Ashes and Water, A Discussion of Alchemy in Chamber of Secrets |
 Jul 29 2008, 07:37 PM
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Hitchhiker's Guide of Harry's Alchemical Journeys  Posts: 2,872 Joined: 9:08pm March 20, 2006 Location: In the Alchemy Lab   |
Ashes and Water A Discussion of Alchemy in Chamber of Secrets  "I've never wanted to be a witch, but an alchemist, now that's a different matter. To invent this wizard world, I've learned a ridiculous amount about alchemy." JKR - From an interview in The Herald Dec 1998. Alchemy, it’s the bane of Harry Potter fans! But it doesn’t have to be. It really is something that you can understand and by understanding can get a much better picture of the happenings of the series. This will be an ongoing thread that will try to take you step-by-step through the Seven Operations and Three Stages of Alchemy in Chamber Of Secrets. We’ll start with a bit of a Primer so that you have a basic understanding of what Alchemy is and how it works. Alchemy starts with an Alchemist and Prima Materia (Sometimes referred to as the First Matter) – which is any material that is to be transformed. In a series of steps called the Operations, the Prima Materia is progressively exposed to the elements, agitated, separated, fermented and further purified until it is so pure, it can be united with the pure Universal Spirit to make the Elixir of Life which can turn things into gold. In the case of a person, the process is to turn an unformed, sinful, or unbalanced person into a highly polished balanced magician (person). There are seven steps or operations, which are divide into three stages. (The operations and Stages are different depending on the Alchemist, but this is the more accepted division and names.): The Black Stage consists of five operations - 1. Calcination – submitting the substance to be transformed to fire until it turns to ashes; 2. Dissolution – combining fluid with the ashes to further purify them; 3. Separation – separating out the opposites and filtering the product; 4. Conjunction – recombining the elements that were separated into a new substance – sometimes called the Child of Conjunction; 5. Fermentation – allowing the substance (Child of Conjunction) to putrefy and then to ferment which releases new life into the substance. The White Stage which consist of one operation - 6. Distillation – condensation of the matter into it’s purified form And the Third Stage Called the Red or Purple Stage 7. Coagulation – the coming together of the purified matter with the purified soul to form the Philosopher’s Stone. There is not one interpretation of alchemy! There are tons! Some reference Alchemy from the point of view of the actual metallurgic process: others from the spiritual transformation that occurs. Carl Jung, the famous psychologist, interpreted Alchemy as the psychological journey one must take to rid themselves of psychological baggage and become a balanced person. Then there is the literary interpretation that we actually see within the Harry Potter septology, but certainly not exclusive to HP, – it’s prevalent in English Literature from Shakespeare to Charles Dickens to J.R.R. Tolkien. The overall series of JKR’s seven books make up the Alchemical journey of Harry Potter, however within each of the books, Harry also goes through the process of the Alchemical steps. Fascinating! The Alchemists felt that repeating the steps, made the matter to be transformed even more pure until the actual ultimate transformation was made. For further reading on Alchemy, try this link - Alchemy 101. There you will find fine references for Alchemy including the two very helpful essays in Scribblius by Arianhrod. If you are willing to take this journey with Harry, I am willing to try and guide you through it. I will be posting at least once a week with a guide to where we are in Harry’s Alchemical journey during this CoS reading group. I also will post some questions so you will have a place to start a discussion about each weeks chapters as related to Alchemy. We will be assisted in our Journey through Alchemy by BirthdayTwins and Fidelia, so look for their helpful posts also. So before we start: ~ What questions or comments do you have about Alchemy that we can discuss before the Chapters go up? ~ Overall, what is the difference (or transformation) in Harry during PS/SS and the beginning of CoS? ~ Overall, what do you think is the difference (transformation) in Harry from the beginning of CoS to the end of CoS? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------- Sorting begins soon for HBP!  Follow the Lily and Stag on twitter, too! Thanks twiddlethosedials for the Siggy! |
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Jul 31 2008, 08:31 PM
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Frilly Second-Hand Robes Salesperson  Posts: 1,865 Joined: 2:30pm May 15, 2007 Location: Reading in the Ravenclaw Common Room |
All I know of alchemy is what I just read in the above post, but here goes. From what I remember of those tasks near the end of SS, Harry had to walk through fire in order to get to the final spot where Quirrell was standing. He wasn't burned because Hermoine figured out the correct potion for him to drink. Quirrell was the one that actually burned because he couldn't endure Harry's touch. I can't remember if Quirrell turned to ash in the book, but I know he certainly did in the movie, lol. I guess that would be the fire and ash part in the calcination step, right?
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Jul 31 2008, 09:47 PM
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Hitchhiker's Guide of Harry's Alchemical Journeys Posts: 2,872 Joined: 9:08pm March 20, 2006 Location: In the Alchemy Lab |
QUOTE(JTEL99 @ Jul 31 2008, 09:31 PM)  All I know of alchemy is what I just read in the above post, but here goes. From what I remember of those tasks near the end of SS, Harry had to walk through fire in order to get to the final spot where Quirrell was standing. He wasn't burned because Hermoine figured out the correct potion for him to drink. Quirrell was the one that actually burned because he couldn't endure Harry's touch. I can't remember if Quirrell turned to ash in the book, but I know he certainly did in the movie, lol. I guess that would be the fire and ash part in the calcination step, right? Good insight! I'm sure in PS/SS Quirrell doesn't turn into ashes - instead he is badly burned, but the outcome is similar. As you have nicely summarized, the first book was all about Calcination, even though Harry does go through all the 7 operations of Alchemy. PS/SS is where Harry's 'Muggleness' is burned away and he discovers who he is. The 'lump' that is Harry, as we see in the first few chapters, is transformed over the course of the first book. After the burning trials he undergoes in the book, his inner 'star' is released so that DD and the rest of his mates see the potential this untrained wizard has. So what do you think is the important emotional virtue Harry gained from the course of the first book? -------------------- Sorting begins soon for HBP! Follow the Lily and Stag on twitter, too! Thanks twiddlethosedials for the Siggy! |
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Aug 4 2008, 06:18 AM
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Hitchhiker's Guide of Harry's Alchemical Journeys Posts: 2,872 Joined: 9:08pm March 20, 2006 Location: In the Alchemy Lab |
Please don't be afraid to post your thoughts! We are all on a learning journey with Alchemy. I promise if you begin to look at the HP books through the eyes of Alchemy you will have awhole different outlook on the books. Ok, so here we go!
So here we are at the beginning of The Chamber of Secrets, the second Alchemical journey for Harry. This book, in its entirety, is all about Dissolution. It builds on the transformation of Harry in the first novel. In that novel, Harry’s life was exposed to fire and reduced to ashes. Most of what was false in his life was burned away – his life at the Dursleys, not being loved or special, etc. was gone and a new person emerged: A boy who knew some of his past, had faced his greatest enemy, came out alive and was a much more confident person than the Harry we saw on Privet Drive at the beginning of PS/PS. Because water is the element of Dissolution, you will note tons of water and symbols for water in this book. In this second process, the ashes of Calcination (The boy that Harry has become), are exposed to water in all forms including tears, forms of baptism, floods, melting liquids and water springing from earth. All this exposure to water makes the ashes fertile soil for further growth. Other symbols having to do with Dissolution are: the Planet Jupiter, Tin, Thursday, blooming plants, poisonous toads, the mineral Amethyst, the Green Lion and the Basilisk. But first Harry has to go through the first operation of Calcination again to burn away the falsehoods that are in his life. His life is exposed to the element of fire and while he is entrapped in the vessel of Calcination his life is exposed to external upheavals that causes him to be introspective and undergo self-evaluation. Calcination is the burning away of the dross and impurities of the matter to be transformed. The matter to be transformed is exposed to fire. Chapter One Now we see Harry back in the black heated cauldron that JKR calls #4 Privet Drive. The Black Stage begins all over again with Harry first exposed to the element of fire. Question ~ Chapters One: ~ What are the symbols that tell us we are in the Black Stage? ~ What are the symbols that tell us we are in the Operation of Calcination? ~ What part of Harry’s life that is false, needs to be burned away? ~ Fire can be interpreted in many ways, how do you interpret the fire(s) that is(are) burning away at Harry? Chapter Two Harry’s world is softened and expanded by the house-elf’s tears and the events in the kitchen. His life becomes fluid. Questions ~ Chapter Two: ~ Dissolution begins by way of Dobby’s tears. What do you think Dobby symbolizes? ~ In light of Dissolution, what do you think the spilling of Petunia’s pudding over Harry symbolizes? ~ How do you think the water element changes Harry in this chapter? -------------------- Sorting begins soon for HBP! Follow the Lily and Stag on twitter, too! Thanks twiddlethosedials for the Siggy! |
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Aug 4 2008, 04:53 PM
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Stocking Snitches at Quality Quidditch Supplies Posts: 692 Joined: 6:51pm November 1, 2005 Location: The Rare Books section in the Hogwarts library |
QUOTE(HealerOne @ Jul 31 2008, 10:47 PM) PS/SS is where Harry's 'Muggleness' is burned away and he discovers who he is. The 'lump' that is Harry, as we see in the first few chapters, is transformed over the course of the first book. After the burning trials he undergoes in the book, his inner 'star' is released so that DD and the rest of his mates see the potential this untrained wizard has. So what do you think is the important emotional virtue Harry gained from the course of the first book? It seems two-fold to me. On one side, he gains a feeling of openness to his own nature--his own magical abilities. This is not precisely new to him, as he has already been remarkably self-reliant, but he gains a sense that his unique characteristics belong in him; they are not something to be denied or eliminated if possible. The other emotional side may be the more important, though. Harry finds trust and fellowship with others, Ron and Hermione. JTEL99 pointed out that Hermione's logical analysis choosing the right potion enabled him to walk through fire to face Quirrell; both her help and Ron's (in the Chess game, particularly) made it possible for him to reach that point. Before this, Harry could rely only on himself; during this first step on his journey, he found others on whom he could rely. -------------------- Avatar by tonksgirl |
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Aug 4 2008, 05:33 PM
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Muffin Mistress Posts: 2,178 Joined: 10:42pm March 8, 2008 Location: RG Cookie Factory - reciting: "Oven at 350 F is too warm to touch with bare hands" |
It's very exciting to see things from other angles! And to discuss HP from yet another one.
~ What part of Harry’s life that is false, needs to be burned away? ~ Fire can be interpreted in many ways, how do you interpret the fire(s) that is(are) burning away at Harry? I see the Muggle-part of Harry's life, needing to be burned away. The part that the Dursley's has tried so hard to suppress has to raise from the ashes from the Muggle-part-burning. A full burning is the only way to purify entirely. Fire is the only thing, that can destroy so completely and yet the ashes hold the basis for new life! Harry must be bursting to use his new-found abilities and to go back to a place, where he doesn't have to contain himself - it must be burning inside him to get away from the harness the muggle-world represents in comparison to WW, and "burning the harness" would mean a huge release for him!  -------------------- |
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Aug 4 2008, 09:07 PM
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Ollivander's Apprentice Posts: 1,981 Joined: 7:39pm March 11, 2007 Location: wandering in the Forbidden Forest, listening for the Phoenix song   |
QUOTE(HealerOne @ Aug 4 2008, 07:18 AM) Chapter Two Harry's world is softened and expanded by the house-elf's tears and the events in the kitchen. His life becomes fluid. Questions ~ Chapter Two: ~ Dissolution begins by way of Dobby's tears. What do you think Dobby symbolizes? Dobby is a major transformative force in Harry's life. (There! That satisfied my penchant for stating the obvious!  ) Siriusly, though, Dobby's tears in CoS open Harry's heart to hear Dobby's very important message. If Dobby, a weird little house elf, had come with dire warnings to Harry but with no concern, no admiration, no emotional connection and therefore no responsibility for Harry's welfare....would Harry have listened as well? It is Dobby's great admiration and respect for Harry, as well as his obvious devotion, which makes Harry take him seriously. In short, Dobby touches Harry's heart. As Dobby pops in and out of Harry's life in CoS, Dobby always arrives with remorse, with tears, and with loving concern. And in turn, Harry himself transforms. By the end of the book, Dobby's devotion and tears have won Harry over to see the plight of the common house elf - and to the valiant soul who is Dobby. In freeing him, Harry frees something in himself as well. Harry becomes open to his heroic possibilities, not just against Voldemort, but for all those who cannot fight for themselves.Dobby goes on to be present for other highly transformative moments in Harry's life. It is Dobby in GOF who helps Harry to literally transform into not only a person able to breathe under water....but into a true Hogwarts champion. And I don't need to dwell on Dobby's role in DH. All I can say is that Dobby's death was an incredibly important turning point for Harry. Even in death, Dobby helped clarify Harry's choices. This time, it was Harry who wept. And those tears helped Harry decide how to play his final hand. This post has been edited by fidelia: Aug 4 2008, 09:16 PM -------------------- *thanks, twiddlethosedials, for the siggy* |
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Aug 5 2008, 05:33 PM
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Hosting Movie Nights at the Lily and Stag Inn Posts: 1,827 Joined: 4:51pm December 21, 2006 Location: Swimming in a sea of stars... |
Oooh, how wonderful to see such a step-by-step Alchemy thread. I've been waiting a while for something like this, to take us through the HP story... Thanks, HealerOne, for putting this together!!
QUOTE(HealerOne @ Aug 4 2008, 04:18 AM) Question ~ Chapters One: ~ What part of Harry’s life that is false, needs to be burned away? ~ Fire can be interpreted in many ways, how do you interpret the fire(s) that is(are) burning away at Harry? Much of Harry's life at this point is false. He's being forced to pretend to be normal. Without his wand and broomstick, books and magical supplies, he's being forced back into Muggle-hood. Also as a falsehood, he's back to being treated like dirt, as opposed to the hero he's beginning to be from the trials of PS. In the few brief scenes with the Dursleys, his life seems to be a miserable, painful fire. He's stuck with relatives who hate him, with no messages from friends to "quench" his pain. Additionally, there are many situations in this chapter where things to from bad to worse - Out of the frying pan and into the fire, so to speak. This can be seen in the "you didn't say the magic word" interaction with the Dursleys, or when Harry taunts Dobby. QUOTE(HealerOne @ Aug 4 2008, 04:18 AM) Questions ~ Chapter Two: ~ Dissolution begins by way of Dobby’s tears. What do you think Dobby symbolizes? ~ In light of Dissolution, what do you think the spilling of Petunia’s pudding over Harry symbolizes? To me, at this point, Dobby seems a bit like a catylist - if that exists at all in Alchemy. He is the force that makes Harry take action; that brings awareness to the dangers Hogwarts is facing; that sets off many part of Harry's journey and troubles in this book (getting him locked in his room; closing the barrier and causing him to fly the car; the rogue bludger)... Dobby brings the warning that Harry's safety at Hogwarts may be in jeopardy... he dissolves this illusion, in a way. The pudding is interesting - it's a liquid substance, but also kind of solid. To me, the smashing of the pudding symbolizes the effect of dissolution on Harry's environment, foreshadowing the changes and hardships that Hogwarts will face in this year. After all, the environment is equally as important as the people or characters inhabiting it. Thanks for this thread! I look forward to others' thoughts and the future chapters. -------------------- |
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Aug 6 2008, 07:49 AM
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Hitchhiker's Guide of Harry's Alchemical Journeys Posts: 2,872 Joined: 9:08pm March 20, 2006 Location: In the Alchemy Lab |
QUOTE(HealerOne @ Aug 4 2008, 06:18 AM) But first Harry has to go through the first operation of Calcination again to burn away the falsehoods that are in his life. His life is exposed to the element of fire and while he is entrapped in the vessel of Calcination his life is exposed to external upheavals that causes him to be introspective and undergo self-evaluation. Calcination is the burning away of the dross and impurities of the matter to be transformed. The matter to be transformed is exposed to fire. Chapter One Now we see Harry back in the black heated cauldron that JKR calls #4 Privet Drive. The Black Stage begins all over again with Harry first exposed to the element of fire. It appears to me that JKR, loves to start Harry out at the Dursleys in these books because impurities of his personality and issues which he hasn't yet dealt with need to be burnt out of him: and where better than the crucible that is #4 Privet Drive! In this case I think the furnace Harry is exposed to is the wrath of Uncle Vernon and the backyard of Privet Drive. Uncle Vernon's venomous response to Harry's use of the 'M'-word is outrageous. It burns at Harry and sets Harry to wondering his worth within this house and with his new friends he made at Hogwarts. Harry then is punished for pretending to use Magic. He's set to doing sweaty hot jobs and the sun burns his skin... all the while Harry is thinking about his friendships and whether he'll really be famous and strong as a person again. I love that JKR uses words that remind us that we are in the Black Stage such as "frying pan", "Smeltings" and "toast". On another note, I love what fidelia said about Dobby in Chapter Two. Could he be considered the Green Lion? Can you find other symbols in Chapter Two that refer to the process of Dissolution? (Hint - look for water-like symbols) It's so much fun to see these little clues that JKR has sprinkled into the text! 
-------------------- Sorting begins soon for HBP! Follow the Lily and Stag on twitter, too! Thanks twiddlethosedials for the Siggy! |
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Aug 6 2008, 10:33 AM
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Mischievous Manager  Posts: 5,348 Joined: 9:14am February 16, 2006 Location: Behind the sofa, watching Doctor Who |
QUOTE(HealerOne @ Aug 4 2008, 05:18 AM) Because water is the element of Dissolution, you will note tons of water and symbols for water in this book. In this second process, the ashes of Calcination (The boy that Harry has become), are exposed to water in all forms including tears, forms of baptism, floods, melting liquids and water springing from earth. All this exposure to water makes the ashes fertile soil for further growth. Other symbols having to do with Dissolution are: the Planet Jupiter, Tin, Thursday, blooming plants, poisonous toads, the mineral Amethyst, the Green Lion and the Basilisk. QUOTE(HealerOne @ Aug 6 2008, 06:49 AM) On another note, I love what fidelia said about Dobby in Chapter Two. Could he be considered the Green Lion? Can you find other symbols in Chapter Two that refer to the process of Dissolution? (Hint - look for water-like symbols) It's so much fun to see these little clues that JKR has sprinkled into the text! I've been gone from the alchemy discussions for so long now I had to go back to the 101 thread linked in your first post and look up the Green Lion. This is from Alchemy 101: QUOTE Vitriol Vitriol was the most important liquid in alchemy. It was the one in which all other reactions took place. Vitriol was distilled from an oily, green substance that formed naturally from the weathering of sulfur-bearing gravel. This Green Vitriol is symbolized by the Green Lion in drawings. After the Green Vitriol (copper sulfate) was collected, it was heated and broken down into iron compounds and sulfuric acid. The acid was separated out by distillation. The first distillation produced a brown liquid that stunk like rotten eggs, but further distillation yielded a nearly odorless, yellow oil called simply Vitriol. The acid readily dissolves human tissue and is severely corrosive to most metals, although it has no effect on gold. White Vitriol is zinc sulfate; Blue Vitriol is copper sulfate. Vitriol survives the process intact. Gosh, this has given me something completely new to think about. I'd always thought of Snape as the Green Lion... sort of the Slytherin/Gryffindor, especially post book 7 when Dumbledore said "Sometimes I think we Sort too soon." But Dobby does act as a catalyst, at least in this book, getting the chemical reaction within Harry started. I'll have to think on that some more. -------------------- |
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