Dissection: SS/PS ~ Chapter 12 The Mirror of Erised

[Cameraman Jenn]

We start out with Malfoy taunting Harry about not having a proper family, a foreshadowing for what is to come later in this chapter. Harry is hard to rile because he is only too happy to be spending the holidays away from the Dursleys. Ron however, lunges for Malfoy and is busted by Snape thus earning a five point deduction from Gryffindor House. Hagrid is busy lugging Christmas trees into the great hall for the Christmas feast which both Harry and Ron and the other Weasley brothers will be attending. Hermione nags Ron and Harry to keep looking for the elusive Nicholas Flamel. Hagrid nags them to let it go. Christmas rolls around and presents ensue. Harry recieves his first Christmas presents ever including a "Weasley" sweater and most importantly an invisibility cloak. The note included with the cloak is unsigned and states that the cloak belonged to Harry's father. After feasting they come back to the common room and play some chess and then Ron quickly falls asleep. Harry is too intrigued by the mystery of the cloak to sleep and then realizes that this is the perfect means by which to roam the castle freely and unseen. He decides to go alone on his first foray which takes him to the restricted section of the library. He finds out quickly that the restricted section is protected by more than merely Madame Pince when the book he takes off the shelf starts making siren noises. He quickly evacuates the library, nearly caught by Filch and runs down a hall only to be nearly caught by Snape. Snape has apparently left special instructions that he is to be notified about any restricted section trespasses. Harry ducks into a room to avoid detection in the narrow hallway and finds The Mirror of Erised. In it he sees himself surrounded by his deceased family members. He stays and watches them for quite some time before returning to the dorm to tell Ron about his adventure. They go back the next night and Ron takes a look but he sees himself as Head Boy and Quiddich Captain and holding the Quiddich cup. They are confused by this and nearly get caught so they quickly leave. Despite Ron begging him not to in a very Hermione like way, Harry goes back again the third night and is confronted by Dumbledore who explains that the mirror shows the viewer their deepest fondest desires. He also explains that the mirror is going to be moved and asks Harry not to go looking for it. Harry asks Dumbledore what Dumbledore sees when he looks in the mirror and Dumbledore tells him that he sees himself holding socks. In later contemplation, Harry realizes that Dumbledore may not have been entirely truthful with him about this.

We get some insight into Harry and Ron in this chapter. We know that Harry wants family more than anything and Ron wants to stand out from the shadows of his family more than anything. We also get a bit more of a look at the pettiness of Draco, ripping on Harry because his parents were murdered. Draco is an ass. We also get a tiny glimpse of the fact that George and Fred do love Percy in that they insist on him joining them and not the prefects at the feast.

[Seafoam Understone]

Indeed and we also first catch the idea of the elusiveness of Dumbledore.

Spoiler

Which will plague Harry throughout the rest of the series

Interesting Mirror, to show the deepest desires of our hearts. We THINK that we know and we may be correct if we're honest with ourselves, but I think many of us would be surprised at what we would see in the mirror.

Draco is an ass and we end up hoping the worst for the brat. But it's nice to see Harry being non-plussed this time around. Ron probably caught more meaning from Draco's words than Harry thus why he launched himself at him.

Is Hermione rubbing off on Ron?

Good dissection/analysis of the chapter Butterfly Jenn

[Zahir]

I was actually telling someone this evening about how in fantasy such things as the Mirror of Erised we get a vivid "short cut" into characters' souls. Methinks maybe this is why--as one critic pointed out--so many writers in the wake fo the First World War began to use fantasy as a means of dealing with what they'd endured. Tolkien and LOTR, as well as C.S.Lewis with his Narnia books, Mervyn Peake and the Gormenghast series, etc. Likewise Rowling here cuts straight to the chase, which allows her to use complexity in some totally different ways. For one, I certainly doubted Dumbledore was telling the truth about what he himself saw in the mirror.

For another, there's the fascinating thought that almost immediately sprung up in fandon--what would [FILL IN BLANK] see if they looked into the Mirror of Erised?

Indeed, what would you see? For that matter, what would I?

There is also an interesting "arc" begun here. Without going into spoilers, in POA we see Ron confront his deepest fear--and we see him again face his deepest fear in DH. But the fear has changed! It is a more mature, more specific and complex fear.

Likewise, can any of us who've read the series doubt what Harry would see in the Mirror by the time he turned 17?

But I think maybe a real important point in this chapter is that the means of achieving real wisdom includes self-knowledge. Harry Potter is not a perfect young man. He's got a temper. He's stubborn, sometimes to the point of stupidity. While generous and kind, he is also rather self-centered and he certainly shows a certain arrogance on more than one occasion. But one reason he is able to accomplish so much is that he began getting some important lessons early on in understanding himself--and by extension, others. The Sorting Hat was part of that process. So too the diabolically seductive Mirror of Erised.

BTW, am I the only one who would be terrified of actually looking into the thing? Becoming rooted to the spot would almost be the secondary worry. Imagine the pain of being forced to look away.

[Menolly]

Wonderfully done, Jenn. Thanks for stepping up.

BTW, am I the only one who would be terrified of actually looking into the thing? Becoming rooted to the spot would almost be the secondary worry. Imagine the pain of being forced to look away.

*slowly nodding*

[A Gunslinger]

It is here we also learn that Dumbledore, aside from being a slippery, yet benevolent weasel has a stocking fetish.

Dumbledore you kinky old shiester, you!

Good job Jennz