Portrait theory

[John Gabriel]

No: HPFGUIDX 68280

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "owlery2003" <owlery2003 at y...> 
wrote:

> I've been thinking about the various portraits in the series. The 
> characters within them are not static. They converse with the 
> living on contemporary subjects, apply logic, display the same 
> personality traits as in life - for all purposes, the same as if 
> the person was really there. [...] Are portraits "windows" for 
> characters who've passed beyond the veil? [...] It would be great 
> to see Sirius become a permanent "fixture" in Harry's life again.

I don't think Sirius will return, except in Harry's memories.

If Sirius were to return, even as a portrait, it would rob his death 
of the meaning it has within the context of the story. Sirius's 
death is the symbol of death within the context of the story. It's 
meant to illustrate the suddeness and irrevocability of death. Allow 
Sirius to return as a character in a portrait, and you diminish this 
sense of death's irrevocability. The plotline would then become a 
simple fantasy without meaning, a wish-fulfillment, rather than 
using fantasy's ability to deal with trauma in an imagined context.

I think this point is further emphasized by Harry's encounter with 
Nick after Sirius's death:


Nick turned away from the window and looked mournfully at Harry. "He 
won't come back."

[...]

"He will not come back," repeated Nick quietly. "He will have ... 
gone on.


While Nick is ostensibly talking only about the possibility of 
Sirius returning as a ghost, I believe the artistic power and goal 
of his speech would be nullified if Sirius were to return as a 
portrait. JR is saying here, "This is how death is."

Sirius won't be back. Not even as a portrait. He can only return in 
memories. Like any of the dead.

John Gabriel