While Hermione constantly reminds us that females can be strong and powerful, Fleur Delacour obliterates this message in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
When she is chosen by the Goblet of Fire to be a champion for her school, the reader (especially if they are girls) might get excited because there is a girl competing against the boys and she could possibly win. As it turns out, however, Fleur's only strength is her beauty.
First Task - The Dragons
While we do not have details about how she fared against the dragon, she was able to collect the golden egg. When we hear about the ranking at the Third Task, we are left to assume that Fleur, being in last place, did not do very well in this task.
Second Task - The Lake
Despite working out the clue from the egg and successfully using the Bubble-Head charm, Fleur gets attacked and isn't strong enough to fight back against them, so she is brought up to the surface and disqualified.
Even worse, in the movie, Harry also comes across some grindylows and uses his wand to blast them far enough away that he can escape and complete the task. Where was Fleur's wand? Why didn't she find a way to fight back, especially since she is several years older and has more magical knowledge then Harry?
Pathetic.
Third Task - The Maze
Through no fault of her own, Fleur is also disqualified from this task as well due to Krum cursing her. But, once again, we hate to ask -- why didn't she fight back?
Also, in the movie, we see her running through the maze, clearly distressed and afraid. The boys, however, though possibly nervous, seem to be holding themselves together quite well as they navigate towards the Triwzard Cup.
So . . . why was Fleur competing when she clearly is outmatched by all her male competitors, including Harry who is significantly younger and less prepared than her?
I propose that Fleur was only there because Rowling found it necessary to have a girl character compete in the Tournament so that she wouldn't be labeled as an anti-feminist. But, really, making Fleur lose every task can arguably be used as proof that Rowling is anti-feminist because all she is is just another pretty face.
In the end, Hermione gets to be smart because she is plain looking and Fleur exists only to be a beautiful girl who somehow, by a miracle of God, became a Triwizard Champion.
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Monday, January 21, 2013
Mommy Dearest . . .
When reading/watching Harry Potter, the two moms that come to mind are Lily Potter and Molly Weasley.
Lily -- the mother who willingly die to protect her son when she was given the option of escaping to live on (supposedly. This is Voldemort we're talking about . . . )
Molly -- the mother who had more children than anyone else in the series, but had enough love for her six sons and one daughter as well as Harry and Hermione, even before they married into the family.
Both of these women are to be admired as strong, good mothers.
. . . But what about Narcissa Malfoy? Just because she is a Malfoy serving Voldemort (possibly only under the influence of her husband) doesn't mean she is an evil or bad mother.
Lets look at the evidence:
1. She disobeys Voldemort's direct orders to protect her son in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. She appeals to Snape, knowing that she could be punished or killed for speaking about the plan, so that Draco will not die in his attempt to kill Dumbledore so that he won't die.
2. In the same book, she defends Draco at Madame Malkins. She may have been snooty and rude, but it was all for Draco's benefit and protection.
3. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, she is the one to check if Harry was dead or not. She pronounced Harry as being dead because he was able to tell her Draco was still alive in the castle. We have to question what she would have done if Harry said Draco was dead, but that is not the point. The point is that the question was asked out of concern for Draco.
4. In the movie (Part Two), Draco seems to be debating on whether or not to walk over to the Death Eaters. When Lucius pleaded him to join their side again, Draco remained still. It wasn't until his mother called gently and offered her hand out to him that he crossed to the other side. This could be because Draco loves his mother more than his father, but logically, that reason is because Narcissa is a good mother who knows how to take care of and speak to her son. Then, she takes Draco by the hand and ditches all the Death Eaters because she never cared for the war or Voldemort; her dedication was to Draco alone. Of course, Lucius ends up leaving with them, he does it looking over his shoulder to make sure he wouldn't be killed for leaving; Narcissa, on the other hand, never turns back. She was able to remove her son from danger and that's all that mattered to her.
I feel like quoting Wreck-It Ralph -- "Just because you're a Bad Guy doesn't mean you are a bad guy."
Just because your family serves Voldemort doesn't mean you are a bad person or Death Eater. Either way, Narcissa is still a good mother, Death Eater or not, because being a Death Eater has nothing to do with the kind of mother you are and Narcissa is a good mother.
Lily -- the mother who willingly die to protect her son when she was given the option of escaping to live on (supposedly. This is Voldemort we're talking about . . . )
Molly -- the mother who had more children than anyone else in the series, but had enough love for her six sons and one daughter as well as Harry and Hermione, even before they married into the family.
Both of these women are to be admired as strong, good mothers.
. . . But what about Narcissa Malfoy? Just because she is a Malfoy serving Voldemort (possibly only under the influence of her husband) doesn't mean she is an evil or bad mother.
Lets look at the evidence:
1. She disobeys Voldemort's direct orders to protect her son in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. She appeals to Snape, knowing that she could be punished or killed for speaking about the plan, so that Draco will not die in his attempt to kill Dumbledore so that he won't die.
2. In the same book, she defends Draco at Madame Malkins. She may have been snooty and rude, but it was all for Draco's benefit and protection.
3. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, she is the one to check if Harry was dead or not. She pronounced Harry as being dead because he was able to tell her Draco was still alive in the castle. We have to question what she would have done if Harry said Draco was dead, but that is not the point. The point is that the question was asked out of concern for Draco.
4. In the movie (Part Two), Draco seems to be debating on whether or not to walk over to the Death Eaters. When Lucius pleaded him to join their side again, Draco remained still. It wasn't until his mother called gently and offered her hand out to him that he crossed to the other side. This could be because Draco loves his mother more than his father, but logically, that reason is because Narcissa is a good mother who knows how to take care of and speak to her son. Then, she takes Draco by the hand and ditches all the Death Eaters because she never cared for the war or Voldemort; her dedication was to Draco alone. Of course, Lucius ends up leaving with them, he does it looking over his shoulder to make sure he wouldn't be killed for leaving; Narcissa, on the other hand, never turns back. She was able to remove her son from danger and that's all that mattered to her.
I feel like quoting Wreck-It Ralph -- "Just because you're a Bad Guy doesn't mean you are a bad guy."
Just because your family serves Voldemort doesn't mean you are a bad person or Death Eater. Either way, Narcissa is still a good mother, Death Eater or not, because being a Death Eater has nothing to do with the kind of mother you are and Narcissa is a good mother.
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Aberforth Gives Up
Hey guys. I apologize for the lack of posts lately. I have tons of ideas, but I was in a car wreck and my concussion has limited my activities. I still have the concussion, but I'm at a place where I can actually think again.
Moving on . . .
Recently I read and watched Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. (Part Two of the movies) and Aberforth caught my attention. Harry may be angry and frustrated with Aberforth for saying that the Order is over because Voldemort has won, and forcing Harry to come to terms of his doubts about Dumbledore he's experienced throughout this book/movie.
In the end, however, Harry finds his belief once again and challenges Aberforth, claiming he has given up.
Hermione of course points out that maybe Aberforth hadn't given up at all.
But why?
What does Hermione see in Aberforth that no one else can?
It is possible that through the whole ordeal, Aberforth was testing Harry by pretending to have given up.
Do you still believe in and trust Albus?
Are you going to finish what Albus asked you to do?
Are you ready to finish finding and destroying Horcruxes?
The reason I say this is because, through the broken mirror piece, he watches over Harry several times.
Also, he is working with Dobby. Why? Because Dumbledore asked Dobby to assist Aberforth in leading Harry Potter towards the very end. This is a plausible assumption because Aberforth admits to liking Dobby, meaning they had at least known each other long enough to determine that they like one other.
Aberforth, then, becomes the point of no return. He gives Harry the option to run away, encouraging him that the best option is to run away. Also, through speaking with Aberforth, he rediscovers his trust and admiration for Professor Dumbledore so that Harry can follow through on the task of making Voldemort mortal once more.
I realize that this is just me guessing, but I think it is a valid possibility.
Thoughts?
Moving on . . .
Recently I read and watched Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. (Part Two of the movies) and Aberforth caught my attention. Harry may be angry and frustrated with Aberforth for saying that the Order is over because Voldemort has won, and forcing Harry to come to terms of his doubts about Dumbledore he's experienced throughout this book/movie.
In the end, however, Harry finds his belief once again and challenges Aberforth, claiming he has given up.
Hermione of course points out that maybe Aberforth hadn't given up at all.
But why?
What does Hermione see in Aberforth that no one else can?
It is possible that through the whole ordeal, Aberforth was testing Harry by pretending to have given up.
Do you still believe in and trust Albus?
Are you going to finish what Albus asked you to do?
Are you ready to finish finding and destroying Horcruxes?
The reason I say this is because, through the broken mirror piece, he watches over Harry several times.
Also, he is working with Dobby. Why? Because Dumbledore asked Dobby to assist Aberforth in leading Harry Potter towards the very end. This is a plausible assumption because Aberforth admits to liking Dobby, meaning they had at least known each other long enough to determine that they like one other.
Aberforth, then, becomes the point of no return. He gives Harry the option to run away, encouraging him that the best option is to run away. Also, through speaking with Aberforth, he rediscovers his trust and admiration for Professor Dumbledore so that Harry can follow through on the task of making Voldemort mortal once more.
I realize that this is just me guessing, but I think it is a valid possibility.
Thoughts?
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