GoF 24

[pauraque_bk]

Dark Horizons interviews Ralph Fiennes:
Fiennes read the novel Goblet of Fire when cast in the film version, but laughingly concedes "I was only interested in my scene, and I had to go through thousands and thousands of other scenes which I did, dutifully, until I got to my scene and I read it many, many, many, many, many times and that was my research."

Me too, Ralph. Meeee toooooo.


Oh, I almost forgot. sistermagpie provided a far superior analysis of Ron's behavior at the Yule Ball to my Chapter 23. (I never plan to link to her as much as I do; I've rarely found myself agreeing with a person so often and so strongly!)


GoF 24: Rita Skeeter's Scoop

[Rita's article:] [Hagrid] admitted breeding creatures he has dubbed 'Blast-Ended Skrewts', highly dangerous crosses between manticores and fire crabs. The creation of new breeds of magical creature is, of course, an activity usually closely observed by the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. (381)

Aha! I'd forgotten what the Skrewts really were. As is frequently the case in this chapter, I find myself resistant to siding with Hagrid in this matter.

'What d'you mean, "We all hate Hagrid"?' Harry spat at Malfoy. 'What's this rubbish about him' -- he pointed at Crabbe -- 'getting a bad bite off a Flobberworm. They haven't even got teeth!'

Crabbe was sniggering, apparently very pleased with himself. (382)

I wonder if that detail was Crabbe's idea. (In the article, Draco is quoted as repeating it, but that doesn't mean he made it up.)

Also, more on the idea that Hagrid is to Draco what Snape is to Harry: If Harry had the opportunity to get Snape fired, don't you think he'd take it? And don't you think he'd assert that everyone hated him?

'Well, I think this should put an end to the oaf's teaching career,' said Malfoy, his eyes glinting. 'Half-giant... and there was me thinking he'd just swallowed a botle of Skele-Gro when he was young ... none of the mummies and daddies are going to like this at all ... they'll be worried he'll eat their kids, ha, ha...' (382)

Interesting that it doesn't even occur to the two purebloods (Ron and Draco) that Hagrid could be part giant, but it seems obvious to the Muggleborn (Hermione).

'I hope she stays, that woman!' said Parvati Patil, when the lesson had ended, and they were all heading back to the castle for lunch. 'That's more what I thought Care of Magical Creatures would be like ... proper creatures like unicorns, not monsters...' (383)

'That was a really good lesson,' said Hermione, as they entered the Great Hall. 'I didn't know half the things Professor Grubbly-Plank told us[...]' (383)

And Rita notes that Hagrid was given the job over other qualified candidates, though she doesn't name them. Professor Grubbly-Plank is presented quite positively (I like her, at least). As usual, JKR doesn't make it too easy for Harry (or us) to side with Hagrid -- she continuously uses Hagrid to test Harry's compassion (and ours).

As they passed the Durmstrang ship moored in the lake, they saw Viktor Krum emerge onto the deck, dressed in nothing but swimming trunks. He was very skinny, but apparently a lot tougher than he looked, because he climbed up onto the side of the ship, stretched out his arms and dived, right into the lake. (385)

...Dude. That's hot. I'm sorry, what were we talking about?

Oh yes. Viktor's speedo-clad swan dive is not merely an opportunity for further ogling; it indicates that he's already figured out the egg.

[Bagman:] '[...]This lot keep gabbling in Gobbledegook ... and I only know one word of Gobbledegook. Bladvak. It means 'pickaxe'[...]' (387)

Gobbledegook being the language of goblins. Like with Avada Kedavra/abracadabra, JKR drops in a hint of Muggles' cultural memory of certain things about the magical world. ("Gobbledegook", for non-native speakers or anyone else who doesn't know the word, means "nonsense".)

As we know, Hogwarts doesn't teach languages. Not Latin, the basis of their spells, nor the languages of any magical creatures they might have to deal with in life. Seems silly, really, though I guess the idea is that they don't think interspecies communication is worthwhile.

[Bagman:] '[Mr Crouch has] sort of ... stopped coming to work. Been absent for a couple of weeks now. Young Percy, his assistant, says he's ill. Apparently he's just been sending instructions in by owl. But would you mind not mentioning that to anyone, Harry? Because Rita Skeeter's still poking around everywhere she can, and I'm willing to bet she'd work Barty's illness up into something sinister. Probably say he's gone missing like Bertha Jorkins.' (388)

[Rita:] '[...]And what's [Bagman] doing with a pack of goblins in tow anyway? Showing them the sights ... what nonsense ... he was always a bad liar. Reckon something's up? Think we should do a bit of digging? Disgraced Ex-Head of Magical Sports, Ludo Bagman ... snappy start to a sentence, Bozo -- we just need to find a story to fit it--' (391)

Bozo is apparently the name of her photographer. Don't ask me, I have no idea. (Perhaps I should add that Bozo was the name of a TV clown in the US, and is also slang for a buffoon.)

None of this is really helping me come to the conclusion that Rita is a despicable person, since she's right that something is fishy with Bagman and the goblins (he's in gambling debt to them), and if she did decide that Crouch's absence was "something sinister, like Bertha Jorkins", she would again be right! (Very like Bertha Jorkins, in fact, since they were both taken captive by Voldemort.)

[Hermione:] 'Funny, goblins looking for Mr Crouch ... they'd normally deal with the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures.'

[...]

[Ron:] 'Thinking of starting up S.P.U.G. or something? Society for the Protection of Ugly Goblins?'

'Ha, ha, ha,' said Hermione sarcastically. 'Goblins don't need protection. [...] They're very clever. They're not like house-elves, who never stick up for themselves.' (390)

I wonder how the goblins, who are presumably sentient, feel about being subject to Regulation and Control by wizards.

'Hagrid!' Hermione shouted, pounding on his front door. 'Hagrid, that's enough! We know you're in there! Nobody cares if your mum was a giantess, Hagrid! You can't let that foul Skeeter woman do this to you! Hagrid, get out here, you're just being--'

The door opened. Hermione said 'About t--!' and then stopped, very suddenly, because she had found herself face to face, not with Hagrid, but with Albus Dumbledore. (392-393)

'Living proof of what I've been telling you, Hagrid,' said Dumbledore[...] 'I have shown you the letters from the countless parents who remember you from their own days here, telling me in no uncertain terms that, if I sacked you, they would have something to say about it--'

'Not all of 'em,' said Hagrid hoarsely. 'Not all of 'em wan' me ter stay.'

'Really, Hagrid, if you are holding out for universal popularity, I'm afraid you will be in this cabin for a very long time,' said Dumbledore[...] (394)

Well, this is very decent of Dumbledore, really, coming down here and giving Hagrid kindly advice. I hardly know what to say! Can this possibly be an example of Dumbledore being a sweet old dude without any sort of ulterior motive?

'Hagrid, look what I've got for relatives!' Harry said furiously. 'Look at the Dursleys!'

'An excellent point,' said Professor Dumbledore. 'My own brother, Aberforth, was prosecuted for practising inappropriate charms on a goat[...]' (394)

After several attempts, I have decided that there is nothing I can say that would increase the hilarity of this sentence. I do invite the rest of you to try.

'Yeh know wha', Harry?' he said, looking up from the photograph of his father, his eyes very bright. 'When I firs' met you, you reminded me o' me a bit. Mum an' dad gone, an' you was feelin' like yeh wouldn' fit in at Hogwarts, remember? Not sure yeh were really up to it ... an' now look at yeh, Harry! School champion!'

He looked at Harry for a moment and then said, very seriously, 'Yeh know what I'd love, Harry? I'd love yeh ter win, I really would. It'd show 'em all ... yeh don' have ter be pure-blood ter do it. Yeh don' have ter be ashamed of what yeh are. It'd show 'em Dumbledore's the one who's got it righ', lettin' anyone in as long as they can do magic. How you doin' with that egg, Harry?'

'Great,' said Harry. 'Really great.'

[...]

Lying to Hagrid wasn't quite like lying to anyone else. [...] The incomprehensible egg weighed more heavily than ever on Harry's conscience that evening, and by the time he had got into bed, he had made up his mind -- it was time to shelve his pride, and see if Cedric's hint was worth anything. (396-397)

So, I guess we primarily spent the last twelve pages trying to arrive at this point, since nothing else in the chapter is new. (Even the Ron/Hermione subplot is explicitly put on the back burner and ignored.) Harry starts out turning up his nose at Cedric's advice, and then Hagrid's crise de géant occurs so that Harry can be emotionally blackmailed into swallowing his pride.

It's not that I think lying to people should feel good or anything, but it seems to me that Harry's reaction here has more to do with Hagrid's rather horrifying "You have to win in order to prove that I am worthy and did I mention my dad died tragically?" than anything else.

It's not hard to prove that Hagrid is off-base here, either: Harry isn't a Champion because he's more worthy than (pure-blood) Cedric, and he doesn't win. I'm sorry, but this is, in my humble opinion, crap.


Well, that all felt a bit pointless. But be sure to tune in next time for your favorite chapter and mine: PAJAMA PARTY! Er, "The Egg and the Eye".

Previous GoF posts are saved in memories here.

Comments

[embossedsilver.livejournal.com]

As we know, Hogwarts doesn't teach languages. Not Latin, the basis of their spells, nor the languages of any magical creatures they might have to deal with in life. Seems silly, really, though I guess the idea is that they don't think interspecies communication is worthwhile.

Does Anicent Runes count as a language? All I know about it is what little I had to for History of the English Language.

[embossedsilver.livejournal.com]

Oh, and (sorry for the double comments!):

I wonder how the goblins, who are presumably sentient, feel about being subject to Regulation and Control by wizards.

There are a lot of sentient beings subject to control, such as werewolves. Unlike werewolves, goblins seem to be allowed to keep jobs which suggests a pecking order even within this subgroup.

[scarah2.livejournal.com]

Can this possibly be an example of Dumbledore being a sweet old dude without any sort of ulterior motive?

I dunno, Dumbledore's like Hermione in a way. I don't think it's detrimental to Hagrid, Lupin, Snape, etc. that Dumbledore encourages them to teach at Hogwarts, where SPEW arguably could worsen the standard of living of those it advocates. But Dumbledore's actions could present a danger to others (students, teachers) or Dumbledore himself. I also wonder how much is altruistic benevolence or heartfelt love for these people, and how much is his agenda to prove his beliefs to the world that nothing bad would ever come of hiring halfbreeds/Dark creatures/ex-Death Eaters/whatever.

[pauraque]

You don't think it's detrimental to Snape to teach at Hogwarts? Although Dumbledore is physically protecting him, Snape's situation at the school seems to be grinding away at his emotional health on a daily basis, if you ask me.

[slinkhard.livejournal.com]

I also wonder how much is altruistic benevolence or heartfelt love for these people, and how much is his agenda to prove his beliefs to the world that nothing bad would ever come of hiring halfbreeds/Dark creatures/ex-Death Eaters/whatever.

Heh. I always wondered whether it was altruism versus him wanting a school full of people who share his beliefs and politics, are members of his own personal army, so to speak; and all have reasons to prove their gratitude towards him.
But I'd like Dumbledore and indeed Hagrid a whole lot more if they weren't putting their friendships and Hagrid's emotional issues above the safety of the students, which Hagrid's already proved himself incapable of guaranteeing and is in fact actively endangering.

[wootsauce.livejournal.com]

I WISH there was more about magical languages!

[pauraque]

Well, JKR's not Tolkein, you know? She's just not a world-builder type of writer.

[maidenjedi]

Oh man! You just made me think of something!!!! Barty Crouch is in Voldemort's clutches here and sending instructions to Percy via owl. How, exactly, do we know for sure that Percy hasn't been doing Voldemort's bidding without knowing it? I'm not sure there's a way Voldemort could be exerting any kind of control here, but I wonder. I really, really wonder. Percy accepts his boss' absence and we're supposed to believe this is simply because of his own ambition, but what if his ambition is being abused in some way? What if Peter Imperiused Percy, or Barty Jr did? What if that is still in effect in some way?

Hmm. It's rather from the hip, but it's got me wondering a bit.

Also, the goblins - you know, I think they actually have the wizarding community in their grasp without wizards being able to admit it. There's the Regulation board, etc., but goblins control the banking. There wasn't a department at the Ministry of Magic that dealt with currency or money in any fashion (there was a department dealing with international trade, though). So in essence, the goblins control the wizarding economy, as well.

All ponder-y now, and this wasn't even a very ponder-y chapter.

[amythis.livejournal.com]

Quite possibly Percy was Imperiused, which would explain some personality changes. (He's not a bad person in Book 3.)

Re the goblins, it makes me think of medieval Jews. Maybe the goblins took it on because the wizards' beliefs forbid it, and then there might be parallels to anti-Semitism in the prejudice against goblins. Or maybe I'm reading too much into this.

Ch 24

[(Anonymous)]

The scene with Harry and Hagrid, in which Hagrid shames him into giving up his pride for the greater good and a clear conscience, is sort of repeated in HBP, when Harry uses his own sob story to manipulate Slughorn into giving up his shameful memory.


It's also a bit interesting that Hagrid says "It'd show 'em all... yeh don' have ter be pure-blood ter do it. Yeh don' have ter be ashamed of what yeh are", the way he says this makes it to be about Harry, even though he's initially talking about revenge for himself, and, are other people really all that concerned that Harry's not a pure-blood, but half-blood? Why does Hagrid assume this is a problem for Harry? For he can't seriously believe that Harry winning the cup would make Giant-Wizard couplings more palatable?

- Clara

Re: Ch 24

[alya1989262.livejournal.com]

Why does Hagrid assume this is a problem for Harry?
Hagrid knew Lily, and therefore knows she's been discriminated against; I think it's logical for him to suppose her son has to face at least a slight part of that prejudice.

[arclevel.livejournal.com]

I think my sympathy for Hagrid (and my support for Dumbledore pushing him to keep at his job) would be greatly increased if the article hadn't included a confession of serious illegal activity, and an illegal activity pretty closely related to his job, at that. As far as we see, all the backlash from the article is purely about his giant heritage; everyone completely ignores the skrewts.

I hope it was Crabbe's idea. I like any indication that Crabbe and Goyle actually have brains. (We very rarely see them do anything at all *stupid*; they just never say anything.)

I suspect that Ron and Draco never considered the half-giant possibility because it's considered so horrible for a human and giant to mate, whether due to giants' size, violence, or mental capacities, that no pureblood would seriously consider it as a possibility. Hermione just sees them as another magical race and assumes they're equals, even if they aren't.

As we know, Hogwarts doesn't teach languages.

No, the only liberal arts-type classes offered are History of Magic (which is a joke), Muggle Studies (which is a slack-off class), and Ancient Runes (which is mentioned roughly once per book, and seems to have Hermione as its only student). Every other course is either a practical skills class or a science with direct practical application. It seems to be a very narrow education, or really more training program than "education" at all.

[Bagman:] '[Mr Crouch has] sort of ... stopped coming to work. Been absent for a couple of weeks now. Young Percy, his assistant, says he's ill. Apparently he's just been sending instructions in by owl.

And here we have direct evidence that Percy *has*, in fact, informed his superiors at the Ministry what's been going on -- no one's seen Crouch; he's been sending owls. As I've pointed out before, there's utterly no reason to say that Percy screwed up in this job by "not noticing" that his boss was under Imperius. He had very limited information, and he handed that information over to those who were in a better position to follow up on it or to say, "hey, that's not right." So in addition to apparently running the department by himself for several months, he's not committed the grievous error Harry repeatedly accuses him of. Obviously, therefore, his later promotion can only be due to Fudge's desire to spy on Arthur and not because Percy's earned it. */Percy-defense rant

I wonder how the goblins, who are presumably sentient, feel about being subject to Regulation and Control by wizards.

I suspect the number of goblin rebellions Binns has told us about might answer this question.

*sigh* You know, I actually *like* this book. I'm not sure why everything I've been finding to say about it in this read-through has been so negative.

[misentropic.livejournal.com]

and Ancient Runes (which is mentioned roughly once per book, and seems to have Hermione as its only student)

I seem to recall there being some reference in PoA to Ernie Macmillan taking it as well, but I haven't got my copy nearby. It doesn't get referenced nearly as much as Arithmancy, though--which says something, considering that JKR has said she has no idea what Arithmancy actually is.

You raise a really good point about the Hogwarts curriculum, and it's one that's bothered me for some time. Assuming that pureblood children are tutored in basic education before they reach Hogwarts age (and that's a pretty big assumption, all things considered), that means that your average wizard has only learned things like maths and grammar through a fifth-grade level. It'd be very generous to grant the average wizard skills with long division, which, in a society with an insular economy and no calculators, is a little bit appalling. And that's just the mathematic side of it--when you figure in the complete lack of cultural studies and the fact that the ones that do exist seem to be regarded with some disdain, and frankly it's not surprising in the least that "even the best wizards sometimes don't have an ounce of logic." It's hard to develop a sense of logic if you're never taught critical thinking skills.

I'd like to think that JKR just hasn't elaborated much here because she wants to economize space (hee!), but I think she just didn't think this through. When you're trying to create a society that's completely cut off from ours and supposed to be culturally independent, not paying lip service to its actual culture seems like a pretty glaring omission.

[t0ra-chan.livejournal.com]

Aha! I'd forgotten what the Skrewts really were. As is frequently the case in this chapter, I find myself resistant to siding with Hagrid in this matter.

It's definitely not just you. I mean, while Fire Crabs aren't so bad, they just shoot fire (they're also kept as pets), Manticores are classified in the same category as Aragog and his spawn. For heaven's sake, Fantastic Beasts states that their sting causes instant death. WTF, Hagrid, WTF?

Interesting that it doesn't even occur to the two purebloods (Ron and Draco) that Hagrid could be part giant, but it seems obvious to the Muggleborn (Hermione).

That's because Hermione always knows stuff that would make more sense coming from a pureblood. Like how she explained on the train ride what un-plotable means or knew what Avada Kedravra is.

Can this possibly be an example of Dumbledore being a sweet old dude without any sort of ulterior motive?

Nah, he just needs Hagrid to stay on his side so he can have a connection to the giants. Sorry, but after everything that Dumbledore did I'm not capable of seeing any of his actions as selfless.

It's not hard to prove that Hagrid is off-base here, either: Harry isn't a Champion because he's more worthy than (pure-blood) Cedric, and he doesn't win. I'm sorry, but this is, in my humble opinion, crap.

Not to mention that it's Fleur who is also not fully human. Guess Madame Maxine naturally doesn't have problems with part-human students (being a half-giantess herself). So wouldn't it be better for Hagrid's cause if she won? But then, Fleur is not from Hogwarts and therefore doesn't count. Sorry, I'm just peeved that she'll be the worst champion, being the only one not being able to even finish the second task.

[pinkfinity.livejournal.com]

"...practising inapropriate charms on livejournal's own Frank the Goat..."?

[shocolate.livejournal.com]

'An excellent point,' said Professor Dumbledore. 'My own brother, Aberforth, was prosecuted for practising inappropriate charms on a goat'

When I first read that line I sat and blinked at it for several minutes.

Could not believe my eyes.

And decided that the books were not for children, after all, and it was ok for me to carry on...

[shocolate.livejournal.com]

Oh - and *snigger* at your choice of music!

Yes, but not often!

[amythis.livejournal.com]

Oh, I almost forgot. sistermagpie provided a far superior analysis of Ron's behavior at the Yule Ball to my Chapter 23.

She's very good.

As is frequently the case in this chapter, I find myself resistant to siding with Hagrid in this matter.

Hagrid has always been shown to be a complete idiot when it comes to Magical Creatures, so of course that's the job Dumbledore gives him. And AD waits till Snape has severely compromised himself with the Unbreakable Vow, and then he gives him the long-coveted DADA post. (After such stellar choices as a man with Voldemort sticking out of the back of his head; a lying egomaniac; a werewolf who doesn't always remember to take his Potion; and of course his-dear-old-friend-who's-actually-a-Death-Eater-in-disguise.)

And people are worried that Hogwarts doesn't give kids a good grounding in the sciences and arts?

And don't you think he'd assert that everyone hated him?

Is there any teacher there that isn't either hated by someone or regarded as forgettable by everyone?

Interesting that it doesn't even occur to the two purebloods (Ron and Draco) that Hagrid could be part giant, but it seems obvious to the Muggleborn (Hermione).

Because Ron and Draco are just starting to discover romance. :-P

Professor Grubbly-Plank is presented quite positively (I like her, at least).

And in OotP, too, when she tends to Hedwig.

Oh yes. Viktor's speedo-clad swan dive is not merely an opportunity for further ogling; it indicates that he's already figured out the egg.

Sure, just like JKR has to tell us about Harry and, indirectly, Cedric in the tub. She doesn't really care how Fleur was dressed when she figured out the egg.

Young Percy, his assistant, says he's ill.

Bagman calls him "Young Percy," rather than Wetherby.

Can this possibly be an example of Dumbledore being a sweet old dude without any sort of ulterior motive?

One assumes you're sarcastic.

'An excellent point,' said Professor Dumbledore. 'My own brother, Aberforth, was prosecuted for practising inappropriate charms on a goat[...]' (394)
After several attempts, I have decided that there is nothing I can say that would increase the hilarity of this sentence. I do invite the rest of you to try.

Impossible. I like that the charms were "inappropriate," implying that some goat-charms are okay.

[csi-tokyo3.livejournal.com]

Sure, just like JKR has to tell us about Harry and, indirectly, Cedric in the tub. She doesn't really care how Fleur was dressed when she figured out the egg.

... Now I want to see a ficlet where we learn how Fleur figures out her egg and how she's dressed. Wonder if Beaubaxtons has their students wear 1950's bathing costumes or something ...

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

I never plan to link to her as much as I do; I've rarely found myself agreeing with a person so often and so strongly!

:-D

If Harry had the opportunity to get Snape fired, don't you think he'd take it? And don't you think he'd assert that everyone hated him?

Of course, and neither he nor Malfoy would be lying. Most of the school *does* hate Hagrid's classes.

The flobberworms line does seem like typical Malfoy (or possibly Crabbe, since they could share the same type of humor) humor--he's not really as good at put-downs as he is at absurdity. He's good in Hagrid's class because it's absurd. It the same when he's taking points off in the Inquisitorial Squad. He knows it's crazy and is just riffing on that. By sticking in the fact that Crabbe got a bad bite from a flobberworm, they make it clear they're kidding and having fun with it. It reminds me of the character Bill Murray played in Meatballs (Tripper Harrison, I believe was his name). Tripper gives an interview about rival Camp Mohawk in the movie, claiming all the kids there stalk and kill their own bear and the camp imports hookers from all over the world. I love the Slytherins!

Interesting that it doesn't even occur to the two purebloods (Ron and Draco) that Hagrid could be part giant, but it seems obvious to the Muggleborn (Hermione).

Interesting that it shows Hermione thinking about it more (she also figures out that Lupin is a werewolf). I guess the boys assume everyone halfway normal must be a wizard. I like that it makes it clear Draco's hatred of Hagrid has nothing to do with his being a giant.

As usual, JKR doesn't make it too easy for Harry (or us) to side with Hagrid -- she continuously uses Hagrid to test Harry's compassion (and ours).

As someone who probably always fails her tests, I don't see how it has to do with compassion. That would be like saying we should have all agreed with Bush that Brownie did a great job if we were compassionate.

Seems silly, really, though I guess the idea is that they don't think interspecies communication is worthwhile.

Many of the other species seem to speak English as well, so it sort of mirrors American education there. Few people here speak other languages but lots of people learn English.

None of this is really helping me come to the conclusion that Rita is a despicable person

It's really hard to go along completely with our main characters' views on the press ever.

'Goblins don't need protection. [...] They're very clever. They're not like house-elves, who never stick up for themselves.' (390)

Nice judgement by Hermione there. Goblins don't need protection because they are "clever" (meaning they do what I would do). House-eleves do, because their characters are flawed. A nice insight into the mind of this kind of reformer, preferring the group that seems innocent and helpless to the "craftier" people (who have money).

'I have shown you the letters from the countless parents who remember you from their own days here'

Of course all these people knew Hagrid as a groundskeeper and not a teacher. I hate the way stuff with Hagrid always gets lumped together to make him more sympathetic. The stuff he really does wrong gets hidden behind not being prejudiced or him not having a job.

And anyway, you can't trust a man whose brother does stuff with goats. (!!)

Harry's reaction here has more to do with Hagrid's rather horrifying "You have to win in order to prove that I am worthy...Harry isn't a Champion because he's more worthy than (pure-blood) Cedric, and he doesn't win.

The prejudice thing is kind of drafted into service where it doesn't belong. Harry not only doesn't identify himself as a half-blood and his parentage only suggests he should be a champion. Hagrid's just completely projected his own immediately situation onto Harry, and as I said above, everyone's found a way to get around Hagrid's own flaws by pretending anyone who has a problem with him is just racist.

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

p.s. Isn't it kind of funny that Harry is accusing the Slytherins of saying these things when he himself has experienced one of Rita's interviews? He's quoted as saying things that he did not say at all, so perhaps whatever they did say wasn't this. I mean, I can't imagine that the Slytherins, and Draco especially, *wouldn't* say Hagrid was a terrible teacher and talk about getting injured in class, but "We're all too afraid to say anything" doesn't exactly sound like Draco, unless Draco is kidding and trying to sound differently.

This just goes along with the way the press is always viewed. Everybody knows its lying when they happen to know the truth, but whatever they read about somebody else they take as fact.

[ani-bester.livejournal.com]

I always found it interesting that Rita put in the bit about a flobberworm bite as it seem slike soemthing that would be common knowledge. Is this yet another example that wizards don't even know enough about their own surrounding to know that flobberworms don't have teeth?

And I also think it's testament to the anti-human prdujidce that, as you say, ti was more a concern to parents that Hagrid was a giant than that he was involved in illegal activities, but then, maybe they kidna thought it was the same thing? The crazy half-giant has bred horrible monsters and is making my child care for them, yeah that sounds about right for a giant (and after seeing real giants in the books, I have to admit that without meeting Hagrid, *I'd* a bit alarmed about the idea of a half giant teaching my kid!)

To me she did a much better job showing unreasonable predjudice with werewolves than with giants, because yeaaahhhh giants were pretty bad in OotP.

In my opinion, JKR was much better off when Hagrid was not a teacher and I honestly don't see any reason why he should ever have been made one unless JKR wanted to give some kinda support to Lucius's position of Dumbledore not being all that great for the school. I mean Hagrid's not a good teacher and they kids are missing out on a lor of useful information because Dumbledore played favorites for no apperent reason.

[ani-bester.livejournal.com]

Oh I meant to add

Disgraced Ex-Head of Magical Sports, Ludo Bagman ... snappy start to a sentence, Bozo -- we just need to find a story to fit it--'

I think it's that kinda attitude that makes Rita a bad reporter. She's not so much worried aobut the truth but aobut a story and she sounds like she's willing to make it up if she has too. Very much like what happens now the yellow journalism at the turn of 1900's (and what helped cause the Spanish American war? That's right, a made up newspaper story!)

So the fact that she is accidently right is unimportant to the fact that she would ahve said these things with or without facts, something that I think is more obvious when she does her "expose" on Harry.

Maybe it's just me, but...

[(Anonymous)]

...what is the deal with Dumbledore and Aberforth? In my neck of the woods, telling people (however amusingly or truthfully) that your brother's a goat-shagging ignoramus would indicate some less than brotherly feelings, there. Okay, probably all it means is that JKR wanted to bring up the character and slip a bestiality joke past the editors, and there was much rejoicing. But it's a funny way to talk about your bro. Not to mention a funny kind of brother for a patrician type like DD. First cousin to the Gaunts from the sound of it. /overanalysis

Re: Maybe it's just me, but...

[(Anonymous)]

Simple answer: He's joining Harry in trying to snap Hagrid out of his funk. Dumbledore's the person that Hagrid admires most in the world, and if Dumbledore has a less than savory brother, then how can Hagrid continue to blame himself for his mother's faults?


English class overanalysis answer: Dumbledore's tragic flaw, according to his enemies, is that he trusts too easily (see his second-chance club). In fact, most of the characters in the book, no matter how much they may admire him, see him as over-trusting, naive, or gullible. The random and cheerful sharing of personal information lends credence to these views. However, Dumbledore has proven that he can, in fact, keep personal information personal when he wants to. Therefore, one can assume that Dumbledore has consciously cultivated his air of naivete. Dumbledore has plots, but who's going to worry about them when the old guy throws goat sex into random conversations?

[lanjelin.livejournal.com]

Also, more on the idea that Hagrid is to Draco what Snape is to Harry: If Harry had the opportunity to get Snape fired, don't you think he'd take it? And don't you think he'd assert that everyone hated him?

Well, he would probably mention Snapes favoritism of Slytherin. But otherwise, yes, I think this is one of the times where parallells are drawn between Harry and Draco.

And Rita notes that Hagrid was given the job over other qualified candidates, though she doesn't name them.

She might be making it up though. Wasn't Grubbly-Plank retired? It seems to be rather difficult to get teachers to work at Hogwarts...

As we know, Hogwarts doesn't teach languages.

Yes, I find this really strange. Actually, I've been wondering if they get any basic education at all in subjects like math, geography, litterature, music, art or even general knowledge about their own political system.

None of this is really helping me come to the conclusion that Rita is a despicable person, since she's right that something is fishy with Bagman and the goblins

Well, she is a despicable person who is also right about those things. They're not mutually exclusive, those things.

Anyway, I found it amusing that Draco apparently repeatedly gets close enough to Harry to whisper insults to him...

[slinkhard.livejournal.com]

Well, he would probably mention Snape's favoritism of Slytherin.

I wonder if the other students view Hagrid as favouring the Trio. Certainly it's fairly obvious that he likes them personally, and iirc, even in the detention scene in PS; there's a marked difference between how he speaks to them and obviously Draco, but even Neville also.

[winningstreak.livejournal.com]

'Well, I think this should put an end to the oaf's teaching career,' said Malfoy, his eyes glinting. 'Half-giant... and there was me thinking he'd just swallowed a botle of Skele-Gro when he was young ... none of the mummies and daddies are going to like this at all ... they'll be worried he'll eat their kids, ha, ha...' (382)

Interesting that it doesn't even occur to the two purebloods (Ron and Draco) that Hagrid could be part giant...

I thought Draco was being sarcastic...

[(Anonymous)]

I thought Draco was being sarcastic...

It's possible, of course, but I don't think it's likely he knew, or had guessed, and then not told or tried to use it against Hagrid. Particularly in PoA when the Malfoys try their best to get him fired would it have been irresistible to talk about giant parentage and irresponsibility. And I just can't imagine Draco, with his impulse control, ;-) keeping something like that to himself if he had known.

- Clara

[featherxquill.livejournal.com]

I don't think Rita is a despicable person at all. Not really. She is, like most other Slytherins (and she is so DEFINITELY a Slytherin) ambitious, willing to do whatever she can to get what she wants (write a good story, make money, buy handbags - hell, I relate). She's cunning and ruthless, and she throws obstacles in Harry's path, so of course she is constructed through his viewpoint to be evil and horrible.

Interestingly enough, she also writes the Quibbler article in OotP, and obviously gives it her all (it's a damn good article, and she's used her writing talent to make it so - she was only forced to write it, not write it well). Harry very conveniently forgets that part.

Of course, I think I'm coming to like Rita quite a bit since I've seen Miranda Richardson in character as her - the woman is just damn hawt.

I love Professor Grubbly-Plank. Not sure she's been put in GoF, but I hope they include her in OotP. I so badly want Judi Dench to play her, now I know she's not cast as Umbridge.

[lanjelin.livejournal.com]

Well, I think it's rather despicable to be as uncaring about what her actions causes as she is. She doesn't actually care if what she writes is true or not, as long as it's a good story.

Of course, Harry dislikes her for personal reasons, but those are rather good reasons I think.

Ambition and cunning actually doesn't rule out empathy. Rita Skeeter is an example of when thirst for fame and acknowledgement has overruled everything else.

terestingly enough, she also writes the Quibbler article in OotP, and obviously gives it her all (it's a damn good article, and she's used her writing talent to make it so - she was only forced to write it, not write it well). Harry very conveniently forgets that part.

It's been a while since I read OotP now, but wasn't Harry pleased with that article? If you mean that he's still suspicious of her motives... well, don't you think he has reason too? She doesn't really do it for a selfless reason after all.

[pilly2009.livejournal.com]

I wonder if that detail was Crabbe's idea. (In the article, Draco is quoted as repeating it, but that doesn't mean he made it up.)

I totally missed the part where it was actually Draco who reported this to Rita, so I was under the impression that it was Crabbe's detail. But then again, he might have simply been chuckling over Draco's brilliance.

If Harry had the opportunity to get Snape fired, don't you think he'd take it? And don't you think he'd assert that everyone hated him?

Dunno if it's an accurate comparison, but didn't he have this sort of opportunity in OotP? Umbridge was sniffing around Snape's class in a similar manner as she was doing to Hagrid, and not just for his background (although Harry knew at this point that Snape was interacting with Voldemort, even as a spy), and as Rita did to Hagrid in this book: wondering whether it was advisable for students to be learning a Strengthening Potion. Students (well, Neville anyway, in PS) have been injured in Snape's class, too, and this could have been brought up, but wasn't.

Seems silly, really, though I guess the idea is that they don't think interspecies communication is worthwhile.

I think it's another parallel to the real world. I know in Canada, though a healthy percent of the population is Italian, or Spanish, or of other nationalities, they don't teach any other required language in schools except for French (the other national language). I don't know whether it's different in the UK (although I think that in the U.S., they teach Spanish as the requisite language rather than French). But as the main magical creatures we see all seem able to speak English (with the exception of the mermaids), I figure that there probably is no second magical language that wizards feel they need to know; any minority species will simply learn their language.

[stvincent.livejournal.com]

Lying to Hagrid wasn't quite like lying to anyone else. [...]

I don't have the text in front of me, but wasn't there something after this about Harry feeling like he would hurt/let Hagrid down if he told him the truth? It reminded me of Hagid's apparent childishness in the books, which was discussed a few chapters back.