The Biggest Questions That Books Left us With
We’re not ones to harp on the negative. We don’t like to call attention to the little inconsistencies in our favorite novels. Usually, we prefer to focus on the positive and make unique book scented candles that keep the magic of our favorite fictional works alive after we’ve turned the last page.
But sometimes, we’re faced with either plot holes or unanswered questions that eat away at our minds until they finally explode forth in a rush. This is our rush. We have so many questions.
Now some of these questions have been answered by the author through non-canon means, but others are still a mystery. Here are some of the biggest plot holes, cliffhangers, and questions that have been bugging us for years.
The following plot holes contain spoilers.
Be warned: if you don’t know the conclusion or details of Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, The Lord of the Rings, or Game of Thrones, then please do not read on.
Unless you like to know the ending of things before you begin. Then, by all means, carry on.
Albus Dumbledore and the Mirror of Erised
When asked by a young Harry what he sees in the mirror of Erised, Dumbledore kindly replies that he sees himself holding a pair of thick woolen socks. And it is in this moment that Harry realizes that sometimes, Dumbledore can bend the truth.
Later when asked, author J.K. Rowling said that when looking into the mirror of Erised, Dumbledore saw “His family; alive, whole and happy – Ariana, Percival, and Kendra all returned to him, and Aberforth reconciled to him.” Now that’s a satisfactory answer that warms the heart.
Peter Pettigrew and the Marauder's Map
We’re going to limit our number of Harry Potter questions here to only three. So here’s the second. If you’re fans of the series, then you’re probably familiar with the Marauder's Map. This mystical piece of parchment helps the Weasley twins pull off some of their most notorious pranks and hijinks. But we have just one question. How did Fred and George never notice that some kid named Peter Pettigrew seemed to hang around their brother an awful lot.
When you first discovered Google Earth, what did you do? Most likely, out of everywhere in the world, you decided to look up your home address. Now imagine you had a magical map, what would you look up first? Probably where you were and then where your friends and family were. Why did neither Fred or George ever question why this Peter kid always seemed to be hanging around despite the fact that they had yet to meet a boy named Peter Pettigrew?
The Dursleys and the Horcrux
We’re led to understand later in the series that being in the presence of a Horcrux is enough to put anyone on edge and make them act uncharacteristically cruel or harsh. And we eventually learn that Harry himself is a Horcrux, after a part of Voldemort attached itself to Harry’s soul the night he killed his parents in Godric’s Hollow. Could it be that being in the presence of Harry negatively affected the Dursleys?
Granted, we know how they feel about magic, but one has to wonder if the extent of their indifference and even sometimes hate of Harry could in anyway be due to Harry himself being a Horcrux?
The Eagles from Lord of the Rings
One of the most classic punchlines in pop culture is “the eagles!” This is due to the fact that the eagles from LOTR totally could have made Frodo and Sam’s trip a lot easier if they had just shown up a little sooner and helped to carry the ring to Mount Doom. One possible reason for this is that if they had done so, then the story would have been considerably shorter and less dramatic.
Tolkien is quoted saying “The Eagles are a dangerous 'machine.' I have used them sparingly, and that is the absolute limit of their credibility or usefulness.” in letter 210. We guess that’s a fair answer, but really, couldn’t he have come up with anything to act as the reason why the eagles couldn’t help more? Maybe they could be allergic to orcs, afraid of volcanoes, or off on a mission elsewhere. We’re just saying.
Peeta from The Hunger Games
The Hunger Games is another great series that unfortunately left us with a few questions. Such as, why did the Careers not kill Peeta after finding Katniss in the tree during the games? They used him to track her, but once they found her, why keep Peeta alive? Obviously, we’re glad they did, we’re just a little confused on why this happened.
The Handmaid's Tale
We’re not going to dive too deep here because we know that a lot of people are currently watching the TV adaptation of this classic novel on Hulu. All we’ll say is that holy crap; we need a sequel, Batman! We have so many unanswered questions!
The Wildfire under King's Landing
Ok, ok. So Jamie goes all Kingslayer to save the people of King’s landing and… just forgets about the wildfire? Like, dude, what if some kid finds that? What if a spark from a torch falls down the gutter? What if the city floods and the barrels release their liquid into the streets? There are literally so many things that could go wrong here. Why did you end it with killing the king? Why not also hunt down this wildfire and either destroy it or guard it?
On that note, how does Varys not know about the wildfire? He and his little birds use the tunnels all the time. You’re telling me that not once did a kid find a barrel in an otherwise empty tunnel containing some mysterious green goo and tell Varys about this strange discovery?
What Are Some of The Biggest Unanswered Questions from Your Favorite Books?
Whether you love romance or horror, there have to be some questions floating around that you’re curious about. We’d love to hear what some of your biggest book-related questions are or if you have found the answer to any of the questions posed above. Feel free to leave us a comment down below containing either. If you enjoyed this post, make sure to check out our blog for additional bookish posts and theories. And as always, take a peek at our book themed candles and merch before you go.
