Harry's Ultimate Journey (was Voldemort: Between Life and Death? (Long)

[inkling108]

No: HPFGUIDX 110232

Saraquel wrote:
> If we take on board the assumption that LV is somehow between life 
> and death, the fact that LV is  currently residing firmly on 
earth, 
> implies that it would be possible for Harry to go to this place 
and 
> yet still be 'alive' in this world.

(snip)
The fact that she (JKR)will not comit herself to saying whether 
Harry survives 
> at the end or not, could well imply, that his state at the end of 
the 
> book is somehow qualitatively different from ordinary life. (Or it 
> could be just her winding us up.) Examples of being betwixt life 
and 
> death/immortality yet still on eath abound in the religious 
context.  
> The Buddhist Bodisatva, Christ etc.  However, I can't see JKR 
making 
> Harry into some almost god-like figure (small g deliberately, I 
have 
> no wish to offend here) she is much too down to earth, and Harry, 
> deliberately made ordinary. 
> 
Inkling now:

There is no offense to be taken, there are many Christian parallels 
in the series.  While he is not a deity, or even a saint, Harry is a 
kind of savior within the wizarding world, because he is the only 
One who can vanquish Voldemort.  It's not sacrilege to observe that 
Harry must imitate certain virtues and strengths of Christ to 
fulfill his task.  Not least of these would be the courage to enter 
between life and death.

Just speculating, though, I think that his journey to defeat 
Voldemort may follow more along the lines of Classical mythology, in 
which humans can cross between worlds as long as they have certain 
protections and follow strict rules.  (For example, Orpheus rescuing 
Euridyce.)  A little while ago there were a lot of excellent posts 
about the archetypal journey to the underworld.  I'm guessing 
Harry's ultimate journey may fall along those lines.  A very 
dangerous undertaking where one misstep can mean failure. His loved 
ones, living and dead, will help, but in the end he must confront 
his enemy, and his destiny, alone.

Inkling