So I think, carriek9, that you may hit upon something very important when you note that “Alecto’s and Amycus’s names are given in order to clue the reader in to the fact that they are people who are incapable of thinking or responding in anything other than a primitive, violent way.” Maybe this is a stretch, but perhaps by naming the Carrows after these brutal figures from Greek mythology (and especially by naming Alecto after one of the furies), Rowling is emphasizing that these two are enforcers of Voldemort’s world order, one in which brutality and fear rather than goodness and mercy keep people in line. This is the order that Harry overturns at the end of the book. His final defeat of Voldemort with “Expelliarmus” rather than a killing curse could be seen as his ultimate rejection of Voldemort’s violent order, as well as the ultimate triumph of mercy over violence. I think it’s very significant, too, that Harry offers Voldemort the option of remorse rather than death (even if it’s all but hopeless that he will take this option). Not sure where Professor McGonagall fits into all this, although the fact that she is named Minerva seems like it ought to be significant.

Wow. I feel a little pretentious writing a post that long. I’m really not an expert in this, just ruminating (and trying to remember what I learned in one of my undergraduate classes).

Oh, and by the way, this is my first ever post, so hello, everyone! I just recently discovered this site, and I can’t tell you how thrilled I was to find a group of people who were having serious, intelligent discussions about Harry Potter as a work of literature! (Not to mention being charitable and civilized to each other—that seems to be rarity on the internet.) Keep up the good work, everyone! You all have fascinating insights. I hope Forks High School Professor gets back up and running again soon, too.