Comments | readerravenclaw: Trevor as a Symbolic Representation of Neville

readerravenclaw

Trevor as a Symbolic Representation of Neville

Apr 11, 2005 18:25

I have already written about the Mimbulus mimbletonia as a symbolic representation of Neville; this time it’s Trevor’s turn. Though this has only just occurred to me, I already feel very strongly that it is wonderfully appropriate that Neville’s pet is a toad. ( More than any other character in the book, Neville undergoes a remarkable transformation as he grows older, and a toad is one of the ultimate symbols of transformation. )

hp discussions, neville

Comments 15

kitsunelover April 11 2005, 16:08:52 UTC

Nice. I also enjoyed your previous essay on the Mimbulus mimbletonia. :)

I can't understand why people have so often compared Neville to Peter Pettigrew. It is very true that he "has gone through so much in life, and though he has been cowed, he has not been broken - and he has not become bitter or angry at the world, either." Neville will definitely ultimately end up making an invaluable contribution to the Order--he did well in the Department of Mysteries.

readerravenclaw April 12 2005, 16:29:01 UTC

If anything, I think Neville is a FOIL of Pettigrew. (In fact, I think I could make a good case for the Trio+Neville being foils of the four Maurauders.... I may write an essay about that one of these days.)

Epiphany r_grayjoy April 12 2005, 18:00:58 UTC

Ooooooh.... You're right... I like that...

(Here via the Daily Snitch.)

erinlin April 11 2005, 16:53:30 UTC

Good essay. And yay for Neville love!

readerravenclaw April 12 2005, 16:30:05 UTC

Thanks. :) Neville has really become one of my favorite characters lately.... I'm eagerly looking forward to discovering what JKR does with him in HBP.

terrylj April 12 2005, 08:04:43 UTC

I've thought about Trevor being the half-blood prince myself. Just because the story of a prince being turned into a toad is so well-known, and because Trevor is mentioned so much that I can't believe he's just an ordinary toad.

I agree with you that it would be overuse of a plot device, but that has never stopped JKR before!

readerravenclaw April 12 2005, 16:34:29 UTC

Having Trevor as the half-blood prince would certainly make for an interesting plot bunny for a fic, even if I think it's very, very unlikely that the theory will actually turn out to be accurate. :) But if Trevor really is the half-blood prince, it would no doubt mean that Neville would get a bigger role in the story - and that certainly wouldn't be unwelcome. :)

jan_aq April 12 2005, 13:21:13 UTC

Haha, lovely! :) Neville is such a 3-dimensional character and often people forget that.

I think that Trevor will save the day. He'll hop in front of a killing curse from Voldemort aimed for Harry. Much angst will ensue. "Trevoorrr!!!!" ^__^;;

readerravenclaw April 12 2005, 16:36:51 UTC

Neville is one of the most three-dimensional characters in the book, I think. And unlike in Ginny's case, where you can make the argument that her sudden transformation wasn't well prepared for, JKR laid the way for Neville's transformation very carefully and believably, in my opinion.

luxanebulis April 12 2005, 17:26:28 UTC

I'm here from QuickQuote. To add to the similarities, Trevor is always getting lost, maybe similar to the way that Neville often seems lost and without friends.

readerravenclaw April 18 2005, 13:12:59 UTC

I still haven't decided what my theory is on the way Trevor keeps on getting lost (at the moment I'm leaning towards the idea that Neville is trying valiently, from the beginning, to lose his "toadiness") but what you're saying also makes a lot of sense - that there's a correspondance between the way Trevor is always getting lost and the "lost" impression we get from Neville at first. :)