Harry heroic?

[Sherry Gomes]

No: HPFGUIDX 142901

KJ writes:
    The point to all this is that, in my opinion, while the books are 
from Harry's point of view, which make him the key character, they do 
not necessarily make him the *hero*.
KJ


Sherry now:
Ah, you've hit on one of my favorite subjects!  What is a hero?  of course,
my opinion only here.  A hero is not perfection.  He is not strong all the
time, brave all the time, always doing the right thing, smarter and better
than everyone else.  He's the average guy--or gal--who in spite of
everything keeps getting up and going again, fighting the fight.  What you
see as nothing particularly heroic, I see as incredibly heroic!  

let's take Harry's preventing Sirius and Remus killing Peter.  That is one
of the most heroic things in all the books.  no matter what the eventual
negative outcome--and we still don't know how that act may play out in the
end game--Harry was right to save Peter.  He kept his father's friends from
becoming murderers, even though he probably wanted Peter dead as much as he
was able to think such a thing at the age of 13.

And still in POA, where i found him heroic was rushing after Sirius,
desperately trying to cast the patronus in spite of 100 dementors till he
finally passed out.  

In GOF, he may have been the victim of circumstances beyond his control, but
with all the fear and worry, he kept going, kept trying.  He was a hero by
telling Cedric about the dragons.  He was definitely a hero in the second
task--i never considered his moral fiber to be stupid or foolish.  He was
heroic in the third task.  he was damned heroic in the grave yard, hanging
on for dear life to his wand during the wand joining, could have saved
himself without keeping his promise to Cedric, but still did bring him back.
He was heroic in Dumbledore's office, telling that horrible story.  oh yes,
for me, he was a great hero in GOF.

As for OOTP, he was heroic standing up to Umbridge.  and remember, he stood
up to her before anyone else did.  he saved his miserable cousin too.  it
doesn't matter about the occlumency lessons now, because we know from JKR,
that he'd never be good at it.  Besides that, even if he'd listened to
Hermione that it could be a fake vision, he still would have rushed off to
rescue Sirius, as Sirius would rush to save him.  That is not what ended up
killing Sirius.  it is not Harry's fault.  It is Voldemort's fault and
Bella's, and maybe Snape's, considering what he said to the sisters in HBP.

So, maybe not the classic hero, but a hero nevertheless.  The heroes for me
are the ones who against their own faults and flaws and all the odds, they
keep getting up and doing what must be done.  Even if sometimes in the real
world, that means, just getting up everyday and living another day in the
midst of terrible trials.  With all his mistakes, impulsiveness, and faults,
Harry is still a hero i can care very much about, far more than Dumbledore
always being right, or Snape becoming the great unsung hero of the series.  

Sherry