[the_old_crowd] going way OT (and back again): Parody. Also, FOOD

[Aberforth's Goat / Mike Gray]

Quoth Kathryn,

> Slightly more seriously there is a bit of a difference 
> between the Potterverse and the Discworld in that we expect 
> the Potterverse to be internally consistent, because it's 
> adventure/drama whereas because the Discworld is by and large 
> comedic we don't. 

I'm hardly the first person to say this, but I think the word parody is
extremely important in making sense of JKR's writing. Terry does parody
too, but (for my tastes) Jo does it better. She's drier and slyer. She's
got the eye of a really good charicaturist - she can hardly wake up
without seeing something to pounce on - 50s culture, sporting fever,
politician speak, journalism, celebrity idolatry, politically correct
sadists - whatever. It's a gift, I think - a genuine insight into the
ridiculousness of life.

But I think her gift tangles up her plot lines, too. Thing is, she *is*
(or thninks she is) trying to create a self-consistent universe -
something she isn't amazingly gifted at, anyway - and then she gets bit
by one of her parodic plot bunnies and things take off like a rabbit
farm on kudzu. (SPEW being a well-documented instance.)

Whether you like the results is a question of taste. It's messy cooking,
but very hearty, I think. (In comparison AS Byatt is a plate of ornately
arranged slivers of raw fish and seeweed, with half the ingredients
swiped from Iris' Murdoch's freezer.) I'll eat in her kitchen any time
of day.

Baaaaaa!

Aberforth's Goat (a.k.a. Mike Gray, who actually likes Byatt and Murdoch
but has never forgiven Byatt for acting so toffee nosed about HP.) 
_______________________

"Of course, I'm not entirely sure he can read, 
so that may not have been bravery...."