[HPforGrownups] Who is Harry Potter?

[Kathleen Kelly MacMillan]

No: HPFGUIDX 9439

Amy Z wrote:
>What does it *mean,* *thematically,* if Harry is somehow,
>from birth, the fated, anointed Conqueror of Voldemort (or even Evil
>Itself)?  What does it mean, thematically, if his importance stems
>from something different than that, something not so much inherent in
>his genes or background but emerging in the kind of person he is
>becoming?


I have always been uncomfortable with the idea that Harry is somehow a 
different "breed", as I think it takes away from what he does and what he 
becomes.  (And have actually said so on the PoU list; I figure being an R/H 
shipper over there is a strike against me anyway, so why not go all the way 
and really irritate people? <g>)  Amy, your post articulated a lot of the 
reasons I feel this way better than I could.  Part of the appeal of Harry is 
that he is everyman, and to me, making him Super Harry takes a lot away from 
that.  It makes his choices less meaningful.  And I don't see any 
contradiction in believing this while knowing that there was something going 
on that kept Voldemort from destroying Harry.  A friend of mine has a theory 
that Lily and James figured out a way to hide Voldemort's powers inside Harry 
(sort of like the Fidelius Charm).  I'm not sure I buy it, but it's an 
interesting theory.

It's quite possible that JKR is taking us in the direction of 
Harry-as-Superman.  But I truly hope not, because I think the stories are much 
more powerful without that.


Kathy
AKA Elanor Gamgee