[HPforGrownups] OOP: Re: Why Harry will die

[goingoutsleepwalking]

No: HPFGUIDX 65616

ceathena wrote:  
> In a previous message, someone
> mentioned the fear that Harry and Voldemort's link is so
> strong that if Harry kills him, he will die as well. I've been
> predicting Harry's death since around the time of the 2nd
> book. I cannot see any other way to effectivly end the series.

Carol Bainbridge:
> I can. I can see Harry destroying Voldemort. >>>

Me too.

ceathena:
> <snip> Harry's future has never been clear. His desire
> to be an Auror seems farfetched due to the O.W.L. requirements. He 
has never had ambition, never seriously considered life outside of 
Hogwarts.  The only goal he must complete is killing Voldemort. But 
after his arch nemisis is defeated, what will Harry do? His entire
> life revolves around Voldemort; he cannot exist without him. >>>

Actually, the way I took it, this is what the prophecy meant by "neither
can live while the other survives."  In other words, *after* one destroys
the other, then *that* one will get to *really* "live" and not just exist
in relation to their quest to kill the other.

ceathena:
> Self sacrifice will not be difficult for Harry. He was ready
> to die at the end of Order of the Pheonix. I think, when the
> time comes, he will gladly end his life to save those he
> loves. It is in his nature.  If he recognizes that it needs to
> be done, he will do it. Harry is not one to hesitate.

Carol:
> Boy, I sure agree with you here. Fortunately, Harry hasn't had to
> die, and  I really don't think it's necessary for him to die for the
> series to have a  suitable ending. >>>>>

Again, I agree.

ceathena:
> > And then there's the practical side. There is no better way to
> > effectivly end a series than to kill off the main character.

Carol:
> I disagree wholeheartedly. I don't see what makes that ending any
> more  effective than another one, if it's done well. >>>

Actually, I think it's a pretty cheap ending.  Like "I couldn't think of
what to do with him, so I killed him."

ceathena:
> JK Rowling has made it clear there will be no more books. Why
> would she decide to stop writing about the characters that she
> loves with all her heart? Why would she suffer such an abrupt
> change in lifestyle?

Carol:
> I'm not so sure this would be an abrupt change in her life style.
> While  we've all been thinking about Harry and waiting for the next book
> and  guessing what's going to happen next, JKR has been thinking about
> Harry a  whole lot longer. She knows the ending. She has
> known it for a good long  time. I'm sure she will never stop
> thinking about Harry completely, but  for her the story is over and has
> been over from the beginning. She said  she's been thinking about
> writing other books and even tried her hand at  writing a book for
> adults (while working on OOP). So no, I wouldn't see an  abrupt
> change for her. >>>

Once again, I agree.

ceathena:
> Two reasons are possible: she has planned it this way from the
> beginning, the threads will all be tied up, and it would be
> tacky to continue. >>>

There are a *lot* of endings that would tie up all the ends.  Most likely,
none of us are going to guess it exactly.

ceathena:
> Or, she physically cannot continue to write about Harry.
> While the former is logical and probably a factor, the latter
> insures that she will not weaken. It does, however, leave the
> possibility for books about a new set of characters in the
> same world.

Carol:
> I don't have the interview handy, but I seem to recall JKR saying
> adamently  that she will not write any more about Hogwarts. When
> she finishes book 7,  that will be it. She did say that she might
> consider doing a book 8, but  it wouldn't have a story and it wouldn't
> be a epilogue. She said she's  thought that she might want to get
> rid of a lot of "loose" ideas about  Hogwarts and the
> wizarding world that she didn't get "rid of" in any of the
> books. She was careful not to suggest that any book after book
> seven would  be more about our favorite characters. I'm not sure,
> but she may have also  said she didn't think she would actually do a
> book 8. Just if she did,  that's all it would be. Then she
> wants to go on to other things. >>>

Yeah, Jo said she considered doing a kind of Harry Potter Bible for
charity, but that other than that she would never write another word about
Harry's world.

ceathena:
> Also, we have now seen this veil. Dumbledore has already told
> Harry that death is just 'the next great adventure'. It would
> make perfect sense for Harry - after he has slain Voldemort - to
> simply step onto the dais and through the veil. The final
> chapter could possibly be entitled "The Next Great
> Adventure". And everyone can simply wave goodbye as he
> steps through to be with Sirius and his Mum and Dad, and whoever JKR
> will kill off that Harry loves. You know she will...

Carol:
> While I admit this is certainly a possibility, it's too
> "Hollywood" for  me. It makes me think of the movie
> "Cocoon." And I would hate to see that  kind of ending
> to the series. I keep thinking, "What's the
> point?" And  unlike the ending in Cocoon, the ending
> suggested here is way too much like  suicide for my taste. It
> also, to me, would show a weakness, an inability  at last of Harry to
> come to terms with life and its difficulties and  struggles. Even
> if it comes at the end of a struggle against Voldemort,  where is the
> honor in this kind of death? I would really hate that message. >>>


That ending *is* suicide, and I have already posted on why Harry *will
not* commit suicide (but once again, suicide is *NOT* noble or romantic or
anything like that.  If you think it is you are sick.  Actually, you're
probably just ignorant, as in you wouldn't have any first hand idea at all
and thus shouldn't talk about it.  If that is offensive, that's too bad,
because I feel that I have suffered enough to have the right to say that).
 Also, I recall reading a post that someone wrote that went something like
"Haven't any of you ever lost people you love??  That doesn't mean you
don't want to go on living."  Having lost one of the most important people
in the world to me, I firmly agree with this.  And look at Jo.  She's lost
her mother and has suffered from depression but she hasn't killed herself.

Sorry for the momentary extreme anger.  As I said, I kind of have a right
to my anger, so I'm sure you'll forgive me for my bitterness.

goingoutsleepwalking