“He was dead”: Revisited
My initial reaction to Cedric Diggory’s death has been met with a strong counter-argument, which you can find here.
While I complained that not enough attention was paid to the most violent element of the series yet, everyone else (and I do mean everyone else) not only defended the death, but praised it for being tactful and compelling. Genius, even. The best possible way the death could have been written. So on and so forth.
So admitting that you all have had an eight year head start on this sucker and maybe, just maybe you could possibly have an inkling of an idea what you may be talking about, I decided to re-read the end of Goblet of Fire from the graveyard onward.
This doesn’t mean you’re right…
Don’t assume this is me admitting you’re all right…
Just because everyone shares the same opinion, that doesn’t make it the right opinion…
If everyone jumped out of the highest tower at Hogwarts, would you?
Don’t be persuaded by the masses! Stand up for the lone voice of the individual! Never admit that you were wrong!
Okay, I was wrong.
By the time I actually reached the graveyard scene the first time around, I was so excited to be so close to the end, I slipped into double-time and didn’t fully take in the details. I was just reading and reading and reading, plowing toward the final sentence as fast as possible. So what I took as flippancy was actually subtlety. While I read Harry’s disorientation to be the result of a crazy battle with his arch nemesis (which it was), it had a lot more to do with his classmate’s death than I initially noticed.
I still say I would have liked a sentence or two before “Avada Kedavra! Bam! Wizard down!”, but I won’t say that it wasn’t handled correctly. In fact, at second glance, it was pretty much handled brilliantly. I was just in too much of a hurry to notice. So what have we learned children? Slooooow down! The ending of the book will be there when you get there. As for the ending of the whole series, that’s still an incredible number of pages away. And I mean an incredible number of pages away…
Also, on second read, Mrs. Weasley hugging Harry might outdo the Potters popping out of Voldemort’s wand as the book’s biggest “I can’t cry at this, it’s a children’s book” moment. Though I guess it’s better form to call it a “young adult’s” book now – I think we’ve made that leap.
Re-reading makes all the difference, doesn’t it? I have rushed every ending since book 4, so I feel ya!
I must admit, there is a small thrill that comes from reading the thoughts of someone who has no idea how it all ends but is already on the path to knowing. Ah, you are but an innocent babe in the woods! Just wait til you meet some of those Death Eaters.
Also, I enjoyed your commentary re: Draco. I can’t say I spared him much thought over the series, but it’s nice someone is thinking of him, lol. And total agreement on the Mrs. Weasley-hugging-Harry front. SOB! Poor little Harry. I think we all needed a hug after that ordeal.
Books 5, 6 and 7 are the best. I’m so excited for you!
Jess, admitting she was wrong? Harry Potter really IS magic!
Lol, sorry, I couldn’t be content till I made a bad magic joke. You starting book 5 yet? Let’s go woman!
I’m expecting the next post to tell us that you decided to take some time off work to finish the series. I would be so proud of you.
I am itching to start Book 5, but I have a few more things to say about Book 4 before I make that leap.
Part of me is desperate to know what happens, while another part feels a little cheated because everyone else got to bask in these books for years – I’m essentially giving myself 2-3 months.
That said, I’m probably going to ruminate more with books 5, 6, and 7. The idea of writing some sort of blog entry for every chapter has come up. Of course, that would show major self-restraint, since I’d have to stop reading and write something. I can’t make any promises.
Fourth movie was a wash. It was the movie that definitely had the most plot-line changes in it.
The Mrs Weasley moments makes me cry too. And don’t bother re-watching (or just watching, as it may be!) the fourth movie. It’s crap.
Hi, I see I’m pretty late to the party; I just started reading your blog from the beginning. As a long-time HP fan I find this fascinating. There seem to be some other blogs that are doing the same thing you are and I’m really enjoying the fresh perspectives.
As for the “he was dead” thing. I think the fact that you knew the death was coming really made a difference in how you interpreted and responded to Cedric’s death scene. I vividly remember getting to that part when the book had just come out and being completely shocked. I had to read over the last few lines to make sure, “wait, what? He’s dead? Holy shit!” And I think that made it easier to empathize with Harry because he was going through the same thing, “oh my god, he’s dead! This can’t be happening!”
I think since you spent the entire book waiting for Cedric’s death scene it makes sense that you expected more to happen. But for those who didn’t know it was coming it was very appropriately jarring and callous.
Anyways, this blog is extremely entertaining for me and I’m glad you did it even though I think by now you’re probably done reading the series.
[...] 4. “He was dead” (August 20, 2009) & “He was dead”: Revisited (August 23, 2009) [...]
A Year with the Last Muggle « The Last Muggle to Read Harry Potter said this on August 1, 2010 at 11:33 am |
I just found this blog… and am loving it
its really interesting, i read the first six books really fast when i was too young to think of thinking of these things. when i read the seventh, it took me less than a day. needless to say i did not take many breaks to ponder whether snape was good or evil.