Deus Ex Machinas in the Harry Potter series.

[Lunar Nero]

Do you think JKR uses Deus Ex Machinas in her series? i think so, if you take a look it's in every book.

Book 1: It turns out that Harry survived Voldemort's attack on himself as a baby because of his mother's love for him protecting him from the killing curse.

Book 2: Fawkes arrives in the Chamber of Secrets to give Harry the school sorting hat, which in turn gives him the sword of Godric Gryffindor.

Book 3: Hermione turns out to have a Time Turner on her person, which allows herself and Harry to go back in time and save Sirius.

Book 4: Priori Incatatem occurs during the fight between Harry and Voldemort which brings along "ghosts" of Voldemort's previous victims to help Harry.

Book 5: The Order of the Phoenix turn up to save Harry and his friends during the fight with the Death Eaters in the Department of Mysteries.

Book 6: Harry's friends all survive the battle with the Death Eaters at Hogwarts due to having previously taken Felix Felicis beforehand.

Deus Ex Machinas (for anyone who doesn't know) are quick-fix options that some authors use. i just wanted to see what you guys thought  

[angel of plot twists]

Although technically deus ex machina is divine intervention, not just "quick fix", I do agree that JKR uses this tool a little too regularly. Another example - Wormtail ending up with Ron. Why not stay with Percy, or go to Ginny?  

[non642]

I definately think she does. I'd never really thought about it before, but it is there if you think about it.

I think Fawkes is the best example of this.

The book 3 example wasn't too bad just because it also went along with a little bit of Hermione character development. Though the same could have been accomplished if she'd taken two extra, harder courses in her spare time.  

[Lunar Nero]

i get what your saying and i agree that she uses it too often, and it really shows (like in HBP with the Felix potion, now that's pretty rediculous. that's gotta be a pretty wonky potion to effect another group of peoples ability to aim and shoot spells)

but this also leaves a bit of a plot hole, why not just take small doses of Felix before battles? like Aurors or the OOTP? it doesn't make much sense. also it does take 6 months to brew or whatever  

[non642]

Even though it isn't divine intervention per se, she also sets up all of these coincedences early on and they often come across as things that were fated to happen in order to allow the main characters to succeed  

[Lunar Nero]

Nialla

Even though it isn't divine intervention per se, she also sets up all of these coincedences early on and they often come across as things that were fated to happen in order to allow the main characters to succeed

this is true most of them she set up early in the book, but i think she relies on it too often  

[bardlover]

She does, but so do most good authors. JRR Tokien used them: mithril vest saved Frodo's life, Frodo just happened to get to Rivendale in time, he wasn't killed by the spider, and Gollum bit the ring off his finger. Just a few examples.  

[The Red Coyote]

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[Kermi]

I disagree. While they may be percieved as quick fixes, all of the things you listed are important plot points that she inserts into the book that come in handy later. All are fully explained. Fawkes doesn't magically show up - he is summoned by Harry's loyalty to Dumbledore.Harry doesn't just mystically recieve Felix Felicius or whatever it is: he wins it by being the best in his potions class, something he accomplished because he had the Half-Blood Prince's potions book. The Order of the Phoenix showed up because they knew that things were going crazy at the Ministry - you don't head the Voldemort-defence movement by being uninformed. Hermione's time-turner was a little bit iffy, but she had it the whole book, she didn't just get one when it was needed. Deus ex machina in this instance would be Dumbledore just giving her one.
Harry surviving Voldermort's curse is something that has been explained over and over again at the end of every book, and I think we are yet to find out everything about it.
Priori Incantatem was the closest to "the God machine" as we'll get, but it was a very good plot device.

Now if we want to look into actual Deus Ex Machina, I would say Harry's acceptance of Siruis' story would be it. He spends the entire book hating him for selling out his parents to Voldemort, then suddenly they're best friends? Granted, there was some evidence to support the story, but I know I personally wouldn't have been talking about living with Sirius five minutes later.  

[Ex-Professor Remus Lupin]

I must agree with the this is in case anyone was wondering...Deus ex Machina means God in the Machine...Jo uses too much sometimes but sometimes it is necessary. Though, I found her anti-ex machina way of killing Sirius (Bridal couteur? Oi vey) was a bit annoying. They're had better be a wonderful explanation for that book seven because so far that veil has just managed to piss me off and hang there and be spooky doom veil.

Beyond that...deus ex machinas are used in various media...I mean, Van Hellsing they used it with the weird sun ball that the monk ended up with and figured out how to open it up just before they all died...

They're necessary sometimes but often times overused.  

[Niaga]

I think I'd have to agree with Kermi. Every time JKR does use it, it is fully explained, not just randomly thrown in the story. It all has a point and purpose. But i guess the real evidance will come with Book 7  

[Pow in the Wow]

i also agreee wif u, bcus shes startin 2 use it a lil 2 often, like y can't she do sumthin else, insted of death eaters? ninja talk2hand  

[Kermi]

xtc.laoz

i also agreee wif u, bcus shes startin 2 use it a lil 2 often, like y can't she do sumthin else, insted of death eaters? ninja talk2hand

Firstly, this is so irrelevant to the topic that I can't fathom what possessed you to post it.

Secondly, the book series is the story of Harry Potter as "the boy who lived" having to face Voldemort and his loyal followers, the Death Eaters. Should Harry be facing wicked goblins who stole his gold instead? Would that be the ultimate showdown of the wizarding world?  

[Aglarien]

I disagree. Deus ex machina literally means god from the machine - it was used in Ancient Greek plays where the endings were too complicated, and one of the gods would come and explain it all. In the plays, the actor playing the god would be suspended above the stage in a crane, hence the term.

Although there are several convenient revelations, I never saw it as actual DeM. As Snape put it, Harry is saved by a combination of luck and more talented friends (don't exactly agree with the last bit - it's Snape's bias, but you get my drift). It seems like they are all logical explanations and do make sense rather then deus ex machina.  

[LoveSnivellus]

It is a possibility... but I think that some of that will come back in the 7th book