Regarding the Dursleys' treatment of Harry, that surprises me a little (again, every time): If they are worried he will hurt them, they should be nicer, shouldn't they? They shout at him for mentioning magic, for example. Then again, I suppose they are being as nice as they can (limited experience etc.), and they do get worse once they realise he cannot use magic. Hmmm.
Another, related, thing that struck me was that the Dursleys' preoccupation with keeping Harry from Hogwarts seems to suggest they actually care for him, in a warped, twisted way -- if not they would just leave him to magical life, surely? It would be less of a liability for them to have him at Hogwarts 10 months out of the year, than locked up in his room in their house (where he might suddenly lose control and start magicking the neighbours?
I also love how the twins have learnt how to open doors illegally the muggle way. They take their mischief seriously. That points forward to their later development, I suppose: their mischief is not an attempt to avoid hard work; it is often a product of it.
And I noted how Mrs Weasley told the twins to take a leaf out of Percy's book. I like how that sets up the later reversal, where the twins are heroes and Percy anything but. The later reversal would not be as effective if this wasn't there to lay the ground.
Another, related, thing that struck me was that the Dursleys' preoccupation with keeping Harry from Hogwarts seems to suggest they actually care for him, in a warped, twisted way -- if not they would just leave him to magical life, surely? It would be less of a liability for them to have him at Hogwarts 10 months out of the year, than locked up in his room in their house (where he might suddenly lose control and start magicking the neighbours?
I also love how the twins have learnt how to open doors illegally the muggle way. They take their mischief seriously. That points forward to their later development, I suppose: their mischief is not an attempt to avoid hard work; it is often a product of it.
And I noted how Mrs Weasley told the twins to take a leaf out of Percy's book. I like how that sets up the later reversal, where the twins are heroes and Percy anything but. The later reversal would not be as effective if this wasn't there to lay the ground.
The Dursleys treat Harry worse in this book (directly) than they did in the first book, IMHO. At least they HAD to let him out to eat, etc. when he was in the cupboard. Installing a flap in the bedroom door so they could lock him in and just hand food through to him? Awful. I don't think they view him as a completely viable threat just yet. They're stradling their fear of the magical world with their need to beat Harry into "normal." Once they start seeing more things happen, a la blowing up Aunt Marge, they start to connect some of other things that happened to them with Harry.
The twins are two of my favorite characters in the series. They do some amazing things in the valiant effort of underachieving! I had forgotten about the "be more like Percy" thing. I've been reading through the later books and I feel for Mr and Mrs Weasley as we see him turn into a boot-licking ministry lackey and completely turn on his family. This earlier praise makes it even worse.
The Great Harry Potter re-read: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
19/07/2010 09:32:22 AM
- 2358 Views
Chapters 1-3
19/07/2010 09:32:52 AM
- 1590 Views
Dobby
19/07/2010 02:39:06 PM
- 1559 Views
I hate Dobby.
20/07/2010 11:32:58 AM
- 1674 Views
Stuff
20/07/2010 05:54:26 PM
- 1589 Views
The Dursley's and the Twins
21/07/2010 02:22:41 PM
- 1503 Views
The Dursleys.
23/07/2010 11:35:31 PM
- 1639 Views
Chapters 4-6
19/07/2010 09:33:18 AM
- 1544 Views
Another character we love to hate! Gilderoy Lockhart. Plus Weasley vs Malfoy.
20/07/2010 03:29:39 PM
- 1590 Views
I can't remember how much I hated him the first read
21/07/2010 03:44:15 AM
- 1672 Views
You're right. It's not as bad the second (or third) time around with him.
21/07/2010 01:54:01 PM
- 1478 Views
My problems with Dobby are very different from my problems with Lockhart
21/07/2010 07:02:55 AM
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More stuff
21/07/2010 07:00:04 AM
- 1518 Views
This section really brought home to me how well Rowling writes about love and relationships.
21/07/2010 07:22:43 PM
- 1601 Views
That last remark made me check out the names in the French translation...
26/07/2010 05:18:36 PM
- 1628 Views
Don't get me started on the Norwegian translation.
26/07/2010 09:52:09 PM
- 1560 Views
That is indeed genuinely awesome.
27/07/2010 12:24:07 AM
- 1569 Views
Re: That is indeed genuinely awesome.
27/07/2010 09:07:35 AM
- 1556 Views
McSnurf? MCSNURF?? WTH? *NM*
27/07/2010 08:47:55 PM
- 940 Views
Chapters 7-9
19/07/2010 09:33:44 AM
- 1517 Views
Colin Creevey.
22/07/2010 06:55:17 PM
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Re: Colin Creevey.
23/07/2010 10:13:33 PM
- 1514 Views
Even more stuff
23/07/2010 10:10:39 PM
- 1586 Views
Chapters 10-12
19/07/2010 09:34:13 AM
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Three good chapters
22/07/2010 02:28:20 PM
- 1490 Views
Yup.
23/07/2010 11:32:03 PM
- 1531 Views
I agree. And plain jealousy that Harry's hogging the spotlight time and again.
26/07/2010 05:28:09 PM
- 1610 Views
Chapters 13-15
19/07/2010 09:34:50 AM
- 1303 Views
Heh. I'd forgotten how near the end of the book the spiders are.
23/07/2010 11:26:43 PM
- 1372 Views
"Goodbye friends of Hagrid..."
26/07/2010 01:58:25 PM
- 1388 Views
Chapters 16-18
19/07/2010 09:35:20 AM
- 1468 Views
Overall thoughts
19/07/2010 09:36:06 AM
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Thoughts on the movie quality
21/07/2010 04:15:20 AM
- 1305 Views
I always felt that the first two movies were the best, and the others bungled the atmosphere. *NM*
21/07/2010 03:08:29 PM
- 859 Views
I wonder if Rowling ever looks back and wishes she could change some stuff
21/07/2010 06:44:41 PM
- 1413 Views
Suggestions for the re-read?
19/07/2010 09:37:32 AM
- 1372 Views
Do we want a wee break before the next book?
24/07/2010 10:47:07 AM
- 1343 Views
we need an impatient smiley that taps its foot while looking grumpy. *NM*
27/07/2010 08:51:30 PM
- 824 Views
It's not Wednesday yet! *NM*
27/07/2010 09:26:21 PM
- 752 Views
But it was a question:
27/07/2010 10:25:27 PM
- 1364 Views
Yes, but the two possibilities in Rebekah's post were either Wednesday or next Monday.
27/07/2010 10:33:10 PM
- 1705 Views