Percy & Crouch, GroupThink run Amok |
 Apr 8 2007, 05:06 PM
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#11
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Official Singer of the Sorting Hat Song  Posts: 6,606 Joined: 3:12pm July 22, 2005 Location: Lost in Hermione's beaded bag    |
How does Percy get noticed in Crouch's office? Clearly he's not a senior member of the Dept. Isn't it more likely that Voldemort and Barty Jr have spotted him as a toady or bootlick? We first see the working Percy toiling away at some silly report on cauldron bottoms, hoping that he might be noticed by Mr Crouch. The Imperiused Crouch can't even get Percy's name right.
Percy's rise to the top is entirely dependent on his clinging to Crouch's coattails. That's why he has to invoke Crouch's name and Crouch's opinion at every step of his ascent. And it's why he eagerly becomes the gatekeeper, forcing all communication with Mr Crouch to flow through him. He pointed ignores Ron's inquiry about Mr Crouch. I am not inclined to cut Percy any slack here. We've seen this behaviour in real life where senile or ill dictators have been kept from public view because the power of their underlings was directly related to the good health of their bosses and any regime change would put their qualifications under the microscope. Percy must know he doesn't qualify for his meteoric rise. So he must keep Crouch isolated. -------------------- Come the words that bubble
Up through broken laughter, Sweeter than spring-water, "Gods, I am so happy!" |
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Apr 9 2007, 06:08 PM
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#12
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Madame Pince's House Elf  Posts: 4,670 Joined: 5:46pm January 28, 2005 Location: In HP Book Club 5, awaiting Deathly Hallow's release. |
QUOTE(davidenglish @ Apr 9 2007, 08:06 AM) [snapback]1172596[/snapback] How does Percy get noticed in Crouch's office? Clearly he's not a senior member of the Dept. Isn't it more likely that Voldemort and Barty Jr have spotted him as a toady or bootlick? We first see the working Percy toiling away at some silly report on cauldron bottoms, hoping that he might be noticed by Mr Crouch. The Imperiused Crouch can't even get Percy's name right. Crouch didn't get Percy's name right even before he was imperius'ed, before he dismissed Winky, his house-elf. I agree that Percy was ambitious: In COS he was caught reading 'Prefects who gained Power' in a second-hand book store in Diagon Alley. And at the end of POA, Percy was telling Penelope Clearwater what he would do if he became Minister of Magic. But I doubt he expected to actually become MOM just like that, though his ambitions might have led him to fill in for Crouch rather than report Crouch's absence. As for Voldemort and Barty Jr, would they have had any time for Percy? Wouldn't they have considered him as insignificant as did Barty Sr? Wormtail might remember Percy, but in what way? QUOTE Percy's rise to the top is entirely dependent on his clinging to Crouch's coattails. That's why he has to invoke Crouch's name and Crouch's opinion at every step of his ascent. And it's why he eagerly becomes the gatekeeper, forcing all communication with Mr Crouch to flow through him. He pointed ignores Ron's inquiry about Mr Crouch. Maybe so, but I think Percy could also have genuinely admired Crouch for the powerful bureaucrat he was, and for getting so near to becoming Minister of Magic. It is a pity that Percy could not also have thought a bit about why Crouch did not actually become Minister of Magic, and I also think that Percy tended to compare his own father, Arthur, unfavourably with Crouch. And just why was Crouch so concerned with Bertha Jorkins? Isn't this suspicious, when Crouch can barely remember Percy's proper name under even normal conditions? How senior was the position Bertha Jorkins filled in Crouch's department, anyway? Could it be that Percy had been her replacement? QUOTE I am not inclined to cut Percy any slack here. We've seen this behaviour in real life where senile or ill dictators have been kept from public view because the power of their underlings was directly related to the good health of their bosses and any regime change would put their qualifications under the microscope. Percy must know he doesn't qualify for his meteoric rise. So he must keep Crouch isolated. I know what you mean. Dead or dying dictators (and isn't Crouch so much like some famous mid 20th century/World War 2 figures?) do tend to be covered up. People worry about what would happen when such figures pass on as they inevitably do. But Crouch, when he did die, passed with singularly little comment from the MOM, who then turned their eyes on Percy. I don't think that Percy could be blamed for covering up Crouch's absence when the whole MOM, from Fudge downwards, had a culture of covering things up rather than solving problems, and when they danced to the tune of Lucius Malfoy's jingling money bags. --------------------  Check out Book Club Number 5 COS edition. |
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Apr 9 2007, 06:36 PM
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#13
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Being Eaten by the Pea Soup Posts: 36 Joined: 5:44pm January 24, 2007 Location: Reno,NV |
i think that Percy didnt notice what was going on because he didnt want to i think that he was just so estatic bout recieving such a high position he didnt think about it. and as to why no one asked well it was known that he was not well liked. many people just figured he was getting old and was working too hard. i think that this book really shows how power can truly make some people (hem hem should give you a hint) crazy just in the pursuit of it. i think the in the Deathly Hallows we will see what happens to the powerfull.
-------------------- Not My Daughter You Bitch!!!!!- molly weasley you go girl
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Apr 9 2007, 10:24 PM
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#14
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Terrortours Travel Agent Posts: 6,828 Joined: 12:34pm January 24, 2007 |
QUOTE Wormtail might remember Percy, but in what way? He might remember what form of flattery would work best on him. |
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Apr 10 2007, 11:47 AM
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#15
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WeasleyCast's Hostess With The Mostest Posts: 6,606 Joined: 2:44am February 20, 2006 Location: At The Burrow taking cooking lessons from Molly |
QUOTE(WaggaWaggaWerewolf @ Apr 9 2007, 06:08 PM) [snapback]1173961[/snapback] And just why was Crouch so concerned with Bertha Jorkins? Isn't this suspicious, when Crouch can barely remember Percy's proper name under even normal conditions? How senior was the position Bertha Jorkins filled in Crouch's department, anyway? Could it be that Percy had been her replacement? Well, I personally think the reason why Crouch was so concerned over Bertha's condition was the fact that she had been living under the memory charm that he had put on her 13 year previously. I think that rather than actual concern for her well-being, he might have been concerned because of the risk potential she represented. -------------------- |
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Apr 14 2007, 01:37 PM
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#16
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Knight Bus Driver in Training Posts: 573 Joined: 9:04am January 29, 2007 |
Growing up in the Weasley chaos, Percy needs to control his environment, every minute detail in his world...micromanagers make great bean counters.
And, without the overt talents of his other brothers and sister, this is his niche...he has to fit in. |
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Apr 15 2007, 11:34 AM
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#17
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Monster Book Stacker Posts: 368 Joined: 12:00am March 9, 2007 |
I think Percy's fierce ambition overwhelms whatever good sense he may have possessed prior to joining the Ministry. He's so thrilled to get his job at the Ministry--his first step up the ladder of success--that he's willing to do anything to impress his boss and thereby rise through the ranks as quickly as possible. If Crouch Sr. had asked him to stand on his head and juggle bananas with his feet, Percy would've done it. Percy seems to forget that bosses, no matter how magically powerful or socially prominent, are NOT omnipotent. They're very human and very fallible. You can and should voice your own concerns if you sense that something is amiss, such as the visible deterioration of your boss. But since no one else at the Ministry with whom Crouch interacted regularly is pointing out his declining health, Percy assumes that it can't be a serious matter (and perhaps Crouch has suffered ill health in the past). If it is, then surely the older, wiser, more experienced Ministry officials would've noticed? Presumably Percy isn't familiar with the details of Crouch's personal life, so when the latter suddenly decides to remain house-bound and communicate only by owl post, Percy assumes that his boss is perfectly within his rights to do so (and perhaps he has even worked this way in the past). Again if this behavior is alarming to anyone, then surely others would've questioned it? I think that's Percy big problem when dealing with Crouch--relying too heavily on assumptions. And those assumptions appear to stem from his hero worship of the Ministry and its officials--they're all-powerful and can't possibly be wrong, so who is he, a newcomer, to make waves? And his hero worship appears to feed his ambition--the high-ranking Ministry officials are the ultimate portraits of success, so he must do everything within his power to get to where they are.
This post has been edited by morgiana: Apr 15 2007, 11:40 AM |
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Apr 17 2007, 02:06 AM
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#18
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Cauldron Bottom Measurer Posts: 143 Joined: 5:20pm August 3, 2005 Location: In front of the computer. |
Recalling The Philosopher's Stone, let's not forget that Ron too voiced his concerns of how to distiguish himself from the rest of the family to Harry when they met on the Express, so I don't think we can blame Percy from wanting to do so.
Bill (Cursebreaker!), Charlie (Dragonhandler!), Gred and Feorge have all found ways to find their individuality and differing talets from the rest of the family. Percy has both ffollowed in his father's footsteps to a Ministry career and seeks to scceed further: hardly an unusual path, eh, Mr Freud? His flaws: Overlooking the value of everyday life has come in tandem with his ambitions (even if it's via a cauldron bottom report). But as it where he was placed in the Ministry: The Goblet of Fire saw enormous amounts of work for the Ministry's International Office and would have been the obvious place to put that year's new intake. And at least initally we only need to compare a Percy to a Bagman to see which Crouch would prefer work with. And Crouch is a fairly intimidating man to work for. Nothing like a follower to lend you Authority... But the ends to which he'll go for this ambition... like Crouch, he goes too far. I'm not thinking of Crouch's treatment of his son, wife , Bertha or Bagman (although they all count) too but the authorisation of the Unforgivable Curses and Azkaban imprisonment without trial: How many innocents were trodden under Crouch's heel? I would not put it past Percy to have started small: a slight lack of clarity over his name to hope to separate his career from his father's: Weatherby. |
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Apr 17 2007, 04:39 AM
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#19
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Buying a Half-Kneazle Posts: 512 Joined: 1:57am April 10, 2007 Location: Hangin with thestral girl at Hogsmeade |
Percy is a nice person but i think that he is a little bit up himself...no offence any percy lovers
This post has been edited by Alanah_Gryfindor_gal: Apr 17 2007, 04:41 AM -------------------- Thanks to theonlysong for the great avatar and sig!
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