Harry as a martyr? [was Re: Average Harry]

[dasienko at email.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 19305

:
> --- In HPforGrownups at y..., Dave Hardenbrook <DaveH47 at m...> wrote:
> > At 09:12 PM 5/17/01 -0400, dragonsbloodmoon at a... wrote:
> Well, a good possibility is the whole idea where Harry may CHOOSE 
to 
> sacrifice his own life to save the rest of the word from 
Voldemort's 
> horrors, but may, by other magical circumstances that Harry 
typically 
> does not understand until the speech afterwards, survive anyhow. 
This 
> way, his character is preserved by doing the right thing & willing 
to 
> give his life, without the media horror of Harry actually dying.
> 
> It would probably feel like a cop-out to many people, but unless 
she 
> handles it in an incredibly spiritual manner to make things 
> feel "right", I don't think Harry will die.
> 
> Back to Lurking,
> Heather :-)


This scenario follows the  definition of HERO that I learned many 
years ago in a folklore class . I think that there were  about seven 
hallmarks of a hero. I don't remember them all but those that I do 
remember are:
A hero has:
*an "unnatural birth" this can usually be extended to an unnatural 
occurence early in life (Harry meets/defeats Voldemort).
*a hidden Childhood ( life with the Dursleys)
* discovers his uniqueness (The letter from Hogwarts).
* performs "magical" deeds. See PS/SS, etal.
* confronts an enemy/battles to the death.
* There are rumors and tales that  the hero isn't dead
* There are tales that the hero will return again when the people are 
in great need.

Harry seems to be fulfilling the first couple of hallmarks, I guess 
that I'll have to wait and see if Harry fits this definition of a 
hero.