Chapter Three – The Letters from No One

[sun-star]

This chapter opens with the repercussions of the previous chapter’s trip to the zoo. The Dursleys punish Harry by confining him to his cupboard until the start of the summer holidays, by which time Dudley has broken his birthday presents and run over Mrs Figg. We learn that Mrs Figg broke her leg tripping over one of her cats and she’s not as fond of them any more; when Harry visits her, she lets him watch television and eat chocolate cake.

Are the Dursleys are keeping Harry away from school?

Is the picture we are given of Mrs Figg in this chapter fully consistent with her later behaviour when we know she is a member of the Order of the Phoenix, or do you feel JKR has changed the character over the course of the books?

In the summer holidays, Harry spends as much time as possible out of the house to escape Dudley and his gang. Harry has now left primary school, and is destined for the local state comprehensive, Stonewall High, while Dudley has a place at Vernon’s alma mater, Smeltings. The contrast between the two schools provides some comedy, but also indicates once more the Dursleys’ lack of concern for Harry: Aunt Petunia refuses to buy him a proper uniform, instead dyeing some of Dudley’s old clothes grey, while Dudley is bought an elaborate uniform.

Smeltings is a parody of a traditional British public school like Eton. In many ways, so is Hogwarts. Hogwarts has some traditions which are just as brutal as the sticks students hit each other with at Smeltings, such as the punishments students receive from Filch.
What does this suggest about JKR’s view of private education?
Most readers will feel Hogwarts is the more attractive-sounding of the two schools. What are the positive features of Hogwarts which distinguish it from schools like Smeltings?
Public schools like Smeltings and comprehensives like Stonewall High have very specific connotations for British readers. For other readers, however, these references may be opaque. If you did not know much about the British school system before reading this book, how did you react to this part of Chapter 3?

One morning in July, the post arrives, and includes a letter for Harry. As we are later to learn, it looks like most Hogwarts letters, being written on yellow parchment in green ink.

Was this letter delivered by owl? It arrives at the same time as the normal post, yet cannot have actually travelled through the post because it has no stamp.

When Uncle Vernon sees the letter, he snatches it from Harry, who doesn’t get to read it. Both Vernon and Petunia react very badly when they read the letter. They seem to be more afraid than angry, fearing that “they” (who does Petunia mean?) are spying on the Dursleys. Vernon decides to ignore the letter, saying “I’m not having one in the house, Petunia! Didn’t we swear when we took him in we’d stamp out that dangerous nonsense?” Vernon talks about wizards as one might talk about something non-human. He also seems to believe that magic can be “stamped out” of a person.

In your view, why does Vernon hate and fear magic so much, beyond the desire to appear normal? What do you think Vernon’s first encounter with magic was like? How did Petunia explain to him that her sister was a witch? Did Vernon ever meet James, or any other wizards?

Later that day, Vernon visits Harry in his cupboard for the first time, and tells Harry to move into Dudley’s second bedroom, where he keeps his broken toys.

What does Vernon hope to gain by doing this?

The next morning, another letter arrives, and once again Harry doesn’t get to read it. He devises a plan to wake up early the next day and meet the postman before the post is delivered to the house, but Vernon is there before him. This time three letters arrive. Vernon nails up the letter-box (with a piece of fruit-cake) to prevent the letters getting through. The next day there are twelve letters, and the day after there are twenty-four. They arrive under the doors, through windows and hidden inside eggs delivered by the milkman.

What kind of magic is operating here? Are all Hogwarts letters designed to behave like this, or is someone controlling these ones?

On Sunday morning, more letters fly in through the fireplace, and this is the last straw for Vernon. He orders the family to get ready to go away, and they drive off without any idea where they are going, changing direction several times. They go without food all day, and eventually stop in a gloomy hotel “on the outskirts of a big city”. The name Cokeworth suggests they’ve driven north to an industrial city like Manchester (cf. Dickens’ “Coketown”). More letters arrive at the hotel in the morning. After more driving, they end up by the coast. Harry realises that the next day will be his eleventh birthday, and he remembers the presents the Dursleys have given him in the past – a coat-hanger and a paur of old socks.

Why do the Dursleys give Harry birthday presents at all?

Vernon has hired a boat, and despite the rain they row to a hut on a rock out to sea. Vernon is in a good mood now, because he thinks the letters can’t reach them here; Harry agrees, but the thought doesn’t cheer him up. When the others have gone to bed, Harry is left with only a thin blanket on the floor, and can’t sleep. He watches the minutes tick away until his birthday, and hears strange noises outside, above the storm. On the stroke of midnight, someone knocks at the door.

Is there any reason, apart from narrative drama, that Hagrid arrives exactly at midnight? For example, does Harry have to remain with the Dursleys until the very minute he turns eleven, before he can learn he is a wizard?

Other points to discuss:
Is the flood of letters really the best way of telling Harry about Hogwarts? Might it have been better for Hagrid (or Dumbledore or McGonagall) to visit the Dursleys right away, rather than driving them to the point of distraction?

What do you make of the title of this chapter?

[Butterbeer]

great chapter title!

just a quick question regarding the set up of the harry discussion projetc ..would it not be best to have a sub forum area within harry potter to put each chapter of the discussion in, similiar to the lotr disc project?

makes it easier to see the whole project as one thing then?

best, BB

[jammi567]

Very well done sun-star, this is brilliant!
In your view, why does Vernon hate and fear magic so much, beyond the desire to appear normal? What do you think Vernon’s first encounter with magic was like? How did Petunia explain to him that her sister was a witch? Did Vernon ever meet James, or any other wizards?
I think his fear of magic comes from the fear of the unknown, like, you don't know what's coming next, you can't control it. And to the Dursley's, if they can't control something, then they fear it. I don't think that Patunia did say, because that would distroy the normal life she's trying to have. Much easier if we block them out and pretend that they don't exsist. So no, he didn't meet his brother or sister-in-law.

[durinsbane2244]

i do think that vernon has met james, because it said that they hadn't seem them for some time, so yes.

[jammi567]

i do think that vernon has met james, because it said that they hadn't seem them for some time, so yes.
maybe they met at Lily and James' wedding (much more likely then the other way round).

[durinsbane2244]

oooh, yes. very good point...although, we have no idea which sister is the elder [between petunia and lily], so we have no idea if vernon was in the picture for lily's wedding...

[jammi567]

oooh, yes. very good point...although, we have no idea which sister is the elder [between petunia and lily], so we have no idea if vernon was in the picture for lily's wedding...
what difference does that make.

[jammi567]

Are the Dursleys are keeping Harry away from school?

Is the picture we are given of Mrs Figg in this chapter fully consistent with her later behaviour when we know she is a member of the Order of the Phoenix, or do you feel JKR has changed the character over the course of the books?
I think they would keep him off, even if it is to shout at him more. Also, depending when he was locked in, and if we assume they were let out around the second Friday of July (the time many British school kids are let out of school for their summer holidays), then that must have some effect, being all alone for a pritty long time by the sounds of it.

On Mrs Figg, i think she's consistant throught the book, of what Harry sees of her in public. This is important because she says in book 5 that she had to be horrible to make the Dursley's send Harry there, so by the sounds of it, she's normally very nice. I'm sure that if the Dementor attack hadn't happened, Harry would've got to've known her true personality better.

[durinsbane2244]

what difference does that make.

if lily married james before petunia married vernon, how would vernon meet james at james and lily's wedding? that was my point.

also, we need this stickied...to SGH!

[jammi567]

if lily married james before petunia married vernon, how would vernon meet james at james and lily's wedding? that was my point.
Patunia/Vernom girlfriend/boyfriend at J and L wedding, or vice versa.

[durinsbane2244]

the might not've known each other. again, it depends on which sister is older.

[jammi567]

Well, yes.

p.s you should post on that "they'll never say that" thread, like you promiced to. all of them are very funny. in fact:
BRILLIANT! rofl
Keep them coming.

[durinsbane2244]

butterbeer's right, you are quite the little thread advertiser...ha... :D

[jammi567]

Are you going to try and answer a question, or is everyone else going to have to, whilst you just try to say the opposite to what everyone says. :)

[durinsbane2244]

What does Vernon hope to gain by doing this?

well, the letter was addressed to harry in his own cupboard under the stairs, so maybe he was trying to see just how much they knew, or throw them off...


;)
yeah, i can answer too...

[jammi567]

;)
yeah, i can answer too...
that's ok then.

[durinsbane2244]

well than, mister jammi, can you answer, or just say "that's okay then"? :D

[jammi567]

You know i can bloody well answer questions. :)

[durinsbane2244]

than why don't you go ahead and answer one instead of saying you can? ;)

[jammi567]

What kind of magic is operating here? Are all Hogwarts letters designed to behave like this, or is someone controlling these ones?
I like to think that this is simply an exceptional case, because 'normal' parents let the children read letters that are addressed to them.

[jammi567]

What kind of magic is operating here? Are all Hogwarts letters designed to behave like this, or is someone controlling these ones?
I don't know what kind of magic it is, but i think this is a very, very rare case, because 'normal' parents let their children read their own letters. Of course, it could also be Dumbledore having his little bit of fun (like what happens at the beginning of book six.

[Lizra]

I just don't take this chapter too seriously....it seems rather a lighthearted example of how icky (and in denial about wizardry) the Dursleys are......and how important Harry is.

Has anybody heard from Radagast the Brown of late? I hope his is ok..... :(

[durinsbane2244]

yes, rad is fine, i spoke with him a couple days ago...anyway, yeah, probably not standard procedure...

[Butterbeer]

send him best wishes Bal! :)

[Radagast The Brown]

Has anybody heard from Radagast the Brown of late? I hope his is ok..... :(Ohh.. sorry for making you worry Liz! :( I'm quite alright, just not in the mood for Harry Potter discussions. :)

[Lizra]

Hey Dude! Glad you are ok.....I came because of your PM....but I'm afraid I wouldn't be in the mood for HP chit chat if I were in your place either. :( I'm thinking of you though, and hope for better days......

[Serenoli]

What kind of magic is operating here? Are all Hogwarts letters designed to behave like this, or is someone controlling these ones?

No, they don't all behave like this... Hagrid says he was specially assigned to the task, and was allowed to use magic to make sure the letters reached Harry, so obviously Hagrid was controlling the letters. I also read in a JK Rowling interview somewhere, that with other Muggle-borns, a representative of Hogwarts is usually sent to explain it all, (e.g. Dumbledore going to get young Tom Riddle from the orphanage) or they might think it was all a practical joke... with Harry, they probably guessed a more dynamic approach was necessary... :rolleyes:

With those born into magic families, there was no problems, of course.

[jammi567]

Is there any reason, apart from narrative drama, that Hagrid arrives exactly at midnight? For example, does Harry have to remain with the Dursleys until the very minute he turns eleven, before he can learn he is a wizard?
I think that you've worded this question wrong because Harry would've lerned that he was a wizard much earlier if he had managed to read one of the letters. But, yeh, it is strange that he does come right on midnight.

[tolkienfan]

Well, he thought that Harry already knew that he was a wizard and about Hogwarts. He probably was just dropping in to give Harry a nice birthday surprise, and to see why he hadn't gotten his letter.

[durinsbane2244]

true. also, it was obvious that harry would need an escort around diagon alley. but here's a point! if it was expected that harry already knew, which is true because hagrid is surprised that he hadn't gotten the letter, than why did hagrid have yet another letter on his person, which he gave to harry?

[tolkienfan]

No, he knew Harry hadn't gotten his letter, but he thought Harry knew all about Hogwarts.

[durinsbane2244]

oooh...good point...heh...chalk one up for tolkienfan than... :D ;)

[jammi567]

No, he knew Harry hadn't gotten his letter, but he thought Harry knew all about Hogwarts.
Ahhhh, but how would Hagrid know that Harry know about Hogwarts from people who Hagrid knows are muggles, and who dd probally told him, or lily whilst she was still at school, apsalutly hated magic and anything to do with it. i hope it makes sense.

[Lizra]

Was this the chapter where Hagrid shows off his umbrella/wand?

[durinsbane2244]

hm...i believe so...probably...

[tolkienfan]

Ahhhh, but how would Hagrid know that Harry know about Hogwarts from people who Hagrid knows are muggles, and who dd probally told him, or lily whilst she was still at school, apsalutly hated magic and anything to do with it. i hope it makes sense.
I guess he thought it was obvious that they would have told him. It's kind of important.

[durinsbane2244]

true indeed, tolkienfan, true indeed... :D

[jammi567]

Was this the chapter where Hagrid shows off his umbrella/wand?
no, that's at the end of the next chapter.

[durinsbane2244]

ah, good ol' jammi and your potter knowledge...and getting a book and checking...ah, laziness! :rolleyes:

[jammi567]

if you must know, that was having a very good memory, and not lazyness, unlike a certain person i know...

[durinsbane2244]

hey, don't you talk about...er...*thinks of who would never see this* my good friend Butterbeer like that behind his back! :eek:

[jammi567]

You poor liar. :D

[durinsbane2244]

sssshhhh! :rolleyes:

[jammi567]

yeh, i know your 'dirty little secret'.

[durinsbane2244]

sh! no! quiet! er...uh...off topic! back on topic with you, jammi! *blows whistle*

[jammi567]

'hahahahahahahahahaha', i've got you now! :D :evil:

[durinsbane2244]

please jammi, do return to the topic...ha! this is just like when you joined...only i'm telling YOU to stop the jokes and get back on topic...it WAS in the harry potter forum though...haha! the tables are turned! now, back on track, or i shall call you that name i'm not to call you! :evil: :D :p ;) :rolleyes:

[jammi567]

I've just my dad, who's a postman, about the letter thing, and he said that it's very unlikely that it did travel through the post without a stamp because the person who recieves it has to pay a £1.00 commision, and so i would think the postman would ring the doorbell, and ask to be paid, so...

p.s what's 'that name i'm not to call you'?

[durinsbane2244]

oooh! very good postal point! i wouldn't know that, not living in england...thank him on behalf of us all!

P.S. oh, i think you know...it involves your name and some rhyming, mate... ;)

[jammi567]

have done so.

p.s what's wrong woth calling me that?

[durinsbane2244]

well, you told me to never call you jam-bam-ham-sam-tam-pam-lam-tam and the such again...so fine... :rolleyes:

[jammi567]

ohhhhhh, i remember now, so yeh, never, ever do that.

[durinsbane2244]

that's what i said! but noooo, someone couldn't remember....*sigh*...

[jammi567]

ohhhh, sorry if i can't remember..something...like that...*hangs head in shame*. Now get back on bloody topic. :D

[durinsbane2244]

ok. so if they didn't come through the post, we can safely assume that something with the owls like what they used in the film happened, or they just magicked them over...

[jammi567]

ohhh, i can imagine a senario now, where dumbledore just happens to come along the street, mets the postman, and says 'ohh, do you have any letters for the dursleys?' and the postman says 'yeh,' and dd, replies 'i happen to be going there, would you mind if i deliver them?' and the postman says, 'sure, why not.' so dd goes to the door, slips out the letter, and posts it, along with the others.

[durinsbane2244]

and than, with a quick turn on his heel...vanishes ! :eek: ;)

[jammi567]

yep, and apperates back to his office.

[durinsbane2244]

and then smacks his forehead, and says, "damnit! the stamps!" :p

[jammi567]

yep, so funny imagining dd doing that. :D

[durinsbane2244]

indeed...especially if he WAS ron...[and i know he's not] :rolleyes:

[jammi567]

ron/dd: dam it, i know i should've listerned to hermione when we were picking options.

[durinsbane2244]

here's a point: what's the purpose of putting such an exact address on the letter? why bother, really? :confused:

[jammi567]

to scare vernon and patunia into doing what he wants?

[durinsbane2244]

that doesn't sound like something DD would do though, does it?

[jammi567]

no, but i would think he could've learned from lily that she (patunia) hated magic, and something as specific as that...

[durinsbane2244]

i still don't think he would frighten them into something...it's just so...voldemortish...using fear as a weapon? dark, mate, dark...

[jammi567]

why do you think he did it then?

[durinsbane2244]

well, jams, that's what i was posing for discussion. :rolleyes: ;)

[jammi567]

*ignores name* i guessed that much, but lets hear your thoughts on the matter.

[durinsbane2244]

well, i think it might have been to show them they mean buisness, they're not fooling around, and they know and care about harry, and also let them know that if they know that much about harry, they know how much he's abused and if they do anything worse.

and thoughts from you, jam...mie? :rolleyes:

[jammi567]

i've already said my thoughts above.

[durinsbane2244]

and you have nothing to add after hearing my views and opinion? nothing to defend your thoughts? hm? :rolleyes: *prompts jammi to add*

[jammi567]

no, not really. :rolleyes: ;) :cool:

[durinsbane2244]

fine...don't participate...see if i care!...*whimper* :(

[jammi567]

allimentwasthatididn'thaveanythingelsetoadd! *gasps and pants, before durinebane starts to cry!* :D

[durinsbane2244]

hahaha! ok, ok, calm down, don't hyper-ventilate... :rolleyes:

[jammi567]

who said i was, i was just rushing in before you embarissed yourself.

[durinsbane2244]

embarressed myself? ha! it takes a lot more than a wee whimper to embarress me! :rolleyes: :D :p ;)

[jammi567]

ohhh, fair enough, i guess.

[durinsbane2244]

yeah...sooo...another point...if the letters' address had that much detail, why did vernon think running would do any good? they obviously were watching...

[jammi567]

yeh, but when you're scared, worried or angry, then that little detail doesn't come to your mind.

[durinsbane2244]

hm...why is it that humans foresake logic and reasoning in times of distress? bring in spock, please...i beg you... :D

[jammi567]

:D :D :D :D

[durinsbane2244]

whoa...you can lick your nose?!?!? :D HA! :p

[jammi567]

you are strange and sad, just like most people on here, to name but a few.

[durinsbane2244]

hey hey hey! it's one thing to insult me, bucko, but dinna insult mah fellow mooters! anyway, me and the mooters aren't the ones who can't manage to do this: :D

;) :D :rolleyes:

lower case D..heh...

[jammi567]

it was the computer. must've changed it somehow, so there. :p :D

[durinsbane2244]

i see. either way. insult me all you want, but don't mess with the peoples. just stick to me, if you please. ;)

[jammi567]

sure, whatever you want, oh great one. :)

[durinsbane2244]

well, if that's the case, don't refer to me by "the great one" or any other title of power or superiority...i'm not worth it...

[jammi567]

sure thing, oh great one. :D

p.s well done for getting 2002 posts.

[durinsbane2244]

holy crap! i hit 2000? i was waiting and i didn't even notice!!! aw...yay! to the cafe! party time! AND DON'T CALL ME THAT!

[jammi567]

ok, mate. :)

[durinsbane2244]

thankee. now, back to the question i previously posed in a post, pardon the pun, you've got an answer?

[jammi567]

can you remind me what the question was. thanks.

[durinsbane2244]

hm *thinks quickly* what kind of magic do you think was used to survey harry and the durselys? :rolleyes:

[jammi567]

maybe the Put-Outter creates a servalance system *imagines dd pushing a button under his desk, and the portrate turning around to show tv screens showing the surrounding area and the inside of the dursley house*. *laughs out loud*. :D :D :D :D

[durinsbane2244]

ha! i wouldn't put it past him, the sly dog... :D

[jammi567]

totally!

[durinsbane2244]

yeah, well, then again, no electronics, if you recall...

[jammi567]

ok, maybe a magical bubble screens?

[durinsbane2244]

maybe, jammi, maybe...OR MAYBE NOT! dun dun dun... :eek:

[jammi567]

*sighs* that's one idea burst.

[durinsbane2244]

HA! i'm assuming, of course, that you were making a bubble pun...heh... :rolleyes:

[jammi567]

yes, i was.

[durinsbane2244]

suuuure...o'course y'were.... :rolleyes:

[Butterbeer]

eh? ;)

[durinsbane2244]

barliman? wow...you're...outside of the bar... :eek: ;)

[Butterbeer]

... you seem fixated with bars and beer, sir!

* 'ere, have another ... best 'bishops' finger' in England ...*

(that's a real ALE btw) ... not that i an a particular afficinado btw ... but hey ..it's funny name! :D ;) )

[durinsbane2244]

wow...you brought me a beer all the way to the harry potter forum...that's more than 5 forums down! :eek: *gleeful smile* thank you, barliman...thank you... :D

[Butterbeer]

... just call me BB ;)

(i'm a generous Guy ... ;) :) )

[durinsbane2244]

*sigh* fine...BB...anything to say about our discussions? :rolleyes:

[Butterbeer]

*sigh* fine...BB...anything to say about our discussions? :rolleyes:


hah! :D ... you sound just like Jammi ! :) :D

[durinsbane2244]

ah, you got that one, eh? quick on ya feet, BB... i try... :rolleyes: ;)

[jammi567]

hah! :D ... you sound just like Jammi ! :) :D
is that ment to be good or bad? :)

[durinsbane2244]

it's obviously ba-...er...GOOD! THE BEST! GREATEST EVER! *runs* :eek:

[jammi567]

durinsbane, come back here and tell the truth, like a true balrog would.

[durinsbane2244]

*shouts through megaphone* BACK ON TOPIC WITH YOU! *flies off* AND YES, I HAVE WINGS! *flies*

[jammi567]

What do you make of the title of this chapter?
it's very good, and accuratly portrays the content of the chapter. However, it's ironic because the person who's sending the letters is going to be the one person harry gets to know and love.

[jammi567]

Smeltings is a parody of a traditional British public school like Eton. In many ways, so is Hogwarts. Hogwarts has some traditions which are just as brutal as the sticks students hit each other with at Smeltings, such as the punishments students receive from Filch.
What does this suggest about JKR’s view of private education?
Most readers will feel Hogwarts is the more attractive-sounding of the two schools. What are the positive features of Hogwarts which distinguish it from schools like Smeltings?
Public schools like Smeltings and comprehensives like Stonewall High have very specific connotations for British readers. For other readers, however, these references may be opaque. If you did not know much about the British school system before reading this book, how did you react to this part of Chapter 3?
i've got an essay on this subject here (http://community.livejournal.com/hp_essays/27136.html). i happened to find it by chance.

[jammi567]

in case anyone's intersted in dates and such, here's (http://www.hp-lexicon.org/about/books/ps/rg-ps03.html) a link to the Harry Potter Lexicon dealing with this chapter.