CHAPTER DISCUSSIONS: Chapter Thirty-Eight - The Second War Begins

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 124768


Dan Feeney wrote:
> > > 2 - There are a couple versions of "afterlife" presented here -
Nick's and Luna's. What is the difference - or rather, if one version
is consternating and the other comforting, what is Rowling getting at?
> > 
Lyra responded:
> It's a message about faith. Luna has faith that she'll see her loved
ones after she dies. Nick, on the other hand, didn't have the faith
needed to make that journey. He chose to stay on Earth as a pale
version of himself, and I think he now regrets that decision.
 

Carol adds:
The passage also quite clearly shows that death, in contrast to having
your soul sucked out by a Dementor, is not the end of all things in
JKR's Potterverse. I think *that's* what JKR is getting at. The dead
can't come back to life, but they do exist on another plane (beyond
the Veil). In a sense, Nick is confirming DD's statement that death is
the next great journey even though he himself did not make that
journey. Also the mere fact that a dead witch or wizard (or departed
soul, if that doesn't sound too hokey) has a decision to make (to stay
on earth as a ghost or go on to the great unknown) is important. (I
agree that Nick regrets his decision, which unfortunately seems to be
irrevocable.) Odd that Muggles aren't allowed the same choice.
 
BTW, I think that Lyra's post implies most of what I've said here
(except the bit about Muggles), but I wanted to state the points
explicitly.

Carol, who is leaving for Costa Rica in four days!