Deathly Hallows Analysis

The Ministry of Magic

In Half-Blood Prince, Scrimgeour succeeds Fudge as Minister of Magic. Many thought that this would bring change to the Ministry for the better towards Voldemort, but it turned out to be the opposite-Voldemort was able to infiltrate it. After Voldemort returned to power, the Ministry practically became another branch of Death Eaters. He doesn’t control directly, but uses Thicknesse as a puppet to do what he wants whenever he wants so that he can stay out of public and cause more fear. The Muggle-born Registration Committee is another new branch that was formed to weed out the Muggle-borns in the Wizarding community to establish a Pure-blood society. The Death Eaters were able to convince people that Muggle-borns were evil and had stolen wands and magic. They sent them to jail, killed them, or forced them into exile. This is almost exactly like the Jews in Nazi Germany; the public was told that Jews were trying to undermine the Germans, and they used this excuse to persecute the Jews. It was a bunch of outright lies and ridiculousness. The shift in position was very sudden from pre-Voldy to after.

The Magic is Might statue is a sick, twisted creation of the Ministry and depicts their disturbing Pureblood beliefs. The portrayal of Muggles is disgusting; they appear as if they’re only there to hold up magical existence. They’re ugly, deformed, and not accurately depicted. The wizards are huge and magnificent: literally saying that wizards are bigger and better than Muggles. “Magic is Might” advocates the use of magic to overpower muggles. Voldemort and the Death Eaters believe that magic is THE tool to be superior. This point of view doesn’t show the good side of magic, the side that is harmless and wonderful.

The Snatchers are another new addition to the Ministry. They are very much like the Gestapo. Their purpose is to catch Muggle-borns and anyone who breaks the Taboo. The Taboo is a rather clever device made by Voldemort designed to catch people who are brave enough to say his name. This is mainly to catch the Order members. It was very effective: not only did they probably catch people, they also sparked more fear. Voldemort created more fear of him by making it punishable to say his name. As Dumbledore would say, “Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself.” The laws of the Taboo are very advanced as well. Not only would they be able to automatically Apparate to the spot it was said, but they would be able to breach any protective spells there. It is very advanced magic.

We see the “value” of Muggle borns to the Death Eaters. The prize of a Muggle-born that is caught is five galleons. The price of Harry’s capture and wand was 200,000 galleons. It is disturbing that Harry’s wand was worth 100,000 while a Muggle-born was worth 5. That shows the importance level of Muggles in this new society. Most schoolbooks cost more than a muggle-born. The Ministry hired thugs to run around rounding people up for their benefit, much like a citizen’s arrest.

The Malfoys

We see the character progression of all three Malfoys throughout this book. In the beginning, we see them at the Death Eater meeting in their house. Lucius is broken in spirit and reputation and has had his wand taken. He is not respected anymore, and is at rock bottom. Draco is terrified; he sees a Hogwarts teacher about to be killed, and it scares him that someone he has seen for years is going to be killed in front of his eyes. In Half-Blood Prince, Dumbledore tried to ‘convert’ him to the good side and he twitched his wand and hesitated for a second, as if wanting to take the offer, it gave him a new perspective and was a big turning point in his character, because he showed a bit of remorse. He changes from bully to bullied, as does Lucius.

In the Malfoy Manor chapter, we see that Lucius’ respect has truly been taken away after they catch the trio. Not only has Voldemort taken over his house, but now his sister-in-law is showing authority over him, mocking him, and trying to make decisions for him. When they realize that they have Harry, Lucius goes ballistic and wants to call Voldemort immediately so that he can get some of his respect and reputation back. In this same scene, Draco acts completely different from his father by being very hesitant to admit that it is Harry. He shows doubt even though it is obvious that the captives are the trio. I think that this is because he doesn’t know where his true allegiance lies. He doesn’t want to cause harm on his behalf, and even though he and Harry are enemies, he can’t bring himself to turn him in and is willing to lie to protect them, though this contradicts his actions in the Final Battle when he ‘returns’ to the Dark Side because they were winning. At the end, the entire Malfoy family is sitting in the Great Hall, defying the Death Eaters, yet not fitting in with the ‘Good Side’.

Narcissa is the least affected by Voldemort; she is a mother, not a Death Eater, and serves the mother role more by comforting Lucius and Draco. She doesn’t want to be a Death Eater, but wants to support her family. She is in it for a reason similar to Lucius: to be respected and to be on the good side of powerful people and use them for gain. Both Narcissa and Lucius have significant roles at the Final Battle. Lucius doesn’t care about the Death Eaters anymore and only wants to find his son, and Voldemort sees this. Narcissa has similar views and that becomes her only concern. She sees an opportunity to learn of Draco’s fate, and that is by saving Harry’s life to get away from Voldemort and return to the main grounds. By doing this, she ultimately shows that love can rise above evil by lying to Voldemort for her son’s sake.

Ron/Hermione

Well, the bickering finally paid off, though it is hilarious that it happened over house-elves. The reason it did was because it showed that Ron actually always listened to her, contrary to her belief because he made fun of her so often. There are several instances where he compliments her, even if it is just to Harry. Hermione is very insecure and that is why she reacts the way she does towards Ron. She puts her faith in books rather than people, which is one of the reasons she cracked when Ron left. When he walked out, it brought back all of her insecurities and fears. Their relationship had obviously been developing for years, since Goblet of Fire, and it had definitely began to develop further from the beginning of Deathly Hallows until he left.

When Ron came back, he was very supportive of Hermione in every decision or comment, having realized how much he had hurt her. He did all that he could to try to win her sympathy again, including voting against Harry and comforting Hermione first. His attempts to foster the relationship were amusing and it shows his character returning to the role of comic relief. One of the defining parts of Ron’s character was in the Malfoy Manor chapter, when Hermione was being tortured. Harry felt the same desperation, but they reacted differently. Ron lost control and acted like he was lost and desperate because he didn’t know what to do or how to cope if he lost her and all he could think about was rescuing her. Ron and Hermione’s characters compliment each other by being complete opposites. She is intellectual and a fast-thinker, but doesn’t have Ron’s street smarts and common sense. She’s insecure, he’s not. Ron is the average Joe, the best friend, is loyal and confident (except in Quidditch), and has all the confidence she lacks, while she has the emotions that he lacks. Whatever one is missing, the other has.

Hallows

The Hallows are misinterpreted as enabling one to be the Master of Death in an immortal sense, when really it meant that you were able to accept death and be ready for it when it came. Not everyone could use them in that way; we saw how Dumbledore turned in his quest. They were misused to attempt to defeat death, especially in the case of the Elder Wand whose past is bloody, used for offense, and is a tool for another’s demise rather than protecting from your own. The owner openly bragged about having it, and would become overly cocky, challenge someone to a duel, lose and then die, meaning that death would win before they were ready. The Wand is a tricky object, though. It doesn’t really fit into mastering death. The only way, in Harry’s case, is to possibly kill the Horcrux. It is probably the least powerful, in that sense, of the three.

The Resurrection Stone is not the most misused, but has the possibility to be. It is misused by the grieving who want to bring back a loved one unwillingly and cause them to be unhappy, as we see with Cadmus Peverell and his lover. He attempted to use it to defeat coping with death so that he didn’t have to grieve, but that is not truly defeating death. They have to be ready to accept death rather than grieve so that you could defeat death by bringing back the dead to overcome it. It gave Harry the strength to go to his death because he was with people that had died and they helped him, but he did not bring them back foolishly.

The Invisibility Cloak’s power is to be able to hide and help hide others from death. It is the only Hallow that doesn’t directly antagonize death; it is meant to escape death rather than offend it. It allows you to hide until your time to go: until you accept it and take the cloak off to welcome death like Ignotus Peverell did. Without the cloak, you could die before you’re ready or have accepted and come to terms with it.

Horcruxes

Voldemort was arrogant to turn Hogwarts Founders’ items into Horcruxes; he was saying that he was better than them by overcoming their unique magical abilities to turn it evil. It is interesting that would he taint Slytherin’s object. Although it would’ve been symbolic to him to put his soul into his ancestor’s object, something he would have taken pride in. He saw the locket as something that linked him to magical world. He might’ve thought that the Slytherins and Peverells would’ve wanted him to prolong life, continue their bloodline. He would’ve thought he was making the objects better.

Godric’s Hollow

Godric’s Hollow is the nigredo, or darkest, stage in the book. Here is where Harry is confronted with several things that throw him into a dark state. First he is confronted with the sadness around his parents’ death. He felt more here than ever before. In front of their graves he had to come to terms with the incidents of sixteen years ago. He also struggled with the grief involved, and wishes that he too had been killed. As Harry reads his parents headstone he sees the epitaph, “The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.” He doesn’t understand it, he sees it from the Voldemort/Death Eater point of view, that being mortal is defeating death. Hermione has to explain that it means an acceptance of one’s own mortality. This is a clear reminder that Harry is not yet at the point where he could stand up to Voldemort and sacrifice himself. He still has a way to go. In addition to the grief of seeing his parent’s grave Harry also finds the Dumbledore family plot. This is on top of seeing Ariana and Kendra Dumbledore’s grave, and bringing up the doubt and frustration he feels with Albus. A third important discovery is made: the grave of Ignotus Peverell. Harry doesn’t care much at the time, the discovery of his grave becomes very important in just a few chapters. As they leave the grave yard they come upon the house that Harry once lived in. It is just as damaged as it was on the night that Voldemort came for a visit. It has been left as a memorial. Here Harry and Hermione find a wooden sign detailing the importance of the place. But it also had words from supporters written on it. This support provided a bit of an uplift in mood. It is a relief from the grief of the graveyard.
As you are well aware, more than just a jaunt through a graveyard takes place in Godric’s Hollow. Harry and Hermione encounter something much worse in the form of an old, blind, and apparently mute woman: Bathilda Bagshot; well what is left of her. This is the scene that increases the dark nature of this part of the book. Harry and Hermione follow the old woman back to her house. There she beckons Harry upstairs, apparently to give him something. Then one of the most disturbing things in the entire book happens: Nagini emerges from Bathilda. This is one of those times when we see Voldemort’s complete lack of respect for the dead. He has had his snake living in a corpse, using it like a human puppet. This is one of the things that really shows Voldemort’s evil. Well, of course the snake attacks. Harry, who is taken by surprise, attempts to fight back, but it is dark and the snake is big. He drops his wand and his scar is burning. He is defenseless, then Hermione intervenes. She attempts to kill the snake with Confringo, but it ricochets all around the room. Finally, just a Voldemor appears, they leap out the window and Disapparate, just barely getting away. Then the biggest blow of the nigredo stage is dealt: it is discovered that the pheonix wand is broken.

King's Cross

The King’s Cross chapter is an extremely significant and interesting chapter. The King’s Cross itself in this chapter represent limbo, the space between life and death. It is significant and not by accident, in my opinion, that JKR chose King’s Cross to be the destination of the ‘limbo’. For Harry, the real King’s Cross is the barrier between the Muggle and Magical world, much like it represents the barrier between life and the after-life in this chapter. It is a distinguishing landmark in Harry’s life because he grew up in the Muggle world where he didn’t belong, but he crossed this barrier to go into the Wizarding world where he truly belonged and had a place. At the end of the chapter, Harry is given the choice to go on or to return, and he chooses the latter.

Once Voldemort kills the Horcrux in Harry, he appears here along with Dumbledore and an ugly, helpless baby-like creature, which represents Voldemort’s soul. What is interesting about this is that the representation of Harry’s soul (as he appears) and Voldemort’s soul (the baby-thing) are complete opposites. Harry is unscathed, clean, and naked; pure, basically. Voldemort is a baby, which shows weakness, and its appearance represents evil. It is ugly and writhing as though in pain, which reflects Voldemort’s inner self: pure evil. Harry acknowledges Voldemort’s soul more than once and wants to help it. What is interesting is that when Dumbledore tells Harry that he can’t help it, he doesn’t understand why, and it is ironic because it could symbolize him not understanding evil. Death to Harry was painless, but to Voldemort, it was very painful. Voldemort’s realization of mortality came back to him in a way that it hadn’t before after he had lost all of his Horcruxes. He had disregarded death as something that wouldn’t happen to him and therefore didn’t even feel when the Horcruxes were destroyed. He built his own demise.

Dumbledore’s death symbolized the end of the wise man’s instructions. He left Harry with little information, though enough to where Harry could eventually figure it out and defeat Voldemort. Harry was in a state of confusion, and after his death, as Harry begins to discover the “real” Dumbledore, he is completely befuddled by his findings and is very hurt. His perception was off, and Harry had a very hard time coping with this and forgiving Dumbledore. This is perhaps why Dumbledore didn’t return from the Resurrection Stone to assist Harry to the forest. The Dumbledore in this chapter could’ve been a figment of Harry’s imagination that was meant to help him figure everything out before he went back to finally defeat Voldemort, and not Dumbledore’s actual consciousness/soul. Maybe Harry was figuring it out by himself. The King’s Cross Dumbledore didn’t tell Harry anything he hadn’t have already considered. He seemed to simply prompt Harry to give the correct answer most of the time.

Religious Symbolism

First of all, there was a prophecy that proclaimed Harry would overcome evil and save the Wizarding World. This mirrors Jesus and the prophecy of his role as Messiah. Then in the Forest of Dean, Ron and Harry undergo a symbolic baptism, reliving each of their fears and hate, just as Jesus was baptized in the River Jordan. Next we have the death of Dobby and the digging, and subsequent emergence, from his grave. This is conjecture, but I wouldn’t be surprised if this took three hours. As he descended into the earth (digging the grave) he came to a new realization of his mission, and a new focus. He emerges a changed man, ready to face the evil of Voldemort, just as Jesus descended into hell and on the third day, rose again. Then we have Harry’s death; he sacrifices himself. He makes a choice to do so, and most importantly had the option to live, but chose not to. By doing so he was able to protect all of the Wizarding race from Voldemort. To me this sounds very similar to Christ’s Crucifixion. After his death, he descends into the abyss, a kind of limbo that forms into King’s Cross (more religious symbolism, eh?). Here he has a clearing of the mind and he discovers the truth. From this, he is able to defeat Voldemort. Some of this is speculation, some of it I have heard, but most of it is just obvious.

Questions:
Paige:
How would Bill and Fleur be able to fly the thestral into the boundaries of the Burrow? Shouldn’t there be precautions and protections similar to Hogwarts where no one can get in?
What does Harry do with Grimmauld Place in the future?
Why would Mrs. Weasley give Ron a new watch and Harry her brother’s? I think it would be more of a family tradition if Ron got it.
Is there a magical binding-type thing that happens with marriages; maybe like they can’t separate? It says: “I declare you bonded for life.”
Do other Wizarding schools have the same amount of education? How similar/different are the curriculums?
How did the protective charms at the Burrow suddenly break after Kingsley’s warning Patronus?
Would using ‘Obliviate’ be the same as ‘modifying a memory?’ Hermione says that she “modified [her] parents’ memory’ but had never done ‘Obliviate,’ but knew the theory to. Is there a certain amount of moderation you can do or a way to control the amount?
Why did the anti-Snape charms stop at certain words?
Could a person that placed a permanent sticking charm remove it?
Hermione won Mundungus’ wand- what happened to it?
How would a wand react if after it had been won by someone else, the original owner tried to use it?
How would Ollivander make a new wand for a specific person if the wand has to choose the wizard? Would/could he be able to just duplicate their previous wand?
Could Priori Incantatem really show that Hermione's wand broke Harry's even though she cast the curse at the room, not the wand? It would be obvious, though, if they saw the Reparo Charm. How specific is Priori Incantatem?
What color was the Polyjuice form of Bellatrix?
How was Harry able to just put the cup in his pocket and it stop multiplying/burning?
Why did the Gray Lady and the Bloody Baron choose to live at Hogwarts as ghosts?
What would Snape have told Harry before he died?
What did Voldemort go through during the King’s Cross chapter?

Calie:
Wouldn’t the Taboo have told the Death Eaters that the trio was hiding in Grimmauld Place?
Yaxley isn’t a Secret Keeper, so how could he bring other Death Eaters into Grimmauld Place?
How did Snape find the tent to cast the doe? How did Harry and Ron find it when they came back from the pool?
What was the question that “burned” inside Harry as he approached the doe?
What is the significance of the owl hoot before Harry dived into the pool?
Why did Hermione’s wand work so well for Harry?
When was the Fidelius charm placed on shell cottage? How was Harry able to enter if he was never told the secret?
How is Colin at Hogwarts? He is both Muggle-born and underage, meaning he wouldn’t have been able to attend Hogwarts, thus he wouldn’t have snuck back in.
Does Hermione use Bellatrix’s wand throughout the battle? Didn’t it not work properly for her?
What happens to the memories in the Pensieve after a person dies?
Why didn’t Dumbledore come back from the Stone to accompany Harry? As the man that has taught Harry about death, you would think he might have been included.
How exactly did the sword go from Griphook’s possession to the Sorting Hat’s? What was Griphook’s reaction?

Mischief Managed.

Paige Cyrus and Calie Holden