Perfect Lily (Re: But DID James listen?)

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 150085

> Rebecca:
> Lily does stand alone as "doing the right thing" by her sacrifice,
> but if you note, it's not the only thing she's done. The example
> in the Pensieve clearly shows Lily acting to protect others <snip> 
> In this, Lily displays courage and moral fiber just as Neville did
> in PS/SS by standing up to his friends. <snip> In Rowling's world,
> given a choice to give one's life unselfishly and to choose to do
> it for another in support of the greater good of all depicts 
> love.  

Jen: I *know* what Lily stands for and that she represents love, 
moral fiber and compassion. And Harry can show all these traits as 
well. That's one of the most crucial parts of the story.

All I'm trying to get at is a personal wish to see Lily the way 
Slughorn saw her. That's all, nothing cosmic, universal or related 
to the major themes. Just a bit more in the characterization 
department is what I'm asking for, a few moments when she's not 
playing the heroine. A moment she made a mistake, when a personal 
weakness or even an emotional moment interfered with her better 
judgement. Maybe it's coming, maybe not. It's just a desire and 
canon speculation and isn't meant to detract from everything she's 
done and what her sacrifice meant to Harry. I'm really not trying to 
argue your points, Rebecca, just interested in a different angle on 
Lily.


Annemehr(waves to anne, glad to see her posting):
> I feel a strong temptation to look to Ginny for clues to the
> personality of Lily. :P We still have the "really huge" thing
> about Lily to find out in book7, and I wouldn't be the least bit
> surprised to find that it would be something that will cause many
> long, back-and-forth threads here about the morality, or lack of
> it, involved.

Jen: Interesting! That's along the lines I've been wondering about 
today. I've always assumed the 'really huge' thing will be something 
that upholds the Saint Lily image, but if her character follows the 
other major adult characters, it *will* be ambiguous in nature and 
open for debate. That would definitely be more than bat-bogey hexes 
in the hallways or other more minor alterations to her character. 
Many believe it will have to do with Snape's backhistory and I could 
see that; I could also see it relating to her profession since 
that's shrouded in mystery.

You also added this to the list of Harry characteristics found 
upthread:

> 5) A tendency to judge people quickly and then refuse to rethink?

Yes, good one. That would be a surprising characteristic to be 
Lily's since a big theory post-HBP is that Lily saw the good in 
Snape (in particular) and how her compassionate view will help Harry 
do so as well. That or some other speculation could be turned upside 
down, couldn't it?

Jen, open for a surprise on this one.