Ripping, Tearing and Breaking Away, A Discussion of the Three Stages of Alchemy in PoA |
 Nov 7 2008, 08:49 PM
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Hitchhiker's Guide of Harry's Alchemical Journeys  Posts: 2,870 Joined: 9:08pm March 20, 2006 Location: In the Alchemy Lab   |
Ripping, Tearing and Breaking Away A Discussion of the Three Stages of Alchemy in PoA  Thanks to hijinks_ifrit for the Picture Ah well, you really didn’t think you would get through this RG without an Alchemy thread, did you? Those of you who have been following along with the Alchemy threads in the last two RG’s should be quite familiar with the seven operations that are integral to making the transformation of lead into gold. That is in essence what Alchemy is all about – the transformation of a dense matter - the lead, or the Prima Material - into a better more pure state - gold or a higher spiritual being. By going through the operations of Alchemy, the Alchemist attempts to change the energy of the prima material by exposure to fire, water, agitation (air), separation, fermentation and further purification until it is so pure, it can be united with the pure Universal Spirit to make the Elixir of Life. In Alchemy 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.) We are going to be focusing on the three stages of Alchemy that are: The Black Stage consisting 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 Red or Purple Stage again consisting of one operation - 7. Coagulation – the coming together of the purified matter with the purified soul to form the Philosopher’s Stone. The Philosopher’s Stone can then be used to ‘radiate’ it’s purity to impure objects in order to transform them. 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 three Alchemical stages. So that the first 5 books are Harry’s Black Stage; the 6th book is Harry’s White stage; and the last book is Harry’s Red Stage. So that puts The Prisoner Of Azkaban smack in the middle of Harry’s Black Stage. This book in its entirety represents the Operation of Separation. Separation is the Operation in which Harry must be separated from his old life. Harry now finds that what is in his ‘petri dish’ are the ashes from Calcination (PS/SS - coming from the element of fire) combined with the fluids (water element) of Dissolution (COS); which are opposing forces - Muggle world vs. Wizarding world; unloving family vs. loving friends; friend vs. enemy; family surrogates - bad vs. good; good animals vs. bad animals, and so forth. These forces are opposite and are fighting for his attention and for their territory within Harry. What Harry has to do during this book is to clarify and distill out by filtration, settling, decomposing or agitating with air (a third element) the unworthy parts of these forces. The Separation operation makes Harry become aware of these opposing forces and isolates them out from his ego. He has to look at them honestly and realize - that which needs to be abandoned - and what needs to be salvaged. In order to keep pure that which is going on into the next step, he has to filter out or remove the ‘good stuff’ from the ‘contaminating stuff’. You are going to realize that there is a lot of separation going on in this book! The symbols for separation are everywhere within this book. Symbols for Separation include: Mars, Iron, Tuesday, knights wielding swords, double edged axes, swords hanging down from above, the caduceus (as a weapon), cutting, settling, sifting, splitting, separating, filtering, dividing, divorce, dismemberment, the breaking down of heaven an earth, and white birds taking flight with black earth below. If you would like to refer to previous discussions on the 7 Operations of Alchemy, you can browse the PS/SS Alchemy thread and the CoS Alchemy thread in the Public L & S forum. For further reading on Alchemy, try these links - Alchemy 101 and links to the Scribblius Essays by Arianhrod - Part I and Part II. I will be adding questions to this thread throughout this PoA journey so be sure to check back for new questions. Please feel free to ask away about Alchemy as that is how we all learn! In the meantime here are some questions to start us out: First Post ~ The Black stage of Harry’s journey in PoA is dominated by the story of Sirius Black. Are there other references in this book that are ‘black’ or represent the meaning of the color black – ‘absorbing of all hues’, or ‘the absence of all color’? ~ Within this book, when do you think the Calcination operation ends? The Dissolution operation? The specific Separation operation? ~ Any thoughts on when the Conjunction operation begins? The Fermentation operation? ~ What scene in PoA depicts the black stage of Alchemy to you? ~ Overall, what type of transformation do you think Harry makes from the beginning of PoA to the end? This post has been edited by HealerOne: Nov 7 2008, 09:17 PM -------------------- Sorting begins soon for HBP!  Follow the Lily and Stag on twitter, too! Thanks twiddlethosedials for the Siggy! |
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Nov 8 2008, 08:59 AM
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Transfiguration Today's Star Reporter Posts: 2,011 Joined: 3:59pm May 15, 2008 Location: Sunny Phoenix, Arizona("It's a Dry Heat!")  |
Well, HealerOne, it looks as though I am going to be the first one to post in this Alchemy thread.*gulp* I always feel as though I am going to make a fool of myself here, but here goes anyway.
First Post ~ The Black stage of Harry’s journey in PoA is dominated by the story of Sirius Black. Are there other references in this book that are ‘black’ or represent the meaning of the color black – ‘absorbing of all hues’, or ‘the absence of all color’? The first thing that came to my mind was of course Sirius Black--I mean, he even has the surname, Black, fer cryin' out loud--how much more of a hint does JKR need to make?? Next to Sirius, though, I think of the Dementors of Azkaban as representing the color black--especially as they suck all pleasant memories from people and force them toi relive their darkest memories. That seems pretty black to me. If we consider memories to be color-coded, as the English language uses color metaphors to convey mood, for example expressions such as " She's in the pink," or He's pretty blue right now," the dementors seem to me to absorb those colors so that their victim cannot recall any of those colors--it's all sucked away and replaced by the darkest, blackest despair. Anway, that's my thoughts on that. Hope it makes sense. -------------------- "It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Phoenix avatar courtesy of ofenjen; thanks to atschpe for help |
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Nov 8 2008, 04:28 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" |
So, HealerOne great to have this alchemy thread available once again. This time I know I want to get to some new level in PoA, 'cause I think it's very exciting to see things this way too! Thanks!
I'll try answering some of the other questions along the way, but the one about black is for now what I could overlook! Fricka I'm agreeing on what you write about the dementors! The other thing I also find utterly black through out the whole series is SNAPE and also here in PoA he has a big role in the whole plot! My sentiments about Snape lasted right until it in the end came out, that he was one of the most ingenious undercover agents ever!!! But until that time came he really really agitated me and made me see black spots and black what-not! -------------------- |
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Nov 8 2008, 05:19 PM
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Gambol and Japes' Research Department Posts: 1,396 Joined: 9:09am July 15, 2005 Location: behind one of the revolving doors |
Not sure if this fits in or not, but as I thought about Muggle world vs Wizarding world, in diagon alley, Harry continues to visit the firebolt which is not something you would ever find in the muggle world. He also gets ice cream on the half hour, oh what a life, and although you can find that in the muggle world you don't get the owner giving you information for your wizarding essays.
--------------------  Thanks Mokey thanks fwooper |
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Nov 8 2008, 05:33 PM
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Newest Housekeeper at The Leaky Cauldron Posts: 736 Joined: 4:41pm September 14, 2006 Location: looking for lost braincells in the L&S Broom Closet |
Sirius also transforms into a big, black dog.
 I like how the series turns upside down the idea that the color black is associated with evil; both Sirius and Snape seem to be antagonists at first, but are proven to be otherwise. One of the ways in which Harry starts to transform in PoA is in learning not to trust appearances. Sirius seemed to be the enemy; the "Grim" seemed to be, if not a creature of ill omen, a threat. Scabbers seemed an innocuous part of daily life. And even more importantly, Harry goes from thinking that the wizard who betrayed his parents "deserves" the justice of the Dementor's kiss to saving that person from death at the hands of Sirius and Lupin. It's a crucial moment, since in later books Harry resists the act of killing. An early example of separation is Harry's break with the Dursleys, which in this book is spectacular; the event also leads Harry to think he will now have to suffer permanent separation from the wizarding world, and become an "outcast." A little later, although he's comfortably back at Hogwarts, he has to endure separation in the sense of not being allowed to visit Hogsmeade. My first thought of what scene symbolizes the Black Stage would be Harry's encounter with the Dementor. I always think the Black Stage represents the lowest point, emotionally, of life; Dementors typify that. -------------------- Summer's lease hath all too short a date... |
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Nov 10 2008, 11:39 PM
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Hitchhiker's Guide of Harry's Alchemical Journeys Posts: 2,870 Joined: 9:08pm March 20, 2006 Location: In the Alchemy Lab |
This book just doesn't appear to have much Calcination in it and perhaps that is because Harry has been exposed to so much fire in the first two books that he has burned away much of what he needs to in order for him to believe himself as a wizard and the arch enemy of Voldemort. So when Harry finds himself back in the smelting vessel which is the Dursleys, Uncle Vernon's fury and Aunt Marge's tirades burn Harry into ashes more quickly than ever before. I see Dissolution beginning with Dudley's tears about the 'Ripper incident' and continuing with Aunt Marge's fountain of wine and of course the Leaky Cauldron that slowly drips healing fluids onto Harry to soften the rough edges put there by the Dursleys.
Separation, on the other hand is mentioned from the get go of the book, when we are told that Harry has had to be separated from his school books. Then Harry has to send Hedwig away; we are introduced to the biting, ripping Book of Monsters;of course there is Ripper, the English Bulldog and Aunt Marge being filled with air - all examples of the separation stage! Conjunction appears to me to begin when the Trio is reunited within Diagon Alley. That's when we begin to see lots of 'marriages' or uniting of opposites: Crookshanks and Hermione; the Ministry Cars and the Weasleys; and of course Ron and Hermione uniting to work against the Ministry for Buckbeak. Any other thoughts on uniting of opposites? I'm afraid I will have to come back to finish my thought.... I need to separate myself from the computer .... -------------------- Sorting begins soon for HBP! Follow the Lily and Stag on twitter, too! Thanks twiddlethosedials for the Siggy! |
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Nov 11 2008, 09:23 AM
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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" |
Let me try a thought here and find out if I'm on the right track:
HealerOne when some bad memories are "flooding" over me for instance due to association or even dreams, I have the feeling of being burnt! So that's how I always saw Harry's experiences with the Dementors! The Dementors means to Harry, that history (about Voldemort and Harry's family) is no longer in 3. person but truly him self being "exposed"! Here in PoA we see that the distant memories of Harry and his family being attacked by Voldemort, is getting closer and more personal in the sence, that he experience his own FEELINGS about the attack and the fear he as a little child had! When he is taught by Lupin about what the Dementors do to him, what it is about that scream he hears, he is gradually closing in on the whole scene for every meeting with them. At some point he even WANTS to hear his mothers voice again - yet even here he finds at some point later, he has to move on - separation again(?) - to be able to develope his Patronus and get rid of the Dementors! I suggest the whole reliving of the scene with Voldemort killing his parents must be a burning sensation to Harry? -------------------- |
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Nov 11 2008, 10:21 PM
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Hitchhiker's Guide of Harry's Alchemical Journeys Posts: 2,870 Joined: 9:08pm March 20, 2006 Location: In the Alchemy Lab |
QUOTE(The-T-Dane @ Nov 11 2008, 09:23 AM)  I suggest the whole reliving of the scene with Voldemort killing his parents must be a burning sensation to Harry? I can understand why you would think that the reliving of the death of Harry's parents might be considered exposing him to fire, however, I'm not sure that this is something that Harry needs burned out of him. Being a Muggle and all the negative things that Vernon and Petunia have spouted off to Harry over the years need to be burned away, but actually does the death of his parents? I think this is what fuels all of Harry's desire to face Voldemort. Not exactly revenge, because he makes his supreme sacrifice for more than the memory of his parents, but perhaps the catalyst for all his burning desire to bring Voldemort to justice lies in the evil act of killing his parents. So instead of burning this experience to ashes, this memory needs to actually grow stronger so that Harry can understand what happened, relive his emotions, and then deal with his feelings and what he is going to do about this portion of his past. So in a nutshell, I see the Dementor attacks and the re-living of his parents' death as Fermentation - that time in the alchemical journey where the alchemist goes through the Dark Night of the Soul and even worse the Dark Night of the Spirit. Here the experience is left to rot and decay in darkness. The senses become mute and there is a certain zestlessnes to life, but like a seed buried in the dark earth, the rotting substance eventually burst forth from it's 'grave' and comes to life again. There are clues that we are in the fermentation stage when we see the Dementors - things like references to: 'rotting flesh' or decayed flesh; the 'intense cold'; being pulled under - as in drowning as if being plowed into the earth; not being able to see or having the sound turn off, as if Harry 'had suddenly gone deaf'. All of these things indicate that the experience is fermenting. Usually this process takes quite awhile and this book is no exception. Harry ferments this whole experience a long time before he is thrust from his depressing funk and his father's spirit in reborn in him.... -------------------- Sorting begins soon for HBP! Follow the Lily and Stag on twitter, too! Thanks twiddlethosedials for the Siggy! |
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Nov 13 2008, 01:23 PM
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Transfiguration Today's Star Reporter Posts: 2,011 Joined: 3:59pm May 15, 2008 Location: Sunny Phoenix, Arizona("It's a Dry Heat!") |
Hmm, HealerOne, you have given me something to chew on, with that information on Fermentation. I'm wondering now, if Trelawney's class isn't something like Fermentation for Harry, too. She has all those kinds of incense-like smells that dull the senses, for example, and Her proclamation that Harry has "the Grim" makes him think a lot(stew) about that Black Dog that he saw.
Am I on the right track here, or is this off base?( I feel like Hermione in Divination Class when I'm dealing with Alchemy questions.) -------------------- "It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Phoenix avatar courtesy of ofenjen; thanks to atschpe for help |
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Nov 13 2008, 04:16 PM
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Shopping for a New Firebolt Posts: 829 Joined: 11:35am May 15, 2008 Location: At the Yule Ball |
I told myself to get over my hesitation of being able to contribute to this topic this time, so here is my first attempt at discussing Alchemy in the books.
 ~ Overall, what type of transformation do you think Harry makes from the beginning of PoA to the end?  I think Harry's transformation has to do with family issues, somehow. At the beginning he is subjected to Aunt Marge's outrageous bad-mouthing of his parents. He is prevented from going to Hogsmeade (officially, at least) because no one will sign his permission slip. Lupin becomes a link to his parents, and so (in a bad way at the beginning) does Sirius. By the end of the book, Harry has produced a patronus that Dumbledore tells him is proof that he has found his father inside him, and he has a real guardian to sign his permission slip and be his friend, in Sirius. -------------------- ~"Each interpretation of an event, setting or character is unique to each of those who read it because they clothe the author's description with the memory of their own experiences. "~ Jasper Fforde
 Thanks to fw00per (no relation) for the sig! |
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