Monday, July 23, 2007

emailed topic from Thryn

Hey Dewey,
Even though it isn't as analytical, I think it would be fun to share
some of the parts of the book we thought were the funniest. There
were two parts in the book that made me laugh out loud (I usually
don't show outward emotion much when I read). I can't remember the
second, but it might have been Ron's sarcastic comment about them
having a store of Basilisk fangs when discussing how to destroy
horcruxes. A lot of Ron's comments made me laugh in my head a lot.
But the first part that made me laugh out loud was in the beginning,
after all of the decoys had turned into duplicate Harrys, Harry sees
the Fleur-Harry look up at Bill and it reads something like "with an
expression he hoped with all his heart he would never see on his face
again." The mental image of Fleur as Harry looking lovingly up at
Bill and his thought at seeing it made me laugh so hard.

Anyway, that's one idea for a thread. Might be fun to see what made
others laugh.

Thanks for making the discussion blog :)

Thryn

23 comments:

Dewey said...

I laughed at that part, too, when Fleur-Harry was simpering up at Bill.

And I agree that Ron was especially funny and sarcastic in this book. I liked when he said "Always the tone of doubt" or something like that and then she later said it back to him when he told her she looked nice in her purple dress for the wedding.

Ana S. said...

I really laughed during the Potterwatch part. There was something in particular Fred said (I think it was Fred) about Death Eaters running away as fast as Snape from a bottle of shampoo that really made me laugh. I did feel bad for Snape later on, but it was still funny :P

Speaking of Snape, I saw someone asking this in a discussion forum and I thought it might be fun to have a post in which we discussed it: how "good" was Snape? He only had a change of heart when someone he loved, Lily, was threatened. Would he have cheerfully continued to be a Death Eater if Voldermort had gone after the Longbottoms instead?

Susan Helene Gottfried said...

Some review I read said that the humor was missing from this book. THAT I did not find to be true, AT ALL.

The Fleur-Harry expression was good, the Potterwatch was good, Ron's always good (SO glad he didn't die!), and of course... Mrs. Weasley to Bellatrix: Not my daughter, you bitch.

LOVED that line. Although the shampoo one was good, too.

Dewey said...

I forgot about Potterwatch. That was also hilarious. And Molly Weasley always strikes me as funny.

The Fabulous Kitty Glendower said...

Yes I like the shampoo comment as well. Poor Snape (R.I.P).

George joking about sainthood at such an inappropriate time was funny, especially considering how his brother Fred took it.

During the Battle of Hogwarts (which has haunted my dreams already) there were a few funny spots. Pg. 636,

“Hello, Minister!” bellowed Percy, sending a neat jinx straight at Thicknesse, who dropped his wand and clawed at the front of his robes, apparently in awful discomfort. “Did I mention I’m resigning?”
“You’re joking, Perce!” shouted Fred as the Death Eater he was battling collapsed under the weight of three separate stunning Spells. [...] Fred looked at Percy with glee.
“You actually are joking, Perce...I don’t think I’ve heard you joke sine you were ------ ”


It was funny at the moment. Now I think it is very sweet (for lack of a better word). Before Fred dies he gets to witness Percy joking again.

And there is the moment that Professor Trelawny is fighting, but I cannot seem to find the page just now.

Dewey said...

I loved that moment, when Fred was able to reconnect with Percy the moment before dying. That he died with a laugh on his face.

And I remember a scene where McGonnagall was leading a battalion of student desks, in her plaid bathrobe with her hair all undone and a cut on her face.

Melissa said...

"I loved that moment, when Fred was able to reconnect with Percy the moment before dying. That he died with a laugh on his face. "

That's what made Fred's death so sad for me. He'd just found Percy again, and he wasn't doing anything noble at all. He was just being Fred.

My favorite line (someone somewhere else -- I can't remember where -- reminded me of this): Viktor saying: "Vot is the point of being an international Quidditch player if all the good-looking girls are taken."

And Luna, always Luna, makes me smile.

Anonymous said...

Trelawny throwing the crystal balls at the Death Eaters and saying something along the lines of "I've got more!" made me giggle, even through my tears (because epic battles always make me cry). Fred and George are always amusing to me. Especially when George is joking about sainthood. If I had my book with me I'd be able to look up more...as it is, I'll just have to come back.

Anonymous said...

This is Dean.

One line that really made me laugh was when everyone had drunk the polyjuice potions to look like Harry and Fred turned to George and said, "Blimy! We're identical!"

Also, I laughed when Harry told his Uncle Vernon that Voldemort might kidnap his relatives with the idea that Harry would come to rescue them, and they both look at each other wondering whether Harry would try to rescue Uncle Vernon.

I seriously cried at Percy's change of heart, though. I didn't see that coming; I'd almost forgotten about Percy entirely, but it touched my heart when he came back to the family.

alethe16 said...

I have to admit loving George's cheesy joke about sainthood as well, but there were lots of moments.

I also loved when Ron showed Harry his book on impressing women -- and then Harry inadvertently said something that went along with it, and Ron gives him the thumbs up (or something to that effect).

email said...

Loved Ron. His sarcasm was wonderful.

CJ said...

My favorite laugh out loud scene was the one when Ron returned to Harry and Hermoine. "Give me my wand!"

I had visions of what she would've done to poor Ron had Harry actually given it back.

The others mentioned were good, too. Molly Weasley turning all terminator was great. And the shampoo comment was too funny.

cjh

Dewey said...

Luna is actually one of my favorite characters. I was so thrilled with the actor chosen to play her in OotP.

Yes, Dean, I laughed at that "identical" joke, too!

valentina said...

I loved when Harry was tryind to save Draco and Goyle and Ron shouts "IF WE DIE FOR THEM, I'LL KILL YOU, HARRY!". So funny!

there's lots of funny bits but now I can only think of this one.

Dewey said...

My son is almost finished now, and he thought it was funny to see Kreacher being nice. And he also loved the part where Percy shouted about resigning right before Fred died.

Mo and The Purries said...

I think this was the most humorous of the Potter books.
Several of my favorites have already been mentioned, but my all time was the one that Susan pointed out:
Molly's Sigourney Weaver Aliens moment = Get away from her, you bitch!"
Excellent.

Melissa said...

Oh, it was too cute to see Kreacher making french onion soup for Harry, Ron and Hermione. And the house elves coming into the battle was great. "For my master who loves house-elves!" or something like that. (It should have been "For Dobby!")

Dewey said...

The French onion soup thing perplexed me because Dobby was ladling it out of a big pot, and you have to bake/broil that with cheese on top in individual containers. Just a trivial detail, though, no big deal.

Carrie said...

I think it was Fred's reaction to George's comment about sainthood that got me more than the comment itself. "The whole world of ear-related humor in front of you, and you choose holey???

Nyssaneala said...

The main standout for me is Mrs Weasly's line at the end, which quite a few others have already mentioned.

That, and "die-dum".

The Fabulous Kitty Glendower said...

I don’t know if this line would be considered funny, maybe quirky perhaps, but I simply love it. I love it because I can identify with it so much.

Pg. 594

“Potter, I --- that was very ----verygallant of you ---but don’t you realize ------?”
“Yeah, I do,” Harry assured her. Somehow her panic steadied him. “Professor McGonagall, Voldemort’s on the way.”
“Oh, are we allowed to say the name now?” asked Luna with an air of interest, pulling off the Invisibility Cloak. This appearance of a second outlaw seemed to overwhelm Professor McGonagall, who staggered backward and fell into a nearby chair, clutching at the neck of her old tartan dressing gown.

Here they are, they just fought with Amycus, surprised by Professor McGonagall and summoned Voldemort’s henchmen (possibly even Voldemort himself) and Luna’s mind is concentrating on the possible lifting of a restriction. It reminds me so much how I feel about rules, many rules, particularly rules that are oppressing. Not being able to say Voldemort obviously forced Luna to conform and it hindered her natural desire to say whatever comes to her mind. Love it!

jenny said...

Hey- first time blogger here. Thanks for reminding me about the little gems of humor. I guess I read too fast the first time so now I'll have to return and savor the book.

alisonwonderland said...

i loved that there was so much humor to counteract the darkness and the sadness. i found lots to smile about with Ron especially!