

No: HPFGUIDX 192245

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "pippin_999" <foxmoth at ...> wrote:

> > Questions.

2. (a) Looking at the interactions between Karkaroff and the Durmstrang
> > students, give your impression of what you deduced about teacher-pupil
> > attitudes and also about the general ethos of the school.
> > (b) Do a similar analysis of the relations between Madame Maxine and
> > the Beauxbatons students. Would you consider some of these students
> > to be wimps?

Pippin:
> Though Karkaroff seems more fearsome, the Beauxbatons students treat their headmistress with greater respect, standing when she passes. I don't know that I'd call the Beauxbatons students wimps. Kvetches (Yiddish for always complaining), sure. Though that's mostly Fleur. 

Geoff:
I drew on my own initial reactions to request these two analyses. Karkaroff 
obviously is biased in his treatment of his students as per his fussing around
Krum and his sudden switch of attitude when Poliakoff does a sort of "Oliver 
Twist" approach and is rebuffed and humiliated in short order. 

He seems more interested in his own position and comfort than in the 
welfare of his flock other than Krum.  You will recall that in the previous 
chapter, Karkaroff was wearing good quality clothes while the description 
of the pupils seemed to suggest boys only and that of their clothing seems 
to hint at scruffiness. 

However, when Karkaroff meets Harry at the door of the Hall and the 
Durmstrang students recognise his scar, there is a little sentence tucked 
away here: "The boy with food all down his front nudged the girl next to 
him and pointed openly at Harry's forehead." Would he do that to a girl he 
didn't know?

On the other hand, Madame Maxine seems to me, as someone who went 
through the English educational system, to exude something of the superior 
attitude and air adopted by head teachers of large important schools.

Referring back to chapter 15 again, I have always seen her greeting to 
Dumbledore as almost patronising, something like a monarch meeting a 
lesser mortal - the "gracious smile" and the extending of a hand to be 
kissed and her brisk instructions to tell "zis 'Agrid" how to deal with the 
horses. The organisation of the girls, marshalling into line suggests the 
intent of creating a public image dictated by her. 

Regarding my 'wimp' comment, I was looking at the reactions and 
comments about Hogwarts which suggested that they didn't like the 
school and were complaining about the conditions and also the
reaction of some of the other Beauxbatons students after Fleur's selection 
became known.

I have to admit posed some of my questions a little tongue in cheek and 
also as an attempt to play devil's advocate to try to tease out some contrary 
views perhaps.... that's a bit of the fun in drafting one of these discussions.
:-)