Chapter Discussion: Chapter Eighteen: The Goblet of Fire: The Weighing of the Wands

[annemehr]

No: HPFGUIDX 192309



--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Shaun Hately  wrote:

> 
> QUESTIONS
> 
> (1) When you first read the book what were your theories or thoughts
> about who had put Harry's name into the Goblet? Or why somebody might
> have done so?

Annemehr:
I'm sure I didn't suspect anyone in particular at the time, but I do remember noticing that this time, Harry got pulled into "trouble" without doing anything to look for it.  I did believe Crouch!Moody's words of the previous chapter, that whoever confunded the powerfully magical Goblet may have been hoping Harry would die, but exactly how that linked back to LV, I didn't know.


> 
> (2) We are told, through Hermione, that Ron is jealous of Harry. What is 
> your reaction to this revelation? What do you think of Ron's behaviour 
> towards Harry? Assume for a moment, that Harry had put his name into the 
> Goblet - would you consider Ron's anger to be justified in that situation?

Annemehr:
I did have some empathy for Ron, and for how he could be jealous.  I can understand if he were suspicious that Harry had entered in secret.  BUT, after all they'd been through in the past three years, and how close they were supposed to have become, I was furious with Ron for being so *certain* about it.  Especially with Hermione around to talk to.

If Harry had put his name in the Goblet, then yes, Ron would have been justified to be angry about it.

> 
> (3) What did you make of Snape's reaction to Hermione's teeth? Did you
> consider this was simply a normal part of Snape's overall nastiness or
> did it seem to you to be unusually cruel, even for him?

Annemehr:
For someone who had seen what Snape had in life, I'm not sure he thought it was that big a deal, and it was easily fixed.  It was probably part of his overall nastiness combined with the fact that this was one of Harry's friends.

> 
> (4) Rita Skeeter - what were your impressions of her? Considering that,
> by the time of Goblet of Fire, JKR had become a major public figure and
> the subject of numerous media pieces, do you think that Rita might tell
> us something about JKR's own reaction to certain types of journalism and 
> journalist?

Annemehr:
I think there are a lot of journalists like that, who make a story into whatever they want it to be.  I bet is was personal with JKR as well - there was someone who went through her trash, and someone who talked to her daughter at school, though I don't recall whether that was before GoF or after.

> 
> (5) The chapter's title is 'The Weighing of the Wands' and we are told
> about the characteristics of each of the Champion's wands. As the 'Wand
> Chooses the Wizard', do you think this information gives us any insight
> into the four champions?
> 
> (For ready reference:
> 
> Fleur Delacour: Rosewood. Nine and a half inches. Inflexible. Contains
> the hair of a Veela - Fleur's grandmother. This wand was not made by
> Ollivander, but the maker is not named.
> 
> Cedric Diggory: Ash. Twelve and a quarter inches. Pleasantly springy.
> Contains a single hair of a particularly fine male unicorn. Made by
> Ollivander.
> 
> Viktor Krum: Hornbeam. Ten and a quarter inches, and thicker than
> normal. Quite rigid. Contains a dragon heartstring. Made by Gregorovitch.
> 
> Harry Potter: Holly. Eleven inches.Nice and supple. Contains a phoenix
> feather from Fawkes - the only other feather Fawkes gave to a wand is
> that contained in Voldemort's wand. Made by Ollivander.)
>

Annemehr:
One thing I noticed is that only Ollivander's wands were flexible.  This was actually something that surprised me in PS/SS because it made me think they would break easily.  But I wonder if it says anything about Ollivander's approach to wand-making - whether he sees doing magic as something more intuitive and to be finessed as opposed to powered through.  Or whether he thinks there can be a better connection between wand and wizard that way.

Other than that, I don't know.  I never knew anything about tree symbolism until I saw it much later on this site, and I don't really remember it anymore.  I do recall reading that JKR used it, though.

I think Fleur's rosewood and veela hair is aesthetically pleasing - it was probably my favorite thing about her at the time.

Thank you for the questions, Sean!

Annemehr