OotP - feeling just a bit resentful...

[Dennis Grant]

No: HPFGUIDX 61790

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "kiricat2001" <Zarleycat at a...>
wrote:

> But,  I don't understand why the hero, the young initiate, the 
> person  on whom the burden is laid, has to have his support or
> parent or mentor die. 

Because it's a common theme in Western heroic literature.

The hero loses his family ties, this throws him towards a mentor, who
often (hrm, forshadowing here mayhap?) dies himself, usually right
before the Hero Finally Strikes Out On His Own To Carry Out His Quest.

There's a book by.... I want to say "Carpenter".... "Universal Hero"
or some such... anyway, it covers this in great detail. This book was
a strong influence on George Lucas, to the point where the first three
Star Wars movies are pretty well a distillation of Carpenter's (I hope
I've got that name right) book.

Now I don't think JKR is just rehashing Carpenter, but the idea that
the hero must lose his family before he undertakes his quest is a
common one. It gives the story resonance. And from a purely
plot-oriented point of view, frees the hero up to take risks (or,
queue the forshadowing music again) make sacrifices - especially
self-sacrifice - that would be irresponsible and reckless if he had
familial responsibilities.

> Is it logical to assume that this loss will make Harry 
> stand on his own, when he still has Dumbledore and the OoP people to 
> rely on?  

But these people have proven to be fallible, haven't they? Harry does
much better on his own, or in the company of his peers, than when he
is being protected by authority figures.

Again, from a purely plot-facing standpoint, one can't have the hero
running off to fetch Mom/Dad/Paternal Figure every time peril looms,
can he?

But yet, Rowling is canny enough to stand this on it's head a little
bit. Hermonie takes Harry to task for being a little TOO self-reliant
and perhaps having a "hero thing". It's a nice touch. It prevents
Harry from crossing the line into archtype, and the book into cliche.

> I can't buy the idea that now, with Sirius gone, Harry's mind and 
> strength can better concentrate on defeating Voldemort.  That may be 
> what happens, and he may become the perfect engine to accomplish 
> this, but without the emotional support of at least several 
> important people in his life, he ends up as a tool and nothing more.

Such is the life of the hero. It is the hero's fate to deal with
things larger than himself (hopefully) for the betterment of all. The
price is that the hero rarely reaps the fruit of his heroics himself,
and/or gets the opportunity to lead a "normal" life.

There is always a measure of sacrifice in heroism.

And this is, I think, one of the major messages of this book. Harry
isn't going to get to be "normal" - and trying to spare him his fate,
trying to allow him to pretend to be normal (as Dumbledore did) just
makes things worse.

Hm, I think that's Ender Wiggins, over there in the corner, nodding
his head in agreement - and frowning rather heavily as he does so.

DG