Who's going to die?

[smurfs143143 at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 22567

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., meboriqua at a... wrote:

> I'm a bit confused here.  First of all, why would you *hope* for 
> anyone to die?  

I have a few reasons...the first (and perhaps most important for me)
is that I do not wish would Rowling to continue after the seven years 
at Hogwarts.  Anything beyond those seven would insult and overkill 
the series.  So many bad things happen when a story is pushed beyond 
what is supposed to be the end...Remember "Scarlet" - the sequel to 
"Gone With the Wind" ?  It almost casted a "shadow" on the original 
movie.  And also the "prequel" to the classic "Star Wars Triology"?  
The death of Harry (as well as the rest of the trio) could almost 
insure my wish.



Second, why would the death of Hermione "greatly 
> enrich" the story?  Is that what you think JKR is writing these 
books 
> for?

My second reason comes into play here...what happened in Book 2 - 
when Harry battled Riddle - was such an extraordinary bit of writing 
it totally consumed me.  Even though my mind was telling me Harry 
would live - I still didn't believe it because the actual writing was 
so powerful.  A line often stands out in my mind "If this is dying, 
thought Harry, it's not so bad.  Even the pain was leaving him...." 
JKR made Riddle's whole taunting speech seep into us - I basically 
felt I was in the book - and felt I was dying - which frankly, I've 
never felt before.  Then I began thinking about how I would react to 
dying...I started to think about all the things I'd miss..things that 
I never got to do...and then I ventured onto Harry's side - thought 
about things he never got to do...and (btw - I know this sounds soo 
corny - but it's true)  - reading that made me appreciate the moments 
of my life more..not take it for granted...because, in reality, 
anyone of us can die right now - and I think more people should be 
made aware of this fact.  And then, in Book 4 - we witnessed an 
actual death - Cedric's.  I swear - I cried for days over Cedric's 
death.  It was such a shock ...and then the school's reaction was 
even worse.  Thank God my school has never lost anyone.  But I saw 
what people's reactions would have been...and I was moved so much.  
So - the way she would enrich the books by letting the lead 
characters die is to 1 - give us the experience of death (which is a 
highly abstract concept, really and only few writers can fully 
adequately describe death - and JKR is one of them)  2 - the reading 
of such experiences might "wake us up" into "living for the moment" 
and 3 - see how one person's death can affect others and how much 
they would be missed
> 
> Last night, there was an ugly fire in a building down the block 
from 
> me; I've never seen so many firefighters in one place.  I overheard 
> someone saying that an old man had died in the fire.  It caused me 
> (among other things) to toss and turn, awake, all night.

and also - I'm not wishing for REAL people to die...I have never 
truly wished a real person to die...I have known a lot of people who 
died - and I know how bad it can be...but fiction is where you can go 
if you wish for a different experience - and you know that it is like 
a dream - when you stop reading - you won't have someone truly gone 
from your life forever.  There is  quote that, basically, says 
that    -   when you are safe at home you wish you were having a 
dangerous adventure but when you are having a dangerous adventure, 
you wish you were safe at home   -   ... that is what books are for - 
to take you on that dangerous adventure which will still lead you 
safe home when you put down your book. 

> 
> My point is, JKR is, IMO, trying to show us how serious and tragic 
> death is.  I felt terrible for Cedric and for his parents, who 
clearly 
> adored him.  How can anyone *hope* to see a beloved and good 
character 
> like Harry, Ron or Hermione die?  
> --jenny from ravenclaw

As I said before - I was devestated when Cedric died...and it's not 
like I don't love Harry or Ron...I love all the characters...my 
favorite is Voldemort - and I would like to see him die as 
well...another reason is that people would be shocked if JKR actually 
killed of some of the trio - and that is also what makes the books 
good - the unexpectedness of events...

I'm sorry if I upset you too much....
 
- Elizabeth