GoF 8

[pauraque_bk]

In Chapter 7 I really liked arclevel's point about the token-ness of Hermione's Muggle background. I wonder if that'll ever come to anything in canon.


GoF 8: The Quidditch World Cup

This is where we spend several pages watching characters we don't know play a game we don't actually care about. I do try to mine some kind of interest from the Quidditch chapters, but it's not always easy! At least this is the only one in the book; there are three in PoA.

Though Harry could see only a fraction of the immense gold walls surrounding the pitch, he could tell that ten cathedrals would fit comfortably inside it. (87)

Maybe it's because we don't have cathedrals here, but this seems like a strange unit of measure. Why, that arena must be at least a decacathedral long! This is just a weird sentence in general. He can't really see, yet he can see how big it is. Also, are cathedrals ever uncomfortable?

Okay, if I start nitpicking JKR's style, we'll be here all day. Moving on!

But I knows Dobby too, sir!' squeaked the elf. She was shielding her face, as though blinded by the light, though the Top Box was not brightly lit. 'My name is Winky, sir -- and you, sir --' her dark brown eyes widened to the size of side plates as they rested upon Harry's scar, 'you is surely Harry Potter!' (89)

I guess the Malfoys must socialize with Crouch Sr; I don't see how else Winky and Dobby could be friends.

'No, no, no, I says to Dobby, I says, go find yourself a nice family and settle down, Dobby. He is getting up to all sorts of high jinks, sir, what is unbecoming to a house-elf. You goes racketing around like this, Dobby, I says, and next thing I hear you's up in front of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, like some common goblin.' (90)

I can't tell if she's saying she's saying Dobby's actually gotten in trouble, or if she just means he will get in trouble. I also wonder what "high jinks" he's really up to. She mentioned he'd been going around asking for paid work, but we don't know what there is besides that.

And "common goblin", what? Goblins are bankers!

'Master -- master wants me to save him a seat, Harry Potter, he is very busy,' said Winky, tilting her head towards the empty space beside her. (90)

Of course, this is a lie. Crouch Jr is beside her, under an invisibility cloak. Where is Crouch Sr, anyway? Fudge has said several times that he can't find him. If Crouch Sr had stayed around, his son might not have stolen that wand while Winky had her eyes covered... I guess he thinks his Imperius curse is still going strong.

Winky stammers a bit when she lies, but not so as you'd notice.

[Narcissa] was blonde, too; tall and slim, she would have been nice looking if she hadn't been wearing a look that suggested there was a nasty smell under her nose. (91-92)

Cissy! We don't see her again until her moment in the sun in HBP 2. Fanon was pretty kind to her, I think. A lot of people picked up on the comment about her not wanting Draco to go to Durmstrang because it was too far away, and made her primary character point her protectiveness of Draco. And if HBP has anything to say about it, they were right on.

'Everyone ready?' [Bagman] said, his round face gleaming like a great, excited Edam. (93)

Like a what?

Viktor Krum was thin, dark and sallow-skinned, with a large curved nose and thick black eyebrows. He looked like an overgrown bird of prey. (95)

As others have pointed out, Krum's physical description is very like Snape's (although Snape is an "overgrown bat" rather than a bird). He's also "round-shouldered" (104), which is exactly how young Snape is described in OotP 28. Aside from providing fuel for Snape/Hermione shippers, this can be a general point about not judging a book by its cover, etc. Can we make the QWC game into an extended metaphor for Snape's role in the war, like the chess game in PS/SS? A loss, but on his own terms? Am I talking through my hat?

Then there's this:

Watching through his Omnioculars, Harry saw that [the Veela] didn't look remotely beautiful now. On the contrary, their faces were elongating into sharp, cruel-beaked bird heads, and long, scaly wings were bursting from their shoulders--

'And that, boys,' yelled Mr Weasley over the tumult of the crowd below, 'is why you should never go for looks alone!' (101)

Indeed. Not that Harry has learned this yet, but... we're waiting.


Random observations:

The correct plural of Veela is Veela, not Veelas.

By my count, at least two of the Irish players are women (Mullet and Moran), and I'm assuming Ivanova of Bulgaria is too.

Ron has never seen a house-elf before.

I wouldn't bet on the outcome of sporting events in a society that includes people who can (sometimes) see the future.


Previous GoF posts are saved in memories here.

Comments

[tekalynn.livejournal.com]

Edam = Edam cheese. That iconic, big, round, red Dutch cheese. I was surprised to see this is in the US edition as well.

[pauraque]

Amazing. Something an American (well, this American, at least) genuinely wouldn't recognize, and it stays in. I'm coming to believe that GoF is the most sloppily edited of all the books.

[ivy-chan.livejournal.com]

*is American, and knows Edam* In fact, I've eaten it. It's quite tasty. *moves on*

[sinspired.livejournal.com]

With you, I didn't have any problems with the Edam reference, either, here in Pennsylvania.

[(Anonymous)]

I didn't have any problems with the Edam reference either. It's rather common in Oklahoma.

[alchemine.livejournal.com]

Like a what?

Well, an Edam is a kind of a cheese that comes in a big, red, waxed ball, but I've certainly never seen one get excited. Although who knows what they're thinking as the cheese knife approaches ...

[nightbluesprite.livejournal.com]

*cracks up*

[atalantapendrag.livejournal.com]

I'm assuming Ivanova of Bulgaria is too.


*thinks Happythoughts*

[pauraque]

Crossover! Crossover!

[atalantapendrag.livejournal.com]

Well, she could be a descendant...

*hides Psicorps badge*

[sinspired.livejournal.com]

Well, I thought that she was implying (as she usually does) that the less-fan-favorable team did not have any women, while the team she wants to win has three women chasers...

[(Anonymous)]

In most Slavic countries/languages, people having last names ending with "ova" are generally female. I don't know about in Bulgaria, but in Russia, for example, the male relatives of an "Ivanova" are "Ivanov."

I agree with you on the usual trend that the "opponent" team is generally sexist (and ugly, and stupid), but I'm not sure she's trying to do that with the Bulgarians. We're certainly supposed to like Krum, and their Minister is awfully funny, IMO.

[arclevel.livejournal.com]

The above comment was me, btw. I forgot I wasn't logged in.

[scarah2.livejournal.com]

Regardless of what the books actually say, I can't help but get the feeling that Jo doesn't intend for us to think that Harry went for Ginny on looks alone. Whether she's been successful at showing that is another matter.

What I want to know is, when is Fleur going to go all frightening pterydactyl on someone's ass?

[silentauror.livejournal.com]

No, he went for Ginny because she's his mother, apparently...

And I was just waiting for Fleur to pterydactyl at Mrs. Weasley at the end of HBP, there. Pity she didn't; that would have been a cool scene. And now I'm imagining all the cool, scary powers her and Bill's children might have. :)

[ani-bester.livejournal.com]

I still maintain that, red hair aside, Ginny is more like James than Lily, and thus Haryr's attraction, but it's kinda the same thing (The way Ginny acts toward those she does not like, her recklessness and well, her Quidditch playing all remind me of James)

[silentauror.livejournal.com]

Fair enough. :) Either way, it's a little disturbing.

[amythis.livejournal.com]

Maybe you can't if you're only one-quarter Veela. OTOH now I'm suddenly feeling sorry for Bill & Fleur's kids, esp when it comes to discipline.

[alya1989262.livejournal.com]

Let's not forget the possible wolfish characteristics of Bill...

[tekalynn.livejournal.com]

Resulting in a kid with a morbid terror of birds and dogs?

[playscape.livejournal.com]

What's interesting is that JKR never has Harry thinking Ginny's physically attractive at any point in HBP. We hear it from other people, incluing Pansy Parkinson, but never Harry himself. Yeah, the only way I can accept Harry/Ginny is to just look at it from an Oedipal standpoint.

[silentauror.livejournal.com]

*attempts to type through laughter*

Okay:

Dobby: is clearly prostituting himself. Bad Dobby!

Winky's comment about goblins? My, my - racism amongst the magical creatures, what?

I see that others have already addressed the issue of Bagman's cheese face. They could have at least said "an Edam cheese" for the American version. I'm Canadian & we get Brit editions here, but if I noticed that before, I've forgotten.

Krum: is also "duck-footed", according to later chapters. Toes pointing inward, I'm guessing? But I suppose we'll get to that, sorry. :)

Your commentary is really funny; I'm totally enjoying it! :)

[tekalynn.livejournal.com]

Duck-footed, with toes turned out. Ballet dancers are often said to have a "duck walk". Someone who's pigeon-toed has feet turned inward.

[silentauror.livejournal.com]

Oh, my bad. Sorry. :)

So Krum's secretly a ballet dancer?

[amythis.livejournal.com]

Maybe it's because we don't have cathedrals here, but this seems like a strange unit of measure. Why, that arena must be at least a decacathedral long!

LOL. And how many cathedrals has Harry been in? Why not compare it to the Hogwarts Quidditch pitch?

He can't really see, yet he can see how big it is.

Maybe he's measuring the angles (with a slide rule).

I guess the Malfoys must socialize with Crouch Sr; I don't see how else Winky and Dobby could be friends.

I'm guessing elves don't have independent social lives except in huge buildings, like Hogwarts.

'No, no, no, I says to Dobby, I says, go find yourself a nice family and settle down, Dobby.

To me, this sounds a lot like stereotypical-motherly-woman advice to get married.

And "common goblin", what? Goblins are bankers!

But can they Apparate in Hogwarts?

Where is Crouch Sr, anyway?

Avoiding his fanboy Wetherby?

[Narcissa] was blonde, too; tall and slim, she would have been nice looking if she hadn't been wearing a look that suggested there was a nasty smell under her nose. (91-92)

For Harry's POV of a Slytherin, this is actually very complimentary, even if she's not as extremely attractive as Cedric or Bill.

Can we make the QWC game into an extended metaphor for Snape's role in the war, like the chess game in PS/SS? A loss, but on his own terms? Am I talking through my hat?

Snape gets the "Snitch" (final Horcrux) but loses (dies)?

'And that, boys,' yelled Mr Weasley over the tumult of the crowd below, 'is why you should never go for looks alone!' (101)
Indeed. Not that Harry has learned this yet, but... we're waiting.

Now, now, Cedric is not only extremely attractive, he's also good, brave, and loyal. I just wonder what Mr. W thinks of his eldest marrying a Veela. (We know what Mrs. W thinks.)

Ron has never seen a house-elf before.

Because he grew up poor, and the semi-neighbouring wizarding families (Diggorys, Lovegoods, presumably Fawcetts) are not rich.

I wouldn't bet on the outcome of sporting events in a society that includes people who can (sometimes) see the future.

Except some of them, e.g. the centaurs, would consider Qwidditch too trivial to speculate on.

[alya1989262.livejournal.com]

Can we make the QWC game into an extended metaphor for Snape's role in the war, like the chess game in PS/SS? A loss, but on his own terms? Am I talking through my hat?

Snape gets the "Snitch" (final Horcrux) but loses (dies)?

Can't we identify Snape with Regulus (or whoever RAB is)? The two mysterious persons from HBP. The two Death Eaters we're unsure of.
In that case the QWC game would be a metaphor for Regulus' role.

[amythis.livejournal.com]

So Regulus gets the Horcrux and dies? What's the connection with Snape? (I'm exploring this in my WIP, but fanfic is very different than canon of course.)

[alya1989262.livejournal.com]

Well, he did, didn't he??
Snape is like... the missing piece between Regulus and Krum.

[sinspired.livejournal.com]

And "common goblin", what? Goblins are bankers!
But can they Apparate in Hogwarts?

Hrrrm.

Never thought of that. She never really called what the elves do "apparition". I mean, I think Ron and maybe another student or two did, but she's wonderful in that doesn't make it true... It's very similar to apparition of course, but it might be another part of "their own brand of magic". Of course, perhaps the inherent magic of house elves allows them to override the enchantment upon Hogwarts, or perhaps it's a part of the Hogwarts enchantment that their own house elves (of which Kreacher would presumably be a working part) are allowed to apparate in the castle.

[amythis.livejournal.com]

Good point. I wonder what Hermione thinks it is, considering she's the expert on Hogwarts and on elves. Also I'd worry about the elves who sympathize with Voldemort abusing the power.

[seedyapartment.livejournal.com]

Ron has never seen a house-elf before. Huh. You'd have thought he had...

Awesome, awesome icon. <33 *weeps a little*

[vvvexation.livejournal.com]

Not really. He says in CoS that only rich people--like, manor house kind of rich--have them. Or maybe it's the twins who say it.

[vvvexation.livejournal.com]

Re: decacathedrals: He can't really see, yet he can see how big it is.

I imagine the idea is that although he can't see all of it, he can see that it's at least X size.

[lizbee.livejournal.com]

So I guess I'm the only person in the fandom who (a) really enjoys Quidditch and (b) never thought the Harry/Ginny in HBP was based on looks?

Oh well. *makes self a nice tinhat*

(...reasons for enjoying Quidditch: rollercoaster experience + competition - need to run at great speed = The Sport For Liz.)

[pauraque]

But do you really find the play-by-play Quidditch match descriptions exciting to read?

[sea-of-tethys.livejournal.com]

Heh, I loved the World Cup scene. But then, I'm Irish. ;)

[lizbee.livejournal.com]

Actually, yes. *guilty face* I always find them really fun and exciting, and I like seeing these normal kids turning into rabid fiends.

On the other hand, I also enjoy reading cricket matches, and I barely know the rules, let alone watch the game.

[caesia390.livejournal.com]

I like them!!!!!!

I mean, I never go back and re-read them or anything, but I feel vicariously happy via Harry.

And I'm happy when Harry's happy. <3

Prior to Book IV, anyway. (BWA HA HA)

[ani-bester.livejournal.com]

You know, I kinda have to come ot it's defense here becuase I hate the movie Quidditch matches when they run to long, but I thought JKR did a good job keeping it interesting. Especially when held against some of the space battles I've had to slog through in SCi-Fi books. She kept things going and exciting I thought. The only time I thought it dragged was with the mascots.

[alya1989262.livejournal.com]

You're not the only person, no. *g*

[tsosh.livejournal.com]

Maybe it's because we don't have cathedrals here, but this seems like a strange unit of measure.
It's not the only place this measurement is used - when the Room of Requirement turns into the room people hide things in, it's also the size of a large cathedral (HBP, page 492).
I wonder if Harry used to go to church with the Dursleys... I'm not very familiar with christian customs myself, so if anybody does - can we know how religious the Dursleys are? Are they the king of people who would go to church every Sunday?

[arclevel.livejournal.com]

I'm afraid I can't see the Dursleys as religious at all, despite their hatred of witchcraft; it doesn't seem to be based on any impression that it's *evil*, just that it's different and abnormal, and it will make the neighbors think less of them. As to whether they go to church, that might be different. If they lived in certain parts of America, they would likely go to church regularly because it was the thing to do. In other words, they'd be there to be seen and say they went, not to worship (yes, such people exist).

My understanding of the religious landscape of England, though, is that far fewer people regularly attend church anyway, so they'd be unlikely to feel pressured to go. They could well be twice-a-year Christians; that is, generally claiming to "believe", yet rarely practicing the religion and only attending church on the two major Christian holidays (Christmas and Easter). That would give Harry a reason to have been in churches occasionally, but still be mostly free from actual religious influence in his life. (If he has religious opinions, he's very quiet about them, which would be understandable from Jo's perspective; there's really no way to make him *any* religion without considerably narrowing her readership.)

[hilarita.livejournal.com]

Bear in mind that in a small town like Little Whinging, 15-20 years ago, you'd probably be expected to put in an appearance at church most weeks, at least until the children reached their teens and whined too much about going. (Or until Aunt Petunia had an argument with the vicar over the flower-arranging rota). And Harry's primary school would probably have taken them on a very tedious school trip to look at a nearby cathedral, for history.

[arclevel.livejournal.com]

'And that, boys,' yelled Mr Weasley over the tumult of the crowd below, 'is why you should never go for looks alone!' (101)

Indeed. Not that Harry has learned this yet, but... we're waiting.

Reading this here, it occurred to me that, as a message, this completely doesn't work. The Veela aren't vicious and scary despite being beautiful, which would seem to be the message. No, the Veela are beautiful until they are vicious and scary, at which point they immediately become ugly, and vicious- and scary-*looking*. If anything, it reinforces the idea that looks coordinate with temperment. There is a caution in the behavior of the Veela, that you should be sure that someone who's beautiful stays that way under pressure or in bad circumstances (which, taken metaphorically, is very good advice, IMO), but it doesn't really follow that looks aren't everything, basically.

As for Ginny, Harry's apparently going for her *because* she's not only beautiful, but also athletic and a cruel, manipulative, hot-headed bitch. Alternately worded, because she's "the ideal woman." So no, looks aren't everything in that relationship.

[roooof.livejournal.com]

Where is Crouch Sr, anyway?

I assumed his absence was necessary for getting Jr. into the game - there needed to be a seemingly empty seat for him to occupy underneath the cloak and having Crouch Sr. not turn up gives an easily-accepted reason for the house-elf to prevent anyone trying to sit in it.