Are Boggarts a bit of a plot hole?

[[deleted user]]

I mean if a boggart turns into whatever you are most scared of, and you never see it in it's natural form...how do you know to do the Riddikulus spell, and not just leg it becuase it's a giant spider or something? And do they actually hurt you? was there really much point to the lesson they had on the subject or was it just a device to show moony was a werewolf?

[Ciara]

No, Lupin didn't want anyone to know he was a werewolf. The chances are, an experienced wizard would be able to tell the difference from a Boggart and the real thing. The don't hurt you physically, but emotionally.

Like when Mrs. Weasley was crying, as she had seen her family, dead. The Boggart didn't approach her, but still upset her.

[[deleted user]]

I didn't mean that Lupin did it to show he was a werewolf, i meant a device from JK...becuase the moon appeard, it was a clue to us and Hermione.

I guess the older wizards could know the difference...but wouldn't that make the boggarts powers a bit void...seeing as the wizard would just be like 'i could get upset but it's not real...meh'

[Harrison]

It's a very clever plot device. There's no plot hole, Hermoine knows all, thanks to the clue of the moon.

She puts the clues together, while others see a globe.

[[deleted user]]

I still think the need for a spell to get rid of them is pointless...if they wizards can't tell them apart from the real thing...they wouldn't know to use the spell, no where does it say that they can tell the difference.

[Harrison]

I think J.K. is implying that a boggart will affect you mentally, and thereby an experienced wizard can tell the difference, a sense of dread perhaps.

[[deleted user]]

Ahhh, that makes more sense...my other half was the one who thought about it...will put that explanation to him. Was also a good device for the readers to picture snape in womans clothes :D made me smile!

[Amanda]

I think it was a fun thing to put in really. Not everything has to be about plot either. Just a fun scene, a bit of comic relief. I do think she probably used it to show the werewolf thing and also Harry's fear as well.


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[Harrison]

I believe the book describes the boggart coming out of the cupbaord already formed, (correct me if I'm wrong)and the film shows the shift from one to another, so the only explaination would be a unique feeling of dread, experienced as children during this self-same lesson.

But anyway, it's a plot device to move the plot forward later.

[[deleted user]]

It wasn't a question about it being put in really, maybe plot hole was the wrong term, it's just something that didn't really make sense, harrison's explantion is a good one though.

[Kressel]

If there's any plot hole involving boggarts, it happens in OOtP. Harry is teaching the Patronus charm to the DA and comments, "What we really need is a boggart. That's how I learned."

They were in the Room of Requirement. If a boggart is what they needed, the room should have produced it. I suppose someone can always say that if the room didn't provide one, they must not have really needed it, but I thought it was a careless line on JKR's part.

[Amanda]

Kressel wrote: "If there's any plot hole involving boggarts, it happens in OOtP. Harry is teaching the Patronus charm to the DA and comments, "What we really need is a boggart. That's how I learned."

They were in..."

I think that because a boggart is a living thing/creature that the room wouldn't really be able to produce it. I don't think it can provide people if needed for example if someone really needed Harry I don't think he would just appear in the Room of Requirement. I don't think it can provide food either as far as I know.


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[Tru]

Ciara wrote: "No, Lupin didn't want anyone to know he was a werewolf. The chances are, an experienced wizard would be able to tell the difference from a Boggart and the real thing. The don't hurt you physically,..."

Obviously Lupin didn't want anyone knowing he was a werewolf. The plot device to expose him would be used by the writer, not the character. XD

[Kaleigh - Captain Bubbles ESTP(intj)]

Yeah. I think boggarts have this kind of "magic" about them that makes it feel real, even tough you know it isn't real.

[Whitney]

deleted user wrote: "I didn't mean that Lupin did it to show he was a werewolf, i meant a device from JK...becuase the moon appeard, it was a clue to us and Hermione.

I guess the older wizards could know the differenc..."

Ever been upset by a scary movie or a dream? You know it's not real, but it's still scary. Fear is often not rational, which is what I think Rowling was trying to say.

[Kathleen]

deleted user wrote: "I mean if a boggart turns into whatever you are most scared of, and you never see it in it's natural form...how do you know to do the Riddikulus spell, and not just leg it becuase it's a giant spid..."

Rowling addresses that in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. When Harry is in the maze during the Third Task of the Triwizard Tournament he comes across a boggart that is impersonating a dementor because that is what Harry fears most (as readers know from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban). When Harry produces a Patronus to counter the dementor it stumbles, which is not something the half-corporeal dementor would do. This uncharacteristic behaviour is what gives the boggart away.

[Kathleen]

Amanda wrote: "I think it was a fun thing to put in really. Not everything has to be about plot either. Just a fun scene, a bit of comic relief. I do think she probably used it to show the werewolf thing and also..."

I agree that it was a fun thing to put in, but I don't think it was just plot filler or comic relief. There's a lot of set-up for subtle character development in this scene, especially for Professor Lupin. Later in the book he has to explain to Harry why he didn't let him face the boggart—"I assumed that when the boggart saw you it would assume the shape of Lord Voldemort. . .I didn't think it was a good idea for Voldemort to materialize in the staff room. I imagined that people would panic."

It also creates a lot of angst for Harry, who is dealing with what he perceives as a personal weakness (weakness to the effects of dementors) on top of the boggart situation.

Even more, I think Rowling is writing about the power of fear and that, in order to counteract it, we have to reduce its ability to frighten us or "force it to assume a shape that [we] find amusing."

[Hannah]

Boggarts are just terrifying. Although it's hard to imagine that, with the things the students were afraid of seemed impossible to us, it's facing your greatest fear. Even if it can't really harm you, they are things that got in their way often, such as in the third challenge of the Tri-Wizard Tournament for Harry, or in the House of Black in one of the cupboards. Facing your greatest fear can freeze a person from knowing what to do. If they attempt to do a counterspell to get rid of it, like when Harry attempted his Patronus on the Boggart, it didn't work until he realized what it really was. Then, when he said "Riddikulus", it got out of his way.

[Jenna]

Kressel wrote: "If there's any plot hole involving boggarts, it happens in OOtP. Harry is teaching the Patronus charm to the DA and comments, "What we really need is a boggart. That's how I learned."

They were in..."

Harry was wrong on that point because a boggart only turned into a Dementor for him. It wouldn't turn into a Dementor for just anyone. It would be what that specific person is afraid of most.

[Kressel]

Jenna wrote: "Harry was wrong on that point because a boggart only turned into a Dementor for him. It wouldn't turn into a Dementor for just anyone. It would be what that specific person is afraid of most."

It could have turned into a dementor for him and everyone else would have taken turns rescuing him.

[Valerie]

Reading into it a bit, Boggarts seem like they could be what holds everyone back from time to time. Everyone has something they fear above all else. It is the fear that is the power here, not that a boggart can change into anything. Paralyzing fear is very real and teaching the students to realize this helps them grow as a person.
On a lighter note, they are just a fun way to teach the kids and help the plot. Very creative and imaginative by JK. I really liked the way she wrote the books; can read into things or not, it is still a good story.