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

[sevenhundredandthirteen]

No: HPFGUIDX 111446

Caspen wrote:
<big snip>
>"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. 
<snip> 
[The HP books are anti-fundamentalist even for]
>HP fans who, for instance, have become certain that beheadings of
>major characters are essential to JKR's story!

Laurasia:

I agree with the premise of what you've said: I do believe HP 
encourages the realisation of a spiritual plane of existence 
which is above the physical and mental. And I do believe the 
magic in the story symbolises this spiritual level of the 
world.

However, I disagree with the interpretation that this has 
all been consciously arranged by JKR, but yet the plots of 
her books haven't been.  I have the exact opposite opinion 
to you: think the plot is arranged, and the metaphysics 
coincidental.

I think JKR is first and foremost a writer. She has been 
writing books since the age of 6. She has written other 
books which are unpublished. And she has intentions to 
write books after HP is concluded. She has told us, on 
numerous occasion what type of story-telling she likes, 
for example: books that don't leave loose ends; stories
where all the rules are established at the very start 
(like The Simpsons). 
She has told us what types of books she doesn't like, 
for example books where the character is stuck at one age 
for all eternity (like The Famous Five).

It seems natural that a writer who believes these things 
will write a book which events are meaningful to the overall 
plot and where there is nothing incidental which delays 
the story (everything is relevant), where we see rules of 
the universe established early on (foreshadowing), and  
in which the characters can grow up and change and be 
affected by the world around them (Harry's changing 
personality). 

This is the type of writer JKR *is*.  Or else why did Ron 
have a pet rat called Scabbers in the first two books? 
Why did Harry Ron and Hermione make Polyjuice Potion in CoS? 
And why was Harry so deeply affected by Cedric's death 
that he became rash and reckless and charged off to the 
Ministry of Magic without thinking rationally?

Saying that any major characters' death is not actually 
relevant to the story is going against these three of 
JKR's own statements. Sirius's death must either become 
relevant later on when he returns in a different form, 
OR be used to foreshadow a way in which the Veil can be 
used, OR be so distressing for Harry that he changes the 
way he lives his life in a way which allows him to 
ultimately triumph. 

If Sirius' death is really nothing at all, then JKR is 
either really stupid, a really bad writer, or else she 
doesn't actually care about the three things she has told 
us (but which have been expressed on numerous occasions). 
It also means she has been directly lying to us: From her 
Website FAQ -"Why did Harry have to forget the mirror he 
had been given by Sirius in 'Order of the Phoenix'?"

I don't believe JKR is highly skilled and brilliant in the 
field of philosophy, I just believe she was lucky and 
inadvertently hit on a theme.  

I think *any* story which uses fantastical "magic" of any 
sort which is beyond the realms of science is unconsciously 
tapping into the spiritual level. There are thousands of them, 
but because there is such a long history of these fantasy 
stories and myth-making I think many authors refer to this 
level without realising it. It comes with the territory. 

Any fantasy book suggests that there is a higher plane of 
existence which does not obey the physical laws of Earth, 
that is the very nautre of what defines fanstay as a genre. 
Even the video game Final Fantasy taps into this theme. Just 
because HP shows it, I see no reason to suggest JKR *meant* it. 

If JKR had purposely decided to write a book which had the 
overriding them of anti-fundamentalist/anti-literalist then, 
like you said, the idea of us readers convincing ourselves 
that "just because Sirius is dead there must be a reason for 
it" is amazingly absurd.  But I see too much evidence that as 
an author she actively *enjoys* this- JKR congratulates 
readers on picking up on these tiny points, eg Aberforth. 
Therefore, the only option I can see is that JKR *accidentally* 
included the theme. The theme must have grown organically 
inside the fantasy context that JKR has put Harry into (like 
every other fantasy book I have ever read)

But, like I said above, I agree that there is a metaphysical 
level of magic present and I think the best stories are those 
which do tap into this higher domain. JKR's story is so popular 
and works on so many levels from children to academics because 
it is a very good example of issues beyond the physical 
domain of the universe.

~<(Laurasia)>~