[HPforGrownups] Harry's happy death (Was Re: Harry, Sirius Black, and the power of posses

[Sherry Gomes]

No: HPFGUIDX 161719

> Carol earlier:
> I'd much rather that he survived, and I'd be willing to bet that more 
> than half the adult fans and the vast majority of child fans feel the 
> same way.

Sarah:
I know of at least one internet poll that would disagree.  I also don't
believe for a second that violence doesn't interest children.
If anything, I probably find them to be more morbid than adults.

Sherry now:

I well remember my childhood reading, and I was an avid reader.  Old Yeller
scarred me for life, to the point where I have never read it again to this
day, and I'm nearly 50.  No, not all children are morbid or enjoy reading
books that are full of death and defeat.  To me, Harry dying is defeat, not
hope.  Even as an adult, I can't read books with deliberately miserable
endings, with no hope of something better in the end.  That doesn't mean I
read only happy endings, but there has to be a point to it with something
positive to redeem the unhappy ending.  Sorry, but the senseless death of a
17-year-old who has never had anything but unhappiness with a madman after
him all his life does not constitute hope and positive in my mind, and I
believe the same for many, many children.  If these books had come out in my
childhood, and a friend told me they read the whole series and Harry died,
I'd never have read them.  In fact, I could easily have given up on the
books after GOF or definitely after OOTP because of the level of darkness
and unhappiness and horror Harry has to go through.  I hang in because I
believe Harry will survive and have the life he's always wanted.  Death
would not be a happy love fest with his family and Sirius.  It would be a
betrayal of all who loved him and stood by him in the world of the living.
It's unthinkable to me that Harry will die.  It would make everything that's
gone before into a sick joke and travesty of all the books seemed to be
about.  Just my opinion, naturally.

Teenage suicide is an epidemic.  Many kids have grown up reading Harry
Potter and found a hero they can like, someone like they are, someone who
struggles and fails and succeeds, who rages, grieves, laughs, hopes.  If he
ends up having to die, it should be seen as the terrible, disgusting event
it would be, for someone so young to die.  Kids shouldn't see death as a way
out or a happy ending.  I would hope with all my heart it would not be seen
as a victory or good thing for him to die.  Yeah, lol, I know, I feel so
strongly about this, that I won't even read the last book if he dies in the
end.



Sarah:
Is there really any doubt about Harry triumphing, though?  I don't know of
anyone who believes that Voldemort will win.  Harry will either win while
simultaneously dying, win and keel over soon after, or win and survive.


Sherry:

I happen to interpret the prophecy literally, that it's Harry or Voldemort
in the end.  If Harry succeeds, then Voldemort is dead and Harry is alive.
I do not believe in any "other" who will ride in on a white horse, save
Harry's butt, off Voldemort and survive to receive all the praise, while
Harry lives happily ever after behind the veil with his family.  It would
negate the entire series, the books all with the name "Harry Potter and the
..."  Either Harry triumphs in the end or not, but it will be Harry's
triumph or failure.  Otherwise, perhaps these books should have had a
different name.

Sherry, confident Harry will survive and joining Geoff in the IWHTL club!