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pauraque_bkI'm really pleased with the quality of the discussion this read-through has generated so far. If you haven't already, you might want to check out conversations on the relative merits of the books and why people like PoA so much in Chapter 1, and on Dursley family dynamics and readers' impressions of antagonistic characters in Chapter 2.
If ever you have something to say about my commentary or about the chapter in general, speak up! Add! Quibble! Pontificate!
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PoA 3: The Knight Bus
One of several suggestions that the Muggle world is dangerous, foreign, and frightening. Harry is not just afraid of encountering the authorities, but the "Muggle police" (30), even though it's wizard law he's broken. He sees himself as fully wizard by this point.
Okay, this whole Knight Bus concept. It's illegal for private citizens to own magical cars, and there's no suggestion that wizards use regular vehicles for transport -- indeed, they shun Muggle technology. So why a bus? And why just for emergencies?
[EDIT: In the next couple of chapters, "Ministry cars" are sent to pick up the Weasleys -- but again, these are owned by the government and only for emergencies.]
Mm, symbolic goodness. The Harry=Neville connection is woven deeply into the series. They were each potentially the child of the prophecy, and each saw their parents destroyed by Voldemort (indirectly in Neville's case). I also notice that Neville sometimes serves to play out Harry's fears: Harry fears that he's incapable, he fears being the runt who gets picked on. By OotP, Harry is directly helping Neville overcome his inadequacies -- an external parallel to Harry's battle against his own fears.
Of course, in PoA Neville is also overtly compared to Peter, as we'll see later on.
It also strikes me that no one ever recognizes Harry by his face -- they have to see his scar. You'd think there would have been pictures of him in the paper by this time, given the extraordinary events of the past two years.
More description of Sirius in terms we normally associate with Snape. Also, an interesting reversal -- Sirius is pursued by creatures who suck out his essence as vampires would.
Wizards appear to have no concept of cruel and unusual punishment, or even that driving criminals insane and then releasing them (Hagrid was held for only two months) is a foolish idea.
Wandless, wordless magic, performed by an innkeeper.
This is an odd way for Fudge to put it, if no one has ever escaped from Azkaban before. Perhaps the Dementors are also sent to collect suspects who haven't been arrested yet.
If ever you have something to say about my commentary or about the chapter in general, speak up! Add! Quibble! Pontificate!
*
PoA 3: The Knight Bus
He was stranded, quite alone, in the dark Muggle world[...] (29)
One of several suggestions that the Muggle world is dangerous, foreign, and frightening. Harry is not just afraid of encountering the authorities, but the "Muggle police" (30), even though it's wizard law he's broken. He sees himself as fully wizard by this point.
Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard[...] (30)
Okay, this whole Knight Bus concept. It's illegal for private citizens to own magical cars, and there's no suggestion that wizards use regular vehicles for transport -- indeed, they shun Muggle technology. So why a bus? And why just for emergencies?
[EDIT: In the next couple of chapters, "Ministry cars" are sent to pick up the Weasleys -- but again, these are owned by the government and only for emergencies.]
'Woss your name?' Stan persisted.
'Neville Longbottom,' said Harry, saying the first name that came into his head. (31)
Mm, symbolic goodness. The Harry=Neville connection is woven deeply into the series. They were each potentially the child of the prophecy, and each saw their parents destroyed by Voldemort (indirectly in Neville's case). I also notice that Neville sometimes serves to play out Harry's fears: Harry fears that he's incapable, he fears being the runt who gets picked on. By OotP, Harry is directly helping Neville overcome his inadequacies -- an external parallel to Harry's battle against his own fears.
Of course, in PoA Neville is also overtly compared to Peter, as we'll see later on.
It also strikes me that no one ever recognizes Harry by his face -- they have to see his scar. You'd think there would have been pictures of him in the paper by this time, given the extraordinary events of the past two years.
Harry had never seen a vampire, but he had seen pictures of them in his Defence Against the Dark Arts classes, and Black, with his waxy white skin, looked just like one. (34)
More description of Sirius in terms we normally associate with Snape. Also, an interesting reversal -- Sirius is pursued by creatures who suck out his essence as vampires would.
'If he weren't [mad] when he went to Azkaban, he will be now,' said Ern in his slow voice. (35)
Wizards appear to have no concept of cruel and unusual punishment, or even that driving criminals insane and then releasing them (Hagrid was held for only two months) is a foolish idea.
Tom clicked his fingers, a fire burst into life in the grate, and he bowed himself out of the room. (37)
Wandless, wordless magic, performed by an innkeeper.
Oh, you've heard -- well, no, [they haven't caught Black] yet, but it's only a matter of time. The Azkaban guards have never yet failed ... and they are angrier than I've ever seen them. (40)
This is an odd way for Fudge to put it, if no one has ever escaped from Azkaban before. Perhaps the Dementors are also sent to collect suspects who haven't been arrested yet.
