Analysis: this is where analysis should go
| ← Older revision | Revision as of 22:09, 31 December 2011 | ||
| Line 59: | Line 59: | ||
| Professor Binns, being a ghost, shares many features common to all ghosts mentioned in the series. Significant analysis of ghosts appears [[Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Magic/Ghost|on that page]]. | Professor Binns, being a ghost, shares many features common to all ghosts mentioned in the series. Significant analysis of ghosts appears [[Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Magic/Ghost|on that page]]. | ||
| + | |||
| + | It would appear that the only book in which Professor Binns is at all important to the plot is ''Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets''. Presumably any character teaching History of Magic could equally serve the purpose here. Professor Binns also has a tiny role in ''Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix'', where Hedwig's appearance at the classroom window is only noticed because the class itself is so dull. | ||
| + | |||
| + | It is never explained why History of Magic is taught by a ghost; we can only speculate that the author thought it would be an interesting conceit to have an effectively dead subject taught by an effectively dead teacher. There is also no explanation for the confusion of names that Professor Binns displays in his one useful interaction with the class; he does seem to get the initial letter of the student's name right (for instance, Parvati ''P''atil becomes Miss ''P''ennyfeather). It is possible that he is simply recalling the names of students that he taught when he was alive, conflating him with the students he finds in front of him. | ||
| == Questions == | == Questions == |