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The Sphinx and the Spider
By Moose_Starr

Abstract:
J.K. Rowling has teased, tormented and thrilled us with plot twists & turns, foreshadowing and THIPS, leading to theories ranging from logical thru imaginative. It led me to speculate and theorize about anything and everything, and I could prove and justify my ideas with *facts*. For the most part, I was wrong. But, I had the best fun ever. In this essay I will try to convince you of the fact that the answer to the sphinx's riddle in Goblet of Fire may not have been "spider" after all.


Biography:
Harry Potter is my life, along with donuts, chocolate & Leaky. When venturing into the Muggle world I prefer to reside at Quark's Bar in Vegas which is one of the coolest places in the Alpha-Quadrant. I also theorize about all things Star Trek.


This essay can be read here.

This post has been edited by Aislinn: 07 December 2008 - 09:53 PM

Very clever, Moose! *Transports a box of Krispy Kremes to your quadrant of the galaxy*

After reading your essay, I was wondering if perhaps JKR was having a Monty Python inspired moment, as in the bridge scene in The Holy Grail. What I get out of both, is that humility (in who you are) and honesty in what comes first to mind, without wavering, is what moves you forward. My guess is that there is more than one answer to that riddle, and Harry felt that he was out of his league (due to his age and year), so he took the Sphynx's riddle requiring a logical or inductive answer, and not one that could be specifically applied to him. He was humble enough to attempt the problem, and literally followed the process through to come to the more obvious answer. I am thinking that the Sphynx would take an answer that was honestly and humbly yet confidently submitted and still "worked" within the framework of the puzzle?

Nice work on the Sphinx and Spider essay, Moose_Star! I like the way that you put the clues of the Sphinx together. (Too bad you weren't there to help Harry out, heh heh!) I also think momwitch has a point about the Sphinx accepting any answer that was honestly given. (It doesn't have to be as strict as the one Oedipus faced!)

Moose, my jaw dropped when I read this essay. From the first time I read the Sphinx's riddle, I thought the answer should have been Dementor. I'm glad that someone else followed the same, er, logic, that I did. The last line, especially, seemed to me to give it away.
Spiders are one of my own biggest fears, but if I had to face a dementor I think it would take the spiders' place.

Sorry, but I have to disagree with your reasoning here. Although I certainly wouldn't want to kiss a Dementor I have to agree with the book that the correct answer is Spider. I have asked many of my friends, some who have read Harry Potter and some who haven't, this riddle and, without exception, they have answered spider. Taken in context of what was awaiting Harry 'around the corner', Spider is the most logical answer. We will never know if Cedric encountered the Sphynx or not but, if he did, I think he would have answered the same as Harry.

Very interseting and great points, Moose_Starr! I always had a weird feeling when I read that passage that perhaps "Spider" wasn't the actual or only answer. I like the thoughts of momwitch that perhaps the Sphinx would indeed accept any well thought out and honest answer that fit, even if it weren't perhaps THE answer.
I liked your evidence supporting the dementor over the spider and how that related to Harry's journey. Well done and thanks for sharing your take on things!

ever since reading the riddle and hearing the answer iv always thought that spider was an odd answer. i think that your evidence is amazing and uv convinced me i think that if ron was the ne the riddle was given to then the answer would be spider but under harrys surcumstances i think it should have been dementor. also i hav to agree with momwitch i think the syphinx would hav excelted any well thought out honest answer as long as it fit the riddle

The task with an essay should be to bring some thoughts into the world, isn't it? And if that's the task, you've truly done a marvelous job here.
Although I'm convinced like others, that the Sphinx would have accepted a "logic" answer given with honesty, it's amazing you manage to make your text so fluent and easy to read, yet very interesting to me and others as well! Very well done indeed.

I thoroughly enjoyed the essay, and thought it was very well-written; well done!

I have to admit, however, that I'm not entirely convinced by the central argument; in my own humble opinion, there were a couple of questionable leaps of logic. The fact remains, though, that it's quite an open riddle. As a matter of fact, I always found the "spider" answer rather bizarre myself. I'd agree with what appears to be the prevailing logic here; the Sphinx would have accepted any logical, honest answer. As such, your argument is just as valid and praiseworthy (if not more so) as Harry's; very nice work!

Fantastic Essay!

Just putting something out there: Would anyone (other than me) say that Harry had (at this point in his life) gotten over his fear of Dementors? I mean to say, after his experience with the Time-Turner, does anyone think that was his biggest fear?

Another way to look at it: In book three, his boggart turned into a Dementor (which represented his greatest fear). Does anyone believe that his boggart would once again turn into a Dementor.

(Cry for Mercy) I'm just being the Devil's Advocate here, to fuel the discussion. I believe that 'Dementor' is his greatest fear, much more so than spiders.