So I no longer have access to all the groovy webtools I’d accumulated on my otherwise ancient office computer on which I've worked (well, sometimes) for six years. So I have little idea where my hits are coming from these days, although I get email updates informing me of the quantity, and I must say I’m touched and astonished at how many people seem to be checking in regularly. And given the impressive lack of quality when it comes to my now rather irregular posts, that’s all the more touching. I must admit, I’m a tiny bit verklempt.
Anyhoo, I was browsing some blogs with which I've not kept in touch in two and a half weeks, and one of ’em had that handy-dandy Technorati thang where you can see who links there. So I checked it out and realized I could see who linked to me. And was shocked to discover something like 80 links. I’d have thought a dozen or two. Nice. Several of them I’d never noticed before, at least one of which is because I think she started linking to me whilst I was somewhere in the wilds of Arkansas. She’s got a neat blog with a fantastic name— The Wine Dark Sea—and I don’t just say that because she liked one of my pieces and has defended it rather vociferously.
Because, it seems, at least one of her readers? Yeah, not so much. As in, she thinks I’m bad. Which, of course, is true. But I’m not sure how she picked up on that so quickly. People are sharp these days.
Okay. So the topic is the Harry Potter books, about which I've written several times in the past. Specifically, the talk turns to the incident where Harry gets caught breaking the rules, flying when he’s specifically been told not to by a teacher—because one brand-new student had just seriously injured himself by flying when he had no idea what he was doing—and rather than getting punished, Harry gets put on the Quidditch team instead, a particularly bizarre turn of events given that, as a first year student, Harry’s automatically ineligible for the team.
So this is what reader Jane M said:
I had only read your posts and excerpts when I commented. Now, I have read Scott Peterson and think he's horrid and arrogant. When McGonagle puts Harry on the Quidditch team it is *as the Seeker*, that is the person *who can grab small things out of the air*, so she saw him grab the Remembrall, so Scott missed the subtlety there.
Well, that hurts.
On the other hand, I didn’t exactly go out of my way to spare Ms. Rowling’s feelings so I reckon I can’t object too much. And, of course, it’s true—I am horrid and arrogant. Actually, I’m mainly horridly arrogant, although I've tried being arrogantly horrid and found it just didn’t work for me at all. My singing, on the other foot, is simply plain horrid. Nothing to be arrogant about there a’tall. Nosirreebob.
[What Jane M correctly views as “horrid and arrogant” Top Management prefers to view as “cocky and “sarcastic.” Me? Deep down, I’m just a scared little boy who so wants to be loved.]
I have to admit, however, I’m a bit befuddled by the logic in that there excuse for McGonagall’s inexcusable actions—because Harry was put on the team to be the Seeker, it’s okay that it all came about because he got caught breaking the rules? Is…is being the Seeker some sort of punishment? Because I gotta say, I don’t really think that came through very clearly in any of the books. I mean, I know Rowling’s not as great a writer as some without a decent knowledge of kid lit believe, but even she’s not that bad normally. Or maybe I just missed that subtle subtlety. In future books, when Draco Malfoy becomes Seeker for his house, is he also being punished for something?
I’m very confused by all this.
Okay, just to make sure extra special sure I completely understand how it works:
1) McGonagall catches Harry breaking the rules, albeit in a most impressive way.
2) McGonagall “punishes” Harry by breaking the rules herself and putting him on the Quidditch team so as to take advantage of his newly discovered skills and therefore, hopefully, allow her house to finally win the Cup back from Snape, something she admits she desperately wants.
3) Harry wins much praise as a star Quidditch player.
Hm. Yeah, I’m afraid I’m still missing some of the finer points as to how this is an example of Harry being punished for doing something wrong. Must be too subtle. Much like a Bludger.
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