OOP: Re: Why Harry will die

[brinforest]

No: HPFGUIDX 65621


I have an idea that combines the views presented by the posts quoted 
below. Please read all the quotes first, all of it is important!


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "glenfinnan1745" 
<cameron_mark68 at h...> wrote:
> There is an interesting parallel to the veiled archway in C.S. 
> Lewis' _The Last Battle_, the final book of the Narnia series.  In 
> that book, there is a mysterious door which people enter but from 
> whence they never return.  From one side, it looks like an 
ordinary 
> stable door.  But King Trinian, after he goes through it, sees it 
> from the other side as:
> 
>      "A rough wooden door and, round it, the framework of the 
> doorway: nothing else, no walls, no roof. He walked towards it, 
> bewildered, and the others followed, watching to see what he would 
> do. He walked round to the other side of the door. But it looked 
> just the same from the other side: he was still in the open air, 
on 
> a summer morning. The door was simply standing up by itself as if 
it 
> had grown there like a tree."
> 
> Apparently, once people come through this door, they are dead, and 
> go on to face whatever afterlife is appropriate for them: the 
> worshippers of the evil demon Tash are devoured by their 
> bloodthirsty god; the good creatures of Narnia go on to Aslan's 
> paradise, while the skeptical, cynical Dwarfs simply believe that 
> they are in a dank, smelly barn.
> 
> Given Rowling's known affection for the Narnia series, borrowing a 
> motif like a freestanding door to the afterlife has to be more 
than 
> a coincidence.  Incidentally, I found the ending of OOP to be the 
> most explicitly theological of any in the series.  In a nutshell, 
> the message is: the greatest power in the universe is love - 
> particularly sacrifical love that lays down its life for its 
> friends - and love is ultimately stronger than death.  In fact, 
only 
> by embracing love can you overcome death and achieve eternal 
life.  
> Those who simply fear and resist death without embracing love 
(like 
> Voldemort or ghosts) live a shadowy imitation of life that is 
> ultimately fruitless.  All of this is classic Christian theology.
> 
> I am not suggesting that OOP or the rest of the Potter series are 
as 
> theologically determined as the Narnia series, but I think that as 
> the series draws to a close, the philosophical / theological 
> meanings will become more important.  Like many posters, I think 
> this all points to Harry dying a sacrificial death in Book 7 to 
> destroy Voldemort, and possibly to a reunion with his parents, 
> Sirius, and others (Hagrid? Dumbledore?) beyond the veil.
> 



-- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "goingoutsleepwalking" 
<goingoutsleepwalking at x> wrote:
> 
> 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...
> 
> 

> 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



Now me:

What if Harry were to do both? What if Harry were an exception to 
never coming back once you're through the door/veil? And I don't 
mean that he'd be a Christ figure with a massive resurrection scene. 
Just that, pure and simple, he would go in... and come back. 

He would be taken through the veil semi-unwillingly, in the ultimate 
fight with Voldemort - Harry would see that to kill V, both would 
have to go through, and he would do it - SACRIFICIALLY, NOT 
SUICIDALLY. V would then be destroyed by the most ghastly means 
possible, but Harry would be united with loved ones. He would be 
exceedingly happy to see them, but after a wonderful moment 
together, both he and the ones there would agree that it is not 
Harry's time yet. His parents would remind him of the loved ones 
that would be left mourning him, and he would realise that, after 
all, those are the people he's not ready to leave. Furthermore, he 
would know that whenever his time to die really comes along, he will 
be back with his family/friends for good.

I know this sounds disgustingly sappy the way I put it, but the 
point is it covers both sacrifice and victory, death and life. It 
would reinforce to Harry, and us, that life is worth living even 
after loss - not as a dreary existence to be endured, but because 
life, while it lasts, has a purpose.


Brin