Re: Harry’s fate according to the bookies

[Steve]

--- I "Geoff Bannister" <gbannister10 at ...> wrote:
>
> ---  "eggplant107" <eggplant107@> wrote:
> 
> Eggplant;
> > And not only do I think the bookies are right I 
> > hope they are too.
> > 
> > ...In fact, the series will live because Harry 
> > Potter dies. People will be reading the Harry
> > Potter books a century from now.
>  
> Geoff:
> Yes, you have made that crystal clear on a number of
> occasions and I think I have also made it clear that
> I am diametrically opposed to you as to the outcome 
> I desire.
> 
> In my opinion ..., killing Harry would be a worst 
> possible scenario.
> 
> It would send a lot of mixed messages to young people
> ... and, on a very personal level, I see so much of 
> myself as a teenager in Harry that it would be like 
> a family loss to me.
> 
> I'm sticking with the IWHTLC (I want Harry to live 
> club) ...
> :-)
>


bboyminn:

Here is the problem; ignoring any 'return from the
dead' scenarios, there really aren't a lot of 
choices. I mean Harry either lives or dies, what
else is there? 

So, speculation either way is fair game. However,
we must consider the ODDS. In how many books has
the clear hero died in the end? In how many books
in which the clear hero was a very young man, has
the hero died in the end? 

Well certainly even I can think of a few, but the
odds, using literature as the basis, are greatly
in favor of Harry living. 

I really don't see JKR killing Harry to end the
series and to keep from writing any more books.
That has never stopped a determined author as has
been shown by the example of Sherlock Holmes who 
died absolutely then -oops- was not so dead after
all.

I'm sure Harry's fate was sealed from the very
beginning, before the first book was even published. 
In JKR's mind, Harry is either alive or he is dead, 
and that is an unalterable fact. She won't change it
to please fans or to get out of writing books.

There are a couple of hints that Harry lives. At 
one point the books says something to the effect
that 'in years to come' Harry would look back on
this or that. Also, the existence of an epilog
implies that life goes on. It doesn't prove that
Harry's life goes on, but merely established that
life goes on implying Harry's life goes on.

There has been public speculation on Harry dying.
Dan Radcliffe has made this speculation which 
mirror the identical speculation by many fans.

But again, I point out, there are only two choices.
So, in any discussion, some are going to think 
Harry dies and the rest are going to think he 
doesn't. Speculation on Harry dying will certainly
get more press than the stock Harry-not-dying.
Press breeds speculation, speculation breeds
enthusiasm, enthusiasm breeds rampant betting, and
rampant betting breeds more speculation.

Personally, I really really really hope Harry 
doesn't literally and completely forever die, but
I won't mind a little 'to death and back' action.
I have predicted in the past an unprecidented level
of world wide grieving if Harry does die. Grieving
at a level that exceeds best-love kings, queens,
princesses, and presidents. I see the world at 
near stand still. 

Whether the analytical odds are in Harry's favor
or not, I think the literary odds are much in his
favor. Betting his death might be fun, and if true
might be a nice twist that produces easy money, 
but I'm more sure people will have a laugh at 
losing a few buck and just be glad Harry is alive.

For what it's worth.

Steve/bboyminn