But it wasn't until after the books were wildly popular that she started sticking it to reporters (Book 4, I think). Part of it reads like "And here is what I wanted to say in that interview, biatch."
Early on it's just people staring at Harry and coming up to him.
Hey, it's Adam who put the stinger on it. But I'm honored.
It's true that she gets increasingly pissed off with starfucker/reporters, &c. But it does seem prescient somehow, that elements of this theme are in the first book.
Well I'll tell you the truth but I doubt very much that anyone's going to want to hear this. I tried to put Rita in Philosopher's Stone - you know when Harry walks into the Leaky Cauldron for the first time and everyone says, "Mr Potter you're back!", I wanted to put a journalist in there. She wasn't called Rita then but she was a woman. And then I thought, as I looked at the plot overall, I thought, that's not really where she fits best, she fits best in Four when Harry's supposed to come to terms with his fame. So I pulled Rita from Book One and planned her entrance for Book Four and I was really looking forward to Rita coming in Book Four. For the first time ever, my pen metaphorically hestitated over writing her, because I thought, everyone will think this is my response to what's happened to me. But the fact is, Rita was planned all along. Did I enjoy her a little more because of what's happened to me - yeah I probably did!
Seriously, ogged, do you want me to have to put down Being and Time to read Harry Potter? Because if you're going to keep on spoiling it, I'm going to have to.
It's a pretty awesome difference. Finished 600+ pages of HP in hours; much, much more time spent will have been spent getting through current with B&T.
Sanchez's theory seems to me very, very likely. So much so I am embarrased not to have thought of it myself. Now if I could only figure out why Hermione cooked and ate Mrs. Weasely in the last chapter...
It was actually Hermione's cat disguised as Mrs. Weasley using Polyjuice potion (the opposite of when Hermione became a cat in book 2). So the real mystery is why she wanted to eat her own cat...
Baa, I know what you mean. I finished the book after reading Julian's post, so I'll never know whether I'm clever. I was pretty shocked to see Ben Wolfson appear at the end, however.
I think the Polyjuice potion should convince anyone that names sometimes function as definite descriptions. E.g., "Mad Eye Moody is the Dark Arts instructor this year at Hogwarts." This is just the Donnellan case, right?
So is the idea that Mad Eye Moody is the title given to the Dark Arts Instructor? I don't know the Potter, so I'm not sure how the example works. And when you say "Donnellan example" I think "The woman in the corner drinking a martini is a CIA operative," which is rather the opposite. (For civilians: The point of the example is that Ms. Plame is not drinking a martini but water in a martini glass, but the argument is that "The woman drinking a martini" refers to her anyway.)
Are you defending the Strawson-Russell view of names as definite descriptions? I think that needs more work than this example. But Nunberg's examples in which 'I' and 'that one' effectively function as descriptions could easily be converted to examples of names--you say "Karl traditionally gets whatever he wants for his last meal," effectively meaning "The condemned prisoner traditionally gets whatever he wants for his last meal" (Karl being the condemned prisoner)>
Interesting, though, that dealing with fame was a theme from the beginning, before she could know how it would affect her own life.
Posted by ac | Link to this comment | 07-18-05 2:10 PM
Yeah, what's your answer to that, Ogged?
Posted by Adam Kotsko | Link to this comment | 07-18-05 2:13 PM
ac is banned!
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 07-18-05 2:14 PM
But it wasn't until after the books were wildly popular that she started sticking it to reporters (Book 4, I think). Part of it reads like "And here is what I wanted to say in that interview, biatch."
Early on it's just people staring at Harry and coming up to him.
Posted by Cala | Link to this comment | 07-18-05 2:18 PM
Hey, it's Adam who put the stinger on it. But I'm honored.
It's true that she gets increasingly pissed off with starfucker/reporters, &c. But it does seem prescient somehow, that elements of this theme are in the first book.
Posted by ac | Link to this comment | 07-18-05 2:20 PM
Well I'll tell you the truth but I doubt very much that anyone's going to want to hear this. I tried to put Rita in Philosopher's Stone - you know when Harry walks into the Leaky Cauldron for the first time and everyone says, "Mr Potter you're back!", I wanted to put a journalist in there. She wasn't called Rita then but she was a woman. And then I thought, as I looked at the plot overall, I thought, that's not really where she fits best, she fits best in Four when Harry's supposed to come to terms with his fame. So I pulled Rita from Book One and planned her entrance for Book Four and I was really looking forward to Rita coming in Book Four. For the first time ever, my pen metaphorically hestitated over writing her, because I thought, everyone will think this is my response to what's happened to me. But the fact is, Rita was planned all along. Did I enjoy her a little more because of what's happened to me - yeah I probably did!
Posted by washerdreyer | Link to this comment | 07-18-05 2:22 PM
ac is banned!
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 07-18-05 2:26 PM
You're only halfway though? What's wrong with you?
Posted by SP | Link to this comment | 07-18-05 2:26 PM
Seriously, ogged, do you want me to have to put down Being and Time to read Harry Potter? Because if you're going to keep on spoiling it, I'm going to have to.
Posted by slolernr | Link to this comment | 07-18-05 2:27 PM
It's a pretty awesome difference. Finished 600+ pages of HP in hours; much, much more time spent will have been spent getting through current with B&T.
Posted by Kriston | Link to this comment | 07-18-05 2:34 PM
Is this a spoiler? I'm sorry, no more Potter posts!
SP, I know. I didn't actually get much time to read over the weekend. Maybe tonight...
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 07-18-05 2:35 PM
More teaser than spoiler
Posted by not ac | Link to this comment | 07-18-05 2:38 PM
Who is RAB Kriston? We need theories on this!
Posted by baa | Link to this comment | 07-18-05 2:38 PM
So at the end of Being and Time, Heidegger....
Oh, sorry -- not everyone's finished it.
Posted by Adam Kotsko | Link to this comment | 07-18-05 2:38 PM
Royal Air Battalion? Residual Acid Benefits?
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 07-18-05 2:39 PM
I guessed R.A.B. on the other thread and I'm quite sure I'm right.
Posted by ac with a moustache | Link to this comment | 07-18-05 2:40 PM
Julian Sanchez has a sound theory. . . .
Posted by Kriston | Link to this comment | 07-18-05 2:40 PM
No spoilers!!
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 07-18-05 2:41 PM
R.A.B. refers coyly to He Who Must Roll A Blunt.
Posted by Standpipe Bridgeplate | Link to this comment | 07-18-05 2:41 PM
Do you have spoiler tags turned on?
Posted by Kriston | Link to this comment | 07-18-05 2:45 PM
. . . that'd be a no.
Posted by Kriston | Link to this comment | 07-18-05 2:45 PM
Rancid Ass Boogers?
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 07-18-05 2:45 PM
Jung gur uryy ner fcbvyre gntf?
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 07-18-05 2:46 PM
23: Maybe they make the text print in white-on-white?
Posted by Matt Weiner | Link to this comment | 07-18-05 2:48 PM
Spoiler tags make the text color the same as the background color, so that the text is visible only if you select it.
Posted by Standpipe Bridgeplate | Link to this comment | 07-18-05 2:48 PM
Kriston:
Sanchez's theory seems to me very, very likely. So much so I am embarrased not to have thought of it myself. Now if I could only figure out why Hermione cooked and ate Mrs. Weasely in the last chapter...
Posted by baa | Link to this comment | 07-18-05 2:49 PM
V2hhdCdzIHdyb25nIHdpdGggdGhhdCBvbGQgc3RhbmRieSwgUk9UMTM/
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 07-18-05 2:50 PM
if I could only figure out why Hermione cooked and ate Mrs. Weasely in the last chapter
Because she's plump and yummy, and everyone likes to eat redheads.
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 07-18-05 2:56 PM
Delicious!
Posted by baa | Link to this comment | 07-18-05 2:57 PM
It was actually Hermione's cat disguised as Mrs. Weasley using Polyjuice potion (the opposite of when Hermione became a cat in book 2). So the real mystery is why she wanted to eat her own cat...
Posted by SP | Link to this comment | 07-18-05 2:58 PM
Baa, I know what you mean. I finished the book after reading Julian's post, so I'll never know whether I'm clever. I was pretty shocked to see Ben Wolfson appear at the end, however.
Posted by Kriston | Link to this comment | 07-18-05 2:58 PM
SP, but did she know it was her cat? We need some analytic philosophers on the case!
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 07-18-05 3:05 PM
I think the Polyjuice potion should convince anyone that names sometimes function as definite descriptions. E.g., "Mad Eye Moody is the Dark Arts instructor this year at Hogwarts." This is just the Donnellan case, right?
(Actually, does anyone deny this?)
Posted by baa | Link to this comment | 07-18-05 3:22 PM
Eh?
Posted by Matt Weiner | Link to this comment | 07-18-05 3:23 PM
Great moments in analytic philosophy:
(Actually, does anyone deny this?)
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 07-18-05 3:25 PM
Does anyone deny that names at times function as definite descriptions. Sheesh!
Posted by baa | Link to this comment | 07-19-05 6:06 AM
baa, I was just amused by the moment of reflection.
Posted by ogged | Link to this comment | 07-19-05 8:49 AM
Just because no one denies it doesn't mean I can't get a journal article out of it!
Posted by baa | Link to this comment | 07-19-05 9:00 AM
"Names can still be definite descriptions", forthcoming in the Journal of Just Making Sure.
Posted by ben wolfson | Link to this comment | 07-19-05 9:10 AM
So is the idea that Mad Eye Moody is the title given to the Dark Arts Instructor? I don't know the Potter, so I'm not sure how the example works. And when you say "Donnellan example" I think "The woman in the corner drinking a martini is a CIA operative," which is rather the opposite. (For civilians: The point of the example is that Ms. Plame is not drinking a martini but water in a martini glass, but the argument is that "The woman drinking a martini" refers to her anyway.)
Are you defending the Strawson-Russell view of names as definite descriptions? I think that needs more work than this example. But Nunberg's examples in which 'I' and 'that one' effectively function as descriptions could easily be converted to examples of names--you say "Karl traditionally gets whatever he wants for his last meal," effectively meaning "The condemned prisoner traditionally gets whatever he wants for his last meal" (Karl being the condemned prisoner)>
Posted by Matt Weiner | Link to this comment | 07-19-05 10:09 AM
baa, isn't that just using a definite description to fix the referent of a name?
Posted by FL | Link to this comment | 07-19-05 10:15 AM
It's dthat!
Posted by Matt Weiner | Link to this comment | 07-19-05 10:18 AM