[HPforGrownups] Harry's death

[Kathryn Jones]

No: HPFGUIDX 153001

Kim wrote:

> I will never forget the devastation my daughter, now 11, felt when she realized 
> Dumbledore was dead.  She put the book down and cried for days and didn't pick 
> up the book for months afterward.  If Harry were to die I can't imagine the 
> outcome from his child fans.

> Julie:
> I've seen this theory before, that Harry will die and rejoin his
> loved ones beyond the veil, and I personally can't imagine a worse
> ending. Or a worse message to send children (who still make up a
> large number if not a majority of HP readers). It's like
> saying  "Don't bother about this life, the next one's so much better
> anyway! Especially if you've lost loved ones, you can just join them
> for a fabulous friend and family reunion! Really, who wants to wait
> for that anyway?" 

   Tonks:
> I also agree that JKR must think about the message she is sending
> children and teens.  Think about the depressed teens (or adults for
> that matter) that consider suicide.  The last message we want to give
> to them is that death is the best way out of the pain.  (On a side
> note: I think that when Merope died she did so because she was
> depressed and thought that, as many depressed people do, that her son
> would be better off without her. So in her own, twisted by depression,
> thinking she made a sacrifice for her son.)

  KJ writes:

    All of these posts were extremely interesting and, of course, 
brought up very good points in their rebuttals. I would like to say that 
I certainly do not advocate for or sympathize with juvenile suicide. As 
former constable, involved in several, I see this as a prime example of 
"doing what is easy, not what is right", as did Merope.

    I also find it interesting that Lily's sacrifice for Harry, DD's 
sacrifice for the good of the WW , and the possibility of Snape's 
eventual sacrifice to bring about the downfall of Voldemorte is regarded 
with approval. I see no difference in Harry coming to the same 
conclusion and making the same choice. In fact, I see these previous 
plot lines all converging on this.

    I don't see Harry making this choice as a way to avoid future life 
experiences, or as a way to be with his family. I do wonder if JKR has 
set it up this way to take away some of the sting her readers will feel 
on Harry's death, and she did say, early in the game before she 
understood how the books affected people, that she would probably "kill 
him off". I think that the Mirror of Erised scene will come back to 
haunt us where we could see that the deepest desire of Harry's heart was 
to have his family. Of course, it might be interesting to have Harry 
look in the mirror after book 6 :) I also think that JKR is making a 
statement that youth are smart enough and capable enough to make these 
judgments on their own and are equally capable of making difficult and 
unselfish decisions.

    My seventeen year old son, with whom I discuss the books, states 
categorically that Harry is only the central figure of the books as a 
weapon, not as a hero. He feels that Harry should not have survived as a 
baby, that he is living on borrowed time, and when his purpose is 
served, will depart. I was far more shocked at DD's death than he was 
and suggested that I get a grip. He is a hard-hearted and opinionated 
little sod.
KJ