[HPforGrownups] Re: JKR borrows from heroic literature/ who dies?

[Kathryn Jones]

No: HPFGUIDX 154554



> Carol responds:

> In the same interview in which JKR talked about giving a character a
> reprieve (and I admittedly have only read the snippet, not a
> transcript of the same interview), she talked about the temptation of
> killing off the main character so that no one else could take him over
>  and write more books about him (presumably after her death or the
> copyright has expired??), but I don't think she would do that. For one
> thing, we have "neither can live while the other survives." I think
> that means that the winner (clearly Harry) will finally be able to
> live, to be "Just Harry," to have normal relationships and finish
> school and get a job like any other young wizard (or Muggle).

KJ writes:

    The thing that seriously bothers me about this is that Harry has 
never had the chance to just be Harry. He has always been a child with 
no family, a child in the public eye. As a result, he has suffered from 
the ministry, the press, classmates, and even his budding social life is 
messed up.  Do you really think that if he wins out over Voldemorte that 
he would ever have a chance at a "normal" life?  I don't.  He will never 
get a job because of his own abilities.  He will be the 
Boy-Who-Lived-And- Defeated-Voldemorte.  He will be even more in the 
hated limelight.  The Wizarding world, just like the Real word seems 
incapable of reacting to this sort of thing with anything approaching 
common sense.  This is why I tend to think that Harry may not survive, 
it would not be a great life for him. He hates the notoriety, the 
fawning, the gossiping, and the over-blown expectations of others.
KJ