Harry, Gaining Independence and Frodo Baggins, the Hero

[Judy M. Ellis]

No: HPFGUIDX 44709

"Risti" wrote:
> Harry Potter is clearly the main protagonist, and the key focus of 
> this series.  Already, he is faced with the fact that he is an 
orphan 
> due to tragic circumstances, he's grown up in a non supportive 
> family, and most of the world counts on him to save them from 
certain 
> peril.  There's alot resting on the shoulders of this teenage 
> character.
> I guess I take my influence for this from the character of Frodo 
> Baggins.  He to is someone who is thrust into a position where alot 
> rests on him, and has alot of issues to settle.  Notice that never 
> once do we even hear of Frodo desiring a romantic relationship with 
> anyone.   
> Keeping up with a Lord of the Rings analogy, you'll notice that 
there are several romantic subplots that go on in the background.  In 
my 
> opinion, that's what the Ron/Hermione relationship is.  Its 
something 
> that will remind the reader of love, and the power and peace that 
> resides within it.  Aside from the obvious bickering leads to 
romance 
> theories, I have a different one.  
> 
> Ron and Hermione are their to support Harry.  ... I also think that 
as the story progresses, and Harry matures into a 
> more powerful wizard, the time will come when he will need to be 
more 
> independent...> While Ron and Hermione help him prepare, Harry is 
then placed alone 
> into a situation much like the climactic scenes in PS.  Once we 
reach 
> the graveyard, I don't even need to say that Harry was all on his 
> own.  Even Dumbledore said he proved himself there?



Judy responds:
     I think you are 100% correct about Harry's growing independence, 
we can see him slowly breaking away from those who have protected him 
during the first four novels.  I do have the feeling that at the end 
there will be a final confrontation with Voldemort in which Harry 
will probably have to stand alone. (But JKR might try a different 
tack than this very cliche one)  
     I do agree that there are a lot of parallels that can be drawn 
with the character of Frodo Baggins.  The burden of what he must do, 
the utter evil of it is so pronounced, that it scars him terribly.  I 
think that the lasting wound from the Morgul blade is symbollic of 
the emotional scars he bears after his ordeal.  And JKR does 
repeatedly emphasize that we are dealing with evil and it needs to be 
shown what evil is and what evil does.

The problem with making a direct, point-by-point comparison to Frodo 
Baggins is that Frodo was not a classic hero suitably empowered to 
fight evil. Every physical battle he fought, he lost.  It was Frodo's 
very lack of power, his lack of desire to command power that made him 
the perfect candidate to carry the One Ring. He was never, by even 
the furthest stretch of the imagination, any match for Sauron. Frodo 
delt with many terrible things on his own, but he was never alone.  
Sam Gamgee was beside him until the Grey Havens.  Between them was an 
unfailing brotherly love, in many ways more poignant and sweet than a 
traditional love story.  
Harry, on the other hand, is empowered, very much so.  Harry 
understands things that none of his peers do, and seems to possess an 
insight into darkness and its inner workings that others do not. In a 
way, this is very, very alienating.  It is difficult to say how JKR 
will deal with this aspect of Harry's development.  Her philosophy 
seems to be that "no man(or woman) is an island unto him/herself."  
Remember Dumbledore's now famous statement at the end of Gof:  "...we 
are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided..." We 
have to ask ourselves, does this apply to everyone except Harry?  Is 
there a symbollic reason he is an orphan living in an enviornment 
that is completely non-supportive, as you put it?  I'm not sure.  JKR 
is not a Terry Brooks or George Lucas retelling the classic hero 
tale.  This is, I believe something a bit different.  Harry seems to 
be empowered by his friends, by their love.  Even in GoF when he is 
facing Voldemort alone, he is assisted by those last few Voldemort 
has killed.  Does this somehow mean that even when it seems darkest, 
Harry is never truly alone?  I'm not sure of that either.  I do know 
that whatever she comes up with for the final three books will be 
compelling and, I truly believe uplifting at the same time.

Risti also wrote:

Keep in mind that Harry is the narrator, which means that whatever is 
> on his heart is what we read.  In my opinion, if a love interest 
> starts to be the thing most on his heart, we are going to lose 
focus 
> of what's really important.

Judy responds:
I don't think that is necessarily so.  If a psychopathic madman were 
after any one of us, I don't believe we would be composing love poems 
and day-dreaming instead of trying to save our lives.  Love, would, 
of necessity, take the back seat to survival. If Harry were to fall 
in love -- and this is a big IF, because he will be so young, even 
when the series ends -- it is my opinion that loving someone would 
make it easier to resolve yourself to stopping a 'demon.'  Your whole 
heart would be put into trying to protect those you love. That's what 
becomes most important.  Reference Harry's mother's sacrifice.  You 
have given all of us a great deal to think about.  Thank you for the 
excellent imput. I'm looking forward to more discussion on this 
subject!
--Judy
P.S.  Your Ron/Hermione subplot sounds completely plausible. -J