What if Harry dies?
Jen Reese
stevejjen at earthlink.net
Sat Nov 15 22:52:38 UTC 2003
No: HPFGUIDX 85130
--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "susanbones2003" <rdas at f...>
wrote:
> I realize this might well be considered a provencial point of
view,
> but if Harry dies, if the ending is not simply bittersweet with
the
> loss of many important characters, but if the ending should
require
> the death of Harry, would the series be something we would want to
> read and re-read even into future generations? It would be gutsy
to
> to kill Harry but I wouldn't want it to be gutsy for the sake of
> guts. Harry's death would break untold hearts, and disaffect them
as
> well. A "happy ending" isn't necessary but a satisfactory one is.
I
> am very hopeful JKR will want Harry to triumph over Lord Voldemort
> and live to tell the tale.
Jen R.:
Personally, there are ways Harry could die that I would make peace
with. In many ways, he's lived his whole life following other
people's plans for him, and it was refreshing to see Harry grow into
his own person in OOTP, despite (or because of?) the outbursts and
heartbreak at the end.
Harry loves the WW dearly, even though he sees all the flaws and
failures that are part of this world; maybe because he doesn't take
the WW for granted like so many who have grown up in it. He's one of
those rare beings who wants to 'do good' not for personal gain, or
out of vengence or any other misguided reason--'doing good' is
almost an ethical imperative with him, and perhaps is the power he
holds over Voldemort.
So for him to sacrifice himself to save the WW, for the 'family' he
loves and the future of the WW--that seems completely within the
realm of possibilty given who he is. That's what makes him so
totally different from Voldemort, not fearing death. If that is the
outcome, I would grieve but feel satisfied that Harry died on his
own terms, for something he cherished and believed was greater than
his own life. Sniff--I get sad just thinking about it :(
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