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 Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 8:55 pm
Ever notice how many times JKR uses comparisons between animals to describe her characers?
Pansy - face like a pug
Umbriddge - face like a toad
Petunia - face like a horse
Peakes - (Dudley's friend) face like a weasel
Marcus - troll
Dudley - "pig in a wig," according to Harry in book 1
Snape - "overgrown bat" when his black robes billow around him
I've probably missed some, so feel free to add them! I was just wondering what everyone thought about it. I think it's a good way of describing people because it gives a clear image of what they look like, however, it becomes a bit redundant when so many characters have animalistic faces.
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Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 9:26 pm
And there was the snippet about Rufus Scrimgeour 'moved like an old lion' that Jo tantalized us with for months before the Half Blood Prince came out.
People speculated the snippet referred to Godric's heir, or Godric himself.
I actually like her analogies, I don't find them overused. Then too, she has actually people who ARE animals, or at least turn into them, and sometimes the analogies are clues ("Bugged") and sometimes red herrings.
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LadyHealingHands Vice Captain
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Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2008 3:58 am
It's not a physical description, but it gave me chills reading about Harry's fury in OotP. Always described snakelike or venomlike. Like- anger reared in Harry unexpectedly like a snake in grass. Fury boiled away in Harry like venom. They aren't the correct quotes, but just roughly what it said. I just love the foreshadowing to Harrycruz and his connection with Voldy, like he is literally inside him. Very genius of her.
And then, physical description again. Voldy looking snakelike, with hands like spiders. And things like Sirius bark of a laugh. Oh, and the librarian, Pince, looking like a vulture.
Cool thread.
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Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2008 12:57 pm
Ah yes, see I knew I missed some! I always liked the comparison between Sirius and his animagus form via the laugh. I'm glad you like the thread idea. I thought it was observant of me, but not many people seem interested. *sigh* Well, it was my first thread I posted in this guild, so maybe I'll generate more interest next time.
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Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2008 6:25 pm
Ar, don't be discouraged. I think it's a very good thread. It's always more fun for me actually talking about things in the books though, so yeah.
I guess things like the patronus could count too? I think it's the sweetest thing how Hermiones patronus is an otter. Ron makes her happy. And how the animagus form has a resembling feature to the witch/wizard. Like McGonagall with the square glasses. I can just imagine Hermione if she ever learned, as a little otter with a mane of bushy hair. That would be so uglycute.
I always loved Peter looking rodent like, with watery eyes. I just always found that so interesting and I could see it perfectly in my mind. Wizards and animals with very close connections, it's a wonderful device by Jk, I've always been interested by that fact.
I also just adore Snape like a bat. I often amuse myself by imagining him walking like a vampire bat, poking his tongue out to drink his pumpkin juice, but I think thats taking animal resemblances too far. And Snape flying like Batman XD. Sometimes I just can't help forget my strong dislike for him..
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Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 10:44 am
I see what you mean about it becoming redundant, but I like the animal-ish way of describing things. Can't think of any to add, though.
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Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 8:02 pm
I don't find it redundant.
I think that it's an excellent
way of making descriptions,
because different people
have different concepts of
common adjectives like
"big/small", etc. Relating a
characters appearance to
an animal creates a clearer
picture.
I think the reason that
many people don't seem
interested, is because a
lot of authors do this.
It's really common, so
people probably don't
give it much thought.
I think it's fascinating,
because it gives you
a whole new concept
of something you already
knew. For example, you
may think pugs are adorable,
or disgusting, but once you
imagine a person with a
face like a pug, the person
automatically seems
like an ugly person.
Also, most of the times
she compares to animals,
she usually talks about
unliked characters.
This creates a kind of image
in the mind of the reader
where "bad" characters
are animal-like, while the
"good" characters are
made much more human.
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