[HPforGrownups] Re: Harry Potter Character Sketch - Part 3 of 3

[Margaret Dean]

No: HPFGUIDX 17141

meboriqua at aol.com wrote:

> > 3.  Will Harry's life end in tragedy or will he live happily ever
> > after?  Is there a reasonable argument for either, i.e. has JKR
> > indicated in any way how Harry will end up?
> 
> The thought of Harry dying in book 7 is almost unbearable to me.  I
> am still angry at C.S. Lewis for having Lucy, Edmund and Peter die
> in "The Last Battle" (last of the Narnia books) just to go on to
> heaven.  I cannot accept that as a happy ending.  I did read JKR say
> in an interview "How do you know Harry will survive?" (something like
> that), and it just broke my heart.

I think if you felt that way about "The Last Battle" you kind of
missed the point ("just" to go to heaven???), but I =do= agree
that since JKR doesn't have the same theological underpinnings as
Lewis (as far as I can tell, anyway), using that ending would not
have the same effect . . . and I think it would be way too dark
even for the generally darker turn the books are taking.

I tend also to think that JKR was just jerking her fans'
collective chain by saying that.  ;) 


--Margaret Dean
  <margdean at erols.com>