Good Writing & Death

[Bill and Diana Sowers]

No: HPFGUIDX 110957

Katie wrote in 110902:
>And this is what gives me hope. "Beyond the Veil" does seem to imply
that the veil is a two-way thing.
>Huh... wonder if this all has anything to do with Voldemort and his
>kinda-immortality? (I mean, the series did start with the
>Philosopher's Stone..) D'you suppose the prophecy was a red herring,
>and not his real interest at the MOM at all? Nah..

I think that even though JKR has set this story in a "magical" 
world, she will not make anything magical about death.  Dead is 
dead.  

One of the underlying themes of the books is that, although we do 
lose the physical presence of those we love who die, a part of them 
remains within us in our hearts/minds/etc.  Dumbledore says this to 
Harry regarding his parents.  You feel it in the pained questions of 
Cedric's mother or Hagrid's tearful remembrances of his father.

Harry is in the first throes of grief at the end of Book 5....  
Denial, wishing there were some way to bring Sirius back, not 
wishing to be around others and yet finding some sort of peace in 
the words of someone who understands his feelings, Luna... all signs 
of initial grief.  I think Book 6 and Book 7 will working through 
his grief and finding some sort of peace as well.

As for the absence of a body.  There are many 
parents/spouses/children who are never able to retrieve the body of 
their loved one in a war.  This was true of the Viet Nam War and is 
true of many other battles.  The "shadow" of Cedric asks Harry to 
return his body to his parents.  Harry is not given that 
resolution.  There is always the wish that a loved one will 
suddenly turn up... but it rarely happens.  I just can't see JKR 
doing that.  As Lupin says to Harry...  "He's gone."

I can understand the feelings of readers who want Sirius to return, 
healthy and renewed, ready to continue the fight.  I liked the 
character and was saddened at his death.  But I will be unhappy if 
JKR brings him back to life.  It just doesn't work that way and it 
would ring hollow for those of us who have stood at graves and 
buried our loved ones and those who have waited for someone to 
return from war and never seen their loved one, alive or dead, again.

>knowing this has all been said before,

It has been but you said it very well, Katie.... clearly reasoned 
and succinctly put.  I understand your reasoning but just don't 
agree.

Bill Sowers