tabular_rasa | I'll Make An English Teacher Out Of Me Yet: UBER-SYMBOLISM!!!

AP English class has taught me well.

I am like an English teacher (I should be one, lol . . . ): I see symbolism in everything.

In Lumos, we were told to answer this question:

So, I was remembering a while back that I read something about Dumbledore, and the fact that there really was an important reason for why Rowling kept including the odd bit about SOCKS. One person replied and said that if you look in Dumbledore's sock drawer, you'll find a bottle of memory stuck in the toe of each sock. Someone else said that Dumbledore's socks had a strange magical affect, and that the possessor of said socks would then hold that extra bit of power.

What do you think? What is the real importance of socks in the Harry Potter Series?

Check out what I came up with:

Dumbledore mentions socks, but so do many others:

Dobby is freed with a sock.

Andromeda Tonks is referenced at having mad skillz at "folding socks" by magic-- which Nymphadora Tonks has trouble with when she helps Harry pack in their Order raid to pick him up from the Dursleys'.

Harry stuffs his sneakoscope into Uncle Vernon's old sock.

My theory: SOCKS=LOVE, unconditional, open, accepting, embracing, ideal love. Why?

-Not only are socks freedom to Dobby, they are his frienship with Harry Potter. Harry gave him a sock, so he gives him socks back. Socks are the exchange of love. It is a friendship extending past the bounds of species and class. It is open and innocent.

-Andromeda is a manifestation of blind, unconditional love: She marries a Muggleborn, clearly on the basis of something deeper than bloodline. She is open and tolerant. She believes in true love. Therefore, she has mad skillz with socks.

-Nymphadora is on her way to becoming gifted with this same true love. At such an early point, in the very beginnings of OOTP, perhaps she was having trouble embracing the fact that Remus was a werewolf. Therefore, though she wanted to learn how to fold socks like her mother, she was having trouble with it, in the beginnings. I would hazard a guess that by the end of HBP, she could fold socks as best as all the rest!

-Harry gets the Dursleys' old socks, because their love for him is tired, worn out, and fundamental at barest. This is best applied to Petunia: As much as Petunia resented her sister, I am sure she loved her-- it is clear from the scene in OOTP where she snaps: "He is staying, Vernon!" etc . . . -- and, so, she does have love for Harry, but it is more washed-up love left over for Lily. It's not a very good sock, but it's still a sock.

-Therefore, Dumbledore wants socks because he strives to love always with such warm, unconditional love. In fact, he wants this more than anything. So, seriously, perhaps he really was telling the truth. There is symbolism in him telling this to Harry because he knows he already loves Harry and will only grow to, more. Thick, wooly socks: The love is strong and warming.

(Wow, that was such a Puffy answer . . . with a Claw-y explanation :-P)

( . . . and I am totally like one of those English teachers who sees symbolism in EVERYTHING . . . )

. . . oh, and, of course, Dumbledore's favorite pair of socks (which we got credit for, of course, lol . . . ):

They have hearts on them (SOCKS=LOVE!!!) look warm and fuzzy-- he likes the warm, fuzzy love-- are multicolored, like the people, children, and Houses he all so equally embraces and enjoys working with.

. . . and there are two pairs of them; Dumbledore wants lots of socks!

God, I am such a geek :-P