Theory of theme (was Re: What did Riddle want from Ginny?)

[caspenzoe]

No: HPFGUIDX 111400

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, caesian <caesian at y...> wrote:
> Question: In 'Chamber of Secrets', what would have happened if 
Ginny 
> had died and Tom Riddle had escaped the diary?
> Answer: I can't answer that fully until all seven books are 
finished, 
> but it would have strengthened the present-day Voldemort 
considerably.
[snip!]  Interesting that it was included.  It was 
> posted before the whole HBP announcement, or any mention of a long-
lost 
> link between CoS and HBP.  (Sneaky.)
> 
> Second, could this be the plot that was entirely removed from 
CoS?  
> I.e., is the explanation of what happened between Ginny and 
Riddle, and 
> what he stood to gain, removed from CoS to be included later?  I 
would 
> assume it pertains to the nature of the present-day Voldemort.  
What 
> was he getting from Ginny?
> 
> According to the text:
> "So Ginny poured out her soul to me, and her soul happened to be 
> exactly what I wanted."
> 
> hmmm.  Very changelling hypothesis. 
> (http://www.redhen-publications.com/Changeling.html)
> 
> Also:
> "All the while he spoke, Riddle's eyes never left Harry's face.  
There 
> was an almost hungry look in them."
> 
> yikes, watch your soul.
> 
> Caesian

Hi Caesian!

(Brief aside: I haven't yet followed up on our previous off-board 
conversation only because I'm currently in the process of moving, 
home and office both!)

Since reading the transcript of JKR's latest interview this is 
exactly the conclusion that my thoughts turn to. I agree with you 
and Pat largely - but for possibly expanded reasons, that both Vm's 
ability to survive and his problems have to do with his lacking or 
altogether missing soul. I think that to get to where he 
is "survive"(ing), but not "live"(ing) Tom/VM had to surrender 
and/or sell his own soul at some point, to I can't guess what. 
Therefore, while his body may have been nearly destroyed when his 
curse on HP rebounded, he did not quite die because either

a. The bargain he made at the cost of his own soul precluded his 
complete bodily, let alone absent soul's, destruction, even by AK; or

b. In JKR's universe, one can't truly die unless one's soul and body 
are truly together; or

c. Possibly for both reasons.

In any case, at some point whatever soul Tom had became the 
posession of some other and probably more generalized force of evil 
either through some remnant of SS's left in the Chamber proper of 
COS, or some more stereotypical "deal with the devil" transaction. I 
think, therefore, that HP is in the process of purging evil or it's 
capacity (greatly enhanced in him, HP, through his toddler encounter 
with and survival of VM's [enhanced from his TR stage] evil) both on 
a personal level, and for the wizarding world at large - thus the 
applicability of alchemical symbolism (though I'm still working at a 
grave disadvantage here without all of the available literature). 

I think the overall theme of the books will be that contrary to 
Vernon Dursley's pronouncement in Book 1 that "There's no such thing 
as magic," "magic" does, in fact, exist in JKR'S view - but (this is 
JKR'S raelly brilliant point) only on  a spiritual, as opposed to   
physical, plane. (Hence JKR's obvious disdain for real world 
silliness that is a literal interpretaion of the occult as it 
survives today.) Likewise, however, "evil" and "good" also exist 
primarily on a spiritual plane. Therfore, Voldemort (evil), while 
not really alive, and thus immune to death does survive in HP 
(spiritually and  threfore physically to the extent HP allows him/it 
expression), the WW (again spiritually to the extent of souls that 
support him/it and physically to the extent souls allow him/it 
expression), and, by metaphorical extension, in us as we allow 
him/it to live in us. Hence the need for HP's, the WW's, and by 
implication our, "purification" by "alchemical" or other 
meatphorical means.

I would emphasize the use of metaphorical means, because I think 
(and again this is what makes JKR brilliant, IMO) JKR's point is 
double edged in that JKR's handling of the subject is not only a 
good old-fashioned metaphorical morality tale, but also a metaphor 
about metaphor itself. I think her work may also, ultimately be 
interpreted, not only as pro-Christian, but as anti-fundamentalist 
(anti-literalist) in the broadest sense both for 
fundamentalists/literalists who openly identify with and consider 
themselves on the side of good (but are actually rule-obsessed 
Percy's) and for fundamentalist occultists who actually believe in 
real world magic (there are some out there). And, I might add, even 
HP fans who, for instance, have become certain that beheadings of 
major characters are essential to JKR's story! Not only do JKR'S 
books in this series make metaphysical statements using metaphor, 
but they also say something about the proper place of metaphor in 
metaphysical discussion. Very clever and skillful, IMO.

Does any of this make sense to anyone else, or am I just all wet 
here? 

Caspen