Harry Dying -- childrens' books - Percy

[bbennett at joymail.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 24997

> Bente13 at p... wrote:
> 
> I don't think Harry will die in the books. Partly because I seem to 
remember JKR saying something to that effect once (although I could
be wrong) but more importantly because it doesn't go along with the
tenor and theme of the books. They are childrens books, whether JKR
intended them as such when she wrote them or not (and I'm sure she
did, in one sense of the word at least; they're *about* children).>

Penny wrote: 
> Sorry -- I couldn't disagree more.  <snip> But, the fact that the 
protagonist was a child when the series began does not make these 
books "childrens' books."  

I won't go into all the reasons why I also disagree that these are 
childrens' books (there's a thread that's a few months old that is 
full of my opinions :), but I will say you can't argue that these are 
childrens' book simply because they're about children. Just read Lord 
of the Flies.

<I personally don't believe that he will die at the end of Book 7, 
but it's not because I think JKR will keep the tone light because 
they're just childrens' books.  It's also not because of her 
statements about not writing more than 7 books.  I just don't have 
the gut feeling that Harry will die in the end.  :--)

My opinion that Harry won't die also comes from my gut (a friend who 
is quite well versed in the classics argues that the ending chapter 
may very well be "The Man Who Died". I tend to put my hands over my 
ears and hum loudly when she brings this up). But the 'Harry won't 
die because these are for children' argument doesn't hold up if you 
remember that lots of people die in lots of books that have been 
written for children. 

Penny wrote:
>I know we've had this debate before, but I'll say again that IMO, 
Hermione is a far, far better judge of character than Ron.

Except in the case of Lockhart :). Seriously, though, I agree that 
Percy is not a bad guy just because he can be difficult sometimes. 
You can't think a character is destined to fail or to give in to 
the "dark side" just because of flaws. Sometimes the flaws are the 
things that make you stronger. 

B