Harry as "classic" hero (was Re: Lily's Sacrifice)

[Belle_Starr_777 at yahoo.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 19417

> Since someone already brought up hero cycles (read
> Joseph Campbell's HERO WITH A THOUSAND FACES) what
> happens to many heroes is that they are a part of a
> prophecy which someone powerful is aware of; usually
> it's a prophecy that involves the infant hero growing
> up to vanquish the powerful person in question, so
> they attempt to kill the potential hero as a baby when
> he is presumably vulnerable.  This of course
> backfires.  
> 

Absolutly, positively, anyone interested in the hero aspect should 
read Joseph Campbell's "Hero With A Thousand Faces." I cannot say 
enough about this book! And it can be applied to everything from 
Moses to Harry Potter, from Oedipus to Superman. I was introduced to 
this book by my freshman lit prof (God bless Eric Von Fuhrman!) and 
have found myself going back to it countless times in the *mumbldy-
mumble* years since.

Another thing he taught as necessary to enjoy literature (movies, 
poetry etc.): THE WILLING SUSPENSION OF DISBELIEF. To me, that means 
not getting bogged down in how many years from this to that, or just 
trying to make too much "sense" out of why a character said/did what 
they said/did. 

Sometimes, it's best just to sit back and enjoy the ride.

Belle Starr, who was thrilled in 1980 when in an article about "The 
Empire Strikes Back," Time magazine noted that George Lucas kept a 
copy of "Hero With A Thousand Faces" on the bookshelf behind his desk.