Harry the martyr/Harry the killer

[Amy Z]

No: HPFGUIDX 14037

I wrote:

>To me this poses real moral 
> > implications for the readership: as if we really have executed 
> someone 
> > without acknowledging the weight of that responsibility.
> > 
Charmian wrote:
 
> Yes. Although Voldemort lacks enough redeeming characteristics for 
us 
> to really feel squicky about his messy death, I think it would fit 
in 
> with the tone of the book not to have the end be unyieldingly sunny. 

In a way, that would be the problem.  In real life, before we execute 
people, we tend to dehumanize them; that's what I see in the press 
here around executions.  I'm not starting a death penalty debate; I'm 
just saying that whatever you think about the justice of execution, we 
all ought to acknowledge that with execution, we (all of us, in a 
democracy) are killing another human being.  Often, the language of 
"monster," "demon," "animal" for convicted murderers allows us to act 
as if we are just ridding the world of a problem, without any feeling 
of sorrow or remorse.  IMO, there should be some sadness even when a 
serial killer or genocidal ruler is put to death; there's always the 
tension between our need for justice (and perhaps revenge) and the 
hope that no one is utterly beyond redemption.

I like evil characters to have a scrap of humanity so that this 
tension remains.  So far, Voldemort doesn't really show that, except 
that we can sympathize with him in an abstract way for his horrible 
childhood.  He's what Harry could have become.

> (What's that sad part in GoF where Harry reflects on all the human 
> relationships blasted because Voldemort, both directly and 
> indirectly?)

It's after the Pensieve, when he's aware for the first time of what 
Neville's lost and thinks it's worse than his own tragedy.  I love 
that part too.

Amy Z

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 "Yeah, Dumbledore's off his rocker, 
 all right," said Ron proudly. 
     -HP and the Philosopher's Stone 
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