I was unable, believe it or not, to discuss at any length Rowling’s signature structure, which is to say ring composition or chiasmus, in my PhD dissertation. I alluded in its conclusion both to the published notes of a talk I gave on the subject in 2010 and to a HogwartsProfessor Pillar Post on the subject in which links were collected to what I have written here as well as other Rowling Readers.
The problem was that I hadn’t finished that Pillar Post. Would I be able to complete anything like a complete collection of HogwartsProfessor posts and podcasts on the subject before the thesis readers looked for it?
I won’t know the answer to that question until my viva voce examinations at the end of the month. The good news, though, is that I have updated the page and it’s a decent compendium and introduction to the subject, if I say so myself. I explain, for instance, the connection between ring composition and Rowling’s psychomachia and literary alchemy.
The Ring Composition Pillar Post awaits your comments, corrections, and suggestions of pages here and elsewhere I have neglected.
I had always thought of the Potter books as essentially a mystery with the overlay of fantasy. Each year the trio solved a mystery while we navigated Rowling’s wonderful talent of providing misdirection as seen through Harry’s perspective and thought process.
In the Strike books, we see the same pattern with obvious detective work occurring but with more adult scenarios and life situations. She loves to show us up (and especially Strike) with our presuppositions. I just read the lines where Robin and Strike dismiss Raph as a suspect in Chiswell’s death because he had nothing to gain financially. Or they thought he didn’t. Of course, Rowling is like Agatha Christie – one of her fav’s – in that she often leaves out pertinent information.
I look forward to your next post.