Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil (Nel Question)

[judyserenity]

No: HPFGUIDX 38313

Heidi posed this discussion question:
> Why has Rowling drawn connections between Voldemort and Harry? In
> linking these characters so closely, is she suggesting some kinship
> between opposites? Are good and evil bound closely together?...

I see at least three functions served by the similarities between 
Voldemort and Harry. 

The first two functions are most visible in CoS. One function of the 
Harry - Voldemort similarities in CoS is to highlight Harry's 
morality.  Both Harry and Voldemort were orphaned or abandoned, and 
raised in cruel circumstances. Showing how bitter and vengeful Tom 
Riddle became reminds us of how remarkable it is that Harry is still 
kind and optimistic after these bad experiences.  

The second function is to heighten the dramatic tension.  In CoS, 
Harry is repeatedly tormented by the thought that he may be 
Slytherin's Heir, and thus evil.  His similarities with Tom Riddle 
make his fears more believable and poignant. 

So, in CoS, the similarities with Tom Riddle served as a plot device, 
designed to make the reader see Harry's goodness at the same time that 
Harry is himself questioning whether he is evil.  However, by the end 
of CoS, we are well aware that Harry survived circumstances that 
corrupted Tom Riddle, and we (and Harry) know that Harry is not the 
Heir of Slytherin.  So, the question is, will these similarities 
between Tom Riddle and Harry play a further role in the series?

I think that Harry's "am I good or evil?" doubts came very early in 
his development.  His doubts would be more meaningful later in the 
series, when he is older and perhaps has had to do some morally 
questionable act, such as kill a Death Eater.  However, even if Harry 
has another episode of soul-searching, I doubt that JKR will bring up 
the similarities with Tom Riddle again the way she did in CoS; it  
would be too repetitive.

This bring us to the third function that I see for the similarities 
between Voldemort and Harry.  JKR is emphasizing that only Harry can 
destroy Voldemort; Harry's similarity to Voldemort is an indication 
(and perhaps the cause) of his destiny as Voldemort's destroyer.  For 
example, Harry and Voldemort are similar in that their wands are 
"brothers"; therefore, only Harry's wand can counter Voldemort's. 

I'm not sure that this means "good and evil are bound together" in any 
meaningful way, however.  Rather, I see both Voldemort and Harry as 
the heirs to the conflict between Godric Gryffindor and Salazar 
Slytherin.  That is, they have a shared destiny, which leads to other 
similarities.  For example, it would not be possible to be the sole 
heir (of Gryffindor or of Slytherin) if one had both parents living, 
or had living siblings.  It would not be possible to fight as the 
representative of Gryffindor or Slytherin if one was not a talented 
wizard, nor could one be worthy of this role without a certain amount 
of suffering. 

There's plenty more to discuss in this question -- but that's enough 
for me now. 

Judy