The Grotto Keep ~ View topic

Sorted by the Hat Joined: 14 Aug 2008 Posts: 29

Hi everyone. I'm Mike, I was a member here awhile back, but due to lack of time, I wasn't able to come back until now. So to all those who may remember me, hello again, and to those who doesn't or new since I was here, hello. Over the course of my absences, I did got the owl, concerning Vault of Destinies upcoming release and was even proudly sorted into an Alma Aleron house, Vampire. lol. So like most of you, I look forward to VoD. However, due to lack of time, I was not able to finish CotG, Harry Potter first Christmas, and Technomancy manual until about a month ago. I'm here with my two cents and opinions of what happen and what will happen. I'm sure by now most of you guys are perhaps done discussing over them, so I do apologize and understand, if you do not wish to discuss with me. Or I maybe repeating something someone have said. I do welcome whoever comes. I will break these down into pieces, because I don't know how long I am writing and how long I'll stay on the computer each time as I write. And since it's not specifically about one of the JP book, I guess it's ok for me to write here.

So without further ado. First, I want to commend and thank you GEO for providing us with another great novel in CotG, and looks forward to VoD. I thought you did really awesome job at writing about Arthur's death in the beginning of the book. I had a feeling that he might have die then or maybe before. Here's why? Well, as maybe someone can recall, I am the type of fans who more than often like to look for possible answers in the series. JKR said sometimes the answers are actually in the book. To quote Hagrid "If you know where to go." So back to Arthur, I had a feeling he die because of something Ron said in the Epilogue to his daughter, Rose. I don't have the book, so I can't exactly quote it. He said Grandpa [Arthur] Weasley would not like it if Rose goes off and married a pureblood [Scorpius]. Ron was half joking of course. But I don't know about many of you guys, but I have parents who would sometimes seriously and sometimes jokingly threaten me with the same message. My grandparents are long dead, but the threat of like somehow beyond their graves, they can be disappointed or maybe even give me a spook if I don't do something that they don't approve of. lol. For example, the legacy in my family is full of Naval officers, and well my dad would say if I don't become one, granddad would not like it and may do something. This type of threats are more common in family that have traditional beliefs in something. We actually saw this also in the HP series. In OotP, Walburga Black, Sirius's mother would scream and holler from her portrait. She talked about how her forefathers, since she is a Black who married her second cousin, Orion, who is also a Black, how they would not support their house, Grimmauld Place turn into the Headquarter for the Order, who support and defend mudbloods and halfbreeds. Like somehow beyond the graves these forefathers could stop this travesty. So when Ron jokingly threaten his daughter refering to Arthur disapproval, I had a feeling that Arthur may have pass on. So excellent writing on your part GEO on having Arthur death.

Well, I'll leave the first part of my commentaries at that. I will be back later today, maybe, and hopefully, have a discussion. lol

Sorted by the Hat Joined: 14 Aug 2008 Posts: 29

Wow, awful quiet in here. lol. Either I returned at a bad time, where there usually no discussions or maybe y'all don't want to discuss with me? lol. If it's any of this, please at least tell me. As much, I really like to give my two cents, I hate to ramble to myself. Any opinions and discussions would be great, whether you disagree or agree with me. Let's discuss it. I love a good debate. Anyway, I guess I'll write my second part of my commentaries today.

Today, I want to give my thoughts about the chapters title before I read the book. What stick out to me, what I thought before I read the entire book.

The Triumvirate, as all of us who read the book know the title actually refer to the play that James and his friends performed in this book. Before I read the book, I thought the title refer to something else. Of course, now I know I'm wrong. But I thought I share what I thought it was. I actually thought it may refer to what I consider as the new trio of friends in this generation: James. Ralph, and Zane (JRZ). I forgot the fact that Zane move back to the U.S. and Rose, Albus, and Scorpius will be characters in the book and that they will helpful/not helpful in some way.

I noticed that the title of this chapter is one of the later chapters in the book, so I thought JRZ form kind of a group to cement their friendship in the Spring term of the year. Why Spring of this year? Well one of my favorite subject is history, especially of Ancient Greece and Rome. Well one of the event in Ancient Roman history, is the formation of the Second Triumvirate by Octavian Caesar, Mark Anthony, and Marcus Lepidus. This group was legalize by a Roman law for a period of 5 years (they renew it once so it lasted 10 years) There were some animosity between the three generals, that eventually lead to one fallen out of public life, and two got into a civil war, where one triumph.

Now you wonder how this relate to JRZ. Well, if they form this group in the Spring of there second year, about 5 years laters, they will be in or near the seventh year, where if the series continue, I reckon something big will happen. Maybe another Battle of Hogwarts like proportions. And maybe somehow maybe the trio have a fall apart. I thought that chapter title may have given a glimpse of that. In the HP series, we saw that. HRH, often getting to nasty arguments. Where one would not talk to the other, and the middle get caught between the two, for a long time. Examples include how when Harry got into the Triwizard Tournament, and Ron got so mad, that he would not tell Harry about the dragons directly. Hermione have to go between the two. The trio eventually patch it up, and Ron and Hermione prove their loyalties to Harry when they (eventually for Ron after he left them) help him hunt down the horcruxes to defeat Voldemort.

Well we haven't really seen that with JRZ yet really. I mean there are times when James mad at Ralph for agreeing with Corsica, but never really nothing nasty fight between the two. They just reconcile within days, not long weeks or even months. I was thinking along with the chapter entitle The Questions of Trust, we can see a fight at least between James and Ralph. And this may be a sign of a future fallen on friendship between the trio. Unlike HRH, by the time, seventh year role around, massives egos cost the friendship in the middle of an important war, where maybe 2 take one side, and the other take the other side.

I personally think I can relate this somehow psychologically. HRH have Hermione, a girl there, so she at time can be a sound of reason and to help both Ron and Harry settle down their ego. Because not to be chaulvanist or anything, not to offend any of ladies members here, but guys are naturally more competitive. Always trying to one one up one another, even among friends, and especially among enemies. I give you an example in the series, how James always picking on Severus. To prove he's the better man to Lily. We see it in the animal kingdom, lions fighting to prove their worth. Well Harry and Ron, as well, but Hermione, as a girl somehow, play peacemaker when her two friends fight it out. Somehow without a girl there, the egos get the best of them and they fight. Kind of like how the trio of Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle eventually fought it out in the end of DH, and Albus, Alberforth, and Gillert fought it out years earlier. Again, I refer to another Ancient Roman historical time. This time with the first Triumvirate form by Julius Caesar, Pompey Magnus, and Marcus Crassus. Each men have their own ego, but for the most part, some form of marriage took place to cement their partnership. Pompey marriying Ceasar's daughter Julia. After Julia's death, the two fought a civil war over power. So without a girl really between this trio, when will there come a time when there be a fall apart between the two.

I'm not saying all the time, the girl in between them will always solve the problem, because sometimes the girl is the source of the problem. Like both falling for the girl. Ron, at one time, was jealous of Harry, thought Harry and Hermione was in love. But from what I see, this type of problems is easier to resolve than one over egos. Usually the girl will chose one over the other. Or one is just friend with the girl like Harry and Hermione. Or one friend is lost in the friendship. But better than ego fighting, where I believe essentially everybody loses somehow.

I'm sorry, I am in a hurry as I was typing the above as I have a meeting to get to. If anybody wish to discuss with me, or confuse about anything I wrote, just say so I will elaborate more clearly. Hopefully this time, I'll be back to some discussion.

Well, Mike....it just goes to show you that you cannot tell a book by it's cover or chapters by their titles. Cool

As for discussions, I think you will find them a little sparse here now. All the James Potter raz has moved over to the FaceBook page. Any discussion about JPCG occurred when the story first came out well over a year ago. Everyone is eagerly awaiting JP3 and while it would certainly be an opportune time to review what came before, I doubt that will happen. Sorry....it has nothing to do with you. It's simply the timing.

Sorted by the Hat Joined: 14 Aug 2008 Posts: 29

you are defintely right about it not telling the book by it's title that M'Lady.

Thanks for stopping by. I know, and I'm sad at my bad timings of discussing CotG now instead of a year ago; when everybody was still discussing. Dang, the lack of time. I still have one more thing to rant about it, before moving on to something else that got me kind of curious about one of the stories in Harry Potter first Christmas, the Technomancy manual, and Girl on the Dock. All of these I finally manage to sit down and read. The last bit about the CotG is kind of lengthy I wonder should even continue or not. What you think? I was hoping JP would be like HP, where fans be discussing it even several years have gone past since it release. But I guess not. While it may be a one of a classical must read, the discussions pretty much ended, unless at a book club or something. lol

btw, I like that quote that you have on your signature.