What does it mean to be human? (was Voldie's Redemption)

[Carol Bainbridge]

No: HPFGUIDX 48333

Melody wrote:
>Voldemort is rotten to the core, I can't help but remember he *is*
>human. Well, a part of him I'm sure is somewhere in there. While I
>may kid around with Voldie becoming redeemed at the end, I do believe
>it is a viable option because he is still human.

CK wrote:
> >I'm not sure. First the wisp-o-mort, then the back of someone else's
> >head and unicorn's blood, then the ugly baby, then Flatface... I
> >think Rowling has done a pretty good job of dehumanizing Voldemort.
> >I'm not saying that it's completely impossible to redeem him. In
> >theory, it's still a possibility. I just wouldn't put too many eggs
> >in that basket.

Interesting exchange. And it got me wondering about another possible 
philosophical question raised by the series: what does it mean to be 
human?  From book one to book 4, we have references to Voldemort's 
state.  In PS/SS, Hagrid says he doesn't believe that Voldemort died 
because there wasn't enough human left in him to die.  And CK does a good 
job of describing Voldemort's rather non-human conditions.  However, 
Voldemort is still trying for immortality and by the end of GoF has 
succeeded in getting his body back.  Is he now human?  (Yes, I know the 
debate about the gleam in DD's eyes.)  He had a body before, but Hagrid 
still didn't think he was fully human.  Can a person be so horribly evil 
and still be "human"?  Perhaps this is yet another decision Harry will have 
to make and the option he chooses will determine what happens to 
Voldemort.  I'm thinking that Harry will go for the option that no matter 
what Voldemort is human -- unless there is something in the next 3 books 
that clearly point to the contrary.  Will Voldemort be redeemed?  That I 
don't know, but I sincerely hope we don't have a Stars Wars-like end with 
Voldemort smiling happily in death and standing in some kind of vision next 
to James and Lily.   In any case, whether LV is redeemed or not, I still 
think the question for Harry might be how *he* sees Voldemort.

Melody wrote:
> > >>To dehumanized Voldemort would make killing him easier for all, but
> > >>defeat the point of the lessons learned so far in the series.
> >
> > CK wrote:
> > >Oh, I don't agree. I think that making him not-human makes the
> > >morality of killing him more questionable. Because if he IS human,
> > >then the choice is simple: Harry may not kill him. Period. As a
> > >'human being,' yeah, he has the choice. But as the archetypal
> > >virtuous hero, he may not kill another human being.

CK also said:
>I think we're getting to a difference in semantics, here. I think we
>agree that no matter what happens, Harry will see something of value
>in Voldemort. You say that he will see him as human; I say he will see
>him as someone/something that USED to be human.

Melody goes on:
> > Harry *knows* Voldemort still has that human soul no
> > matter what his shell is.  Harry met Tom Riddle.  Harry knows that
> > Voldemort is human.  Harry also knows that Voldemort has a mother and
> > father.  Harry has been shown over and over that this guy is a human
> > being, but this guy messed up...big time.  Does this mean Harry cannot
> > kill him now?  Is this education providing Harry with grounds for
> > believing in a Voldemort that could turn from his evil ways?

I'm not sure Harry's going to see anything of value in Voldemort.  Perhaps 
he will recognize that the boy who became Lord Voldemort no longer exists 
and the reason he no longer exists is that he *chose* to give up those 
things that made him human to begin with.  I think this would fit in nicely 
with the theme of choice in the series.  And it would make us all think 
about just what it means to be human.  What choice will Harry make?  Will 
he have the option of killing Voldemort in the end?  Will he choose that 
option or will he resist, believing that by choosing to kill Voldemort, he 
will be giving up part of what makes him human?


Carol