Blog 1, Prompt 2

Iser's argument that "expectations are scarcely ever fulfilled in truly literary texts" is exemplified to a tee in Rowling’s work. Throughout the first two books, well the entire series, she keeps you guessing. Rowling is constantly throwing curve balls, so to speak, as to what comes next. For example, in The Sorcerer’s Stone, all clues point to Snape as the one dealing with the stone. Harry and his gang become suspicious of Snape, what with his limping and shadiness. Of course we later find out that Snape is not the guilty one and he has actually shown some good characteristics. At one point when Harry was cursed at the quidditch match, Snape was trying to reverse the curse and protect him. This leaves us wondering what we should think of Snape. If he hates Harry as much as it comes off, then why would he bother trying to protect him?

In The Chamber of Secrets, Rowling makes us question each character even more. Harry, Ron, and Hermione immediately believe Draco Malfoy opened the chamber of secrets. In dangerous, expulsion-worthy behavior the trio brews a polyjuice potion. This potion makes Ron and Harry appear as Crabbe and Goyle, who then sneak in the Slytherin house and try to get Malfoy to confess that he opened the chamber. When Malfoy confesses to them that he did not do and is dying to know who did, the audience is confused. Rowling really led us to believe that Malfoy had to be the guilty one, but once again tricked us. At that point we knew Malfoy was not the culprit, but we found out that he wished he had been. While Snape’s intentions and character are still not fully developed, we know that Malfoy is not, and probably never will be a good character. Rowling has kept us on our toes so far with all the second-guessing she makes us do; no one can foresee what comes next.