OVERANALYZING THE TEXT

Part one of the nine-part Crouch monstrosity. Is Crouch portrayed by the text as Dead Sexy? Was Mrs. Crouch Tough, or Weak? Where did Barty Jr. learn his skills of interpersonal manipulation? And just why *is* Elkins so resistant to a reading of Crouch Sr. as Dead Sexy, anyway?

Part two of nine. Examines Crouch's political situation in the wake of Voldemort's fall and his motives in regard to the trial of the Longbottoms' assailants. Contains an analysis of the Penseive scene and the QwC exchange with Winky as parallel scenes. Also proposes that Crouch's relationship to his son replicates in microcosm his relationship to the wizarding world as a whole.

Part three of nine. Crouch's multiple narrative functions in the text, and the extent to which his hypocrisy enables JKR to use him to serve somewhat contradictory functions. Challenges the reading of Crouch as Tragic Hero on grounds that Crouch's degree of self-interest and hypocrisy prevents him from exhibiting the nobility of stature requisite in a classically-defined tragic hero. Also touches on the Crouch-Brutus parallel, suggesting that its use is ironic in intent.

Part four of nine. Evaluates the motives underlying Crouch's political decisions and how these relate to his narrative function. "Thematically hedgehogs" Barty Crouch Sr.

Part five of nine. Proposes that Crouch Jr's statement that his father saved him from prison only in order to honor his dying mother's last request is not objective truth, and suggests a number of reasons why young Crouch himself might have believed it.

Part six of nine. Examines Crouch's behavior in regard to his son after the QWC and takes a cold hard look at his thematic role within the text.

Part seven of nine. Crouch's mirror relationship with his son, his redemption scene, and his thematic function within the context of the series as a bildungsroman. Also, some discussion of the relevance of mirrors not only to the Crouch subplot, but also to the series as a whole and to reading practice itself. Includes a rather snarky Lacan reference.

Part eight of nine. The nature of Crouch's madness and death, and his possibilities as a future canonical ghost. Some discussion of ghosts in the Potterverse. Textual evidence that Barty Jr. did not really want to kill his father. And a bit of sympathy, for a change, for poor old Crouch Sr.

Defends the proposition that Crouch Sr. and Winky's relationship was sexual and discusses that 'ship's thematic relevance to the series as a whole. Also discusses JKR's seemingly conflicted attitude towards femininity and motherhood.

Crouch Jr. and the extent to which his actions can be said to be motivated by love, the canonical plausibility of Crouch Jr. reappearing in future canon, the extent to which we are meant to read his veritaserum confession as objective truth, the thematic significance of bones and burial in GoF, and the attitude of people of the Crouch's social class towards marital infidelity; followed by a discussion of the House Elves, their relationship to folkloric "dobbies," and their role within Wizarding Society.

Differentiation between Fred and George; Padma and Parvati as evidence that wizarding culture (and its magical artifacts) do indeed recognize the individuation of twins.