JKR's overriding theme (Re: Love and Vengeance)

[juli17ptf]

No: HPFGUIDX 145773

<snip>
> 
> Alla:
> > I have faith in JKR's writing abilities, I am sure she can pull 
off
> > even such scenario well ( even though it is indeed truly not my
> > favorable one), BUT if you believe that Snape needs to get what is
> > coming to him for many bad deeds he committed during his life 
time,
> > as I definitely do, I don't see that Harry's forgiveness and 
> > Snape's punishment should be mutually exclusive.

Julie:
They don't have to be mutually exclusive. As long as *Harry* doesn't 
act against Snape out of vengeance (as he'd very much like to do as 
of the end of HBP), then Snape can receive all the punishment he 
deserves, which IMO could come as poetic or karmic justice. And that 
justice doesn't involve vengeance at all, but getting back from the 
Universe exactly what you put in. (Snape owing yet another Potter--
Harry--his life would be an example of poetic justice, given Snape's 
resentment of the debt to James is the impetus for much of his 
nastiness to Harry throughout the books.) 

I do realize I repeated Sssusan somewhat here, but I have more to 
add. I just saw "Munich" today at the theater, and it deals very much 
with some of the same themes in the HP books, namely vengeance, and 
exactly what it wreaks both in terms of society and individual human 
souls, which is essentially havoc. I am very much in agreement with 
Speilberg's view, and I expect JKR may be too. Vengeance destroys, 
from both inside and out. Nothing good comes of it except more 
vengeance. And, for the individual, it does little more than eat away 
at the soul, as in HP it has eaten away at Voldemort's soul, at 
Snape's soul, and will eat away at Harry's soul if he gives into its 
pull.

And yes, putting it in those bald terms would be bad writing, but 
fortunately JKR has been much more subtle with that particular two-by-
four than I am. She shows rather than tells. 
 
> SSSusan earlier:
> > > What is *JKR's* inclination here? What is *her* view of Good, 
> > > Right, Fair and Just? I'm inclined to agree with Debbie that 
> > > it's likely to revolve around mercy and a renunciation of 
> > > vengeance.


> Lupinlore wrote:
> > I think one problem isn't so much the issue of justice and 
> > satisfaction (although those certainly are extremely important 
> > issues which other threads are exploring) as the -- *sigh* how to 
> > put it? – sheer and overwhelming SERMONIZING that would 
> > constitute. If we end up with something as, well, extreme as 
this, 
> > I would have to say that for someone who has a horror of 
preaching 
> > JKR has shown a rather insipid inclination to engage in it.
>

Julie:
It doesn't have to be sermonizing. Like anything, it can be shown in 
action much more effectively. And while "satisfaction" and "justice" 
are important themes to you, I don't see that they are important 
themes to JKR. Poetic justice does certainly pop up here and there, 
which certainly does deliver some satisfaction, but JKR hitting us 
over the head with lectures from Lily to Snape and such would be no 
less sermonizing than what you postulate above. And it's all 
secondary to the main theme of HP anyway. 

What I do see as the overriding theme of HP is self-sacrifice, in the 
name of love. Lily sacrificed her life to save Harry. Dumbledore 
sacrificed his life to save Draco, Harry, the rest of his Hogwarts 
students, and to ensure future of the WW. Snape(DDM) sacrificed his 
freedom, good name (such as it is), and probably his life by the end 
for those things also, though perhaps most of all for his love of 
Dumbledore. And Harry will most likely offer his life to Voldemort as 
sacrifice for his love of his friends and the safety of the WW. 

Basically, it's another riff on the age-old theme, Christian and 
otherwise, that love will save the world, not vengeance. Not an-eye-
for-an-eye justice, but turn-the-other-cheek sacrificial love. What 
the world needs now is...well, you know.

I have faith that JKR is more than capable of pulling it off with 
mastery and aplomb. And no matter how schmaltzy it seems, it's simply 
the truth. In the meantime, pass me a Coke ;-)

Julie