OOP: Re: Why Harry will die

[Alon van Dam]

No: HPFGUIDX 65638

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "brinforest" 
<petra.delisser at p...> wrote:
> 
> 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

And me:

I have to add my voice to the crowd of people believing the Hero will 
die at the end of the seventh book. As I've said before, it just 
doesn't seem to make sense to end this series of epic scale with 
an 'and they lived happily ever after'. I'm really expecting a mixed 
ending. Something like: Yes, the evil is destroyed and the world is 
saved, but the hero has to die to do it. Examples are aplenty. 
There's the father or all fantasy-books, "Lord of the Rings", there's 
some of JKR's favorite series: C.S. Lewis' "The Narnia Chronicles" 
and Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials", both end in a mixed-
blessing: Though Narnia does, as said, end in a celebration of the 
next adventure that is the afterlife. I somehow doubt that Harry will 
willingly choose death over life (though the stepping through the 
veil seems like a tear-jerking ending), but I consider it very, very 
possible that he will die in the killing of Voldemort, which I 
don't /really/ doubt that he'll do. (The possibility has been 
mentioned that he fails in the end and Neville is the one to slay V 
in the end, but I find that a bit /too/ much like LotR...)

Any which way, I'm pretty sure that I'll be crying when I finish 
reading Book 7, or be very, very close to tears. (So far, the only 
time a book has ever moved me to tears is the ending of "The Amber 
Spyglass", the last book of Pullman's HDM. Just like JKR has, I'd 
advise everyone to read the series, it's awesome.)

I do take it we all remember that the last word of the last book 
is 'scar', right?

Curiouser and curiouser,
Alon