The Message of DH - Moral Superiority

[nitalynx]

No: HPFGUIDX 174832

Charles wrote:

> Actually, I think that it is a lot less of a growing up story rather
> than a story in which Harry grows up. A fine line, to be sure, but I
> believe it is there. It seemed for multiple books that it was a coming
> of age story. What it has become after DH may well be something else
> entirely.


Nita:

Yes, exactly! And I think that's why some people (including me) are
disappointed. It was pretty obvious that she was mixing different
genres, themes and even clichés in her stories, and we expected her to
complete the series in a consistent way, without simply dropping any
of them, which would be a wonderful achievement. But she didn't, and
now it seems that she wasn't interested in that in the first place. So
much for "subverting the genre".


> As far as Harry's self-imposed mission, I think Voldemort would have
> found another way around the protection the mirror provided if Harry
> had not been there. This *is* the most powerful dark wizard ever we
> are talking about here. 


Well, that's just speculation ;) Our powerful dark wizard keeps
forgetting that AK consistently fails to work on our hero, for
instance. Not very impressive, IMO.


> Yes, what else is there to do. They could have tried to get another
> teacher to go down into the chamber, yet they went themselves. His
> concern is not for his dying, but for the living. 


I'm afraid your examples of Harry's heroic conduct like the above just
make me think worse of him :) I read somewhere that true heroism lies
in overcoming unavoidable obstacles, *not* almost getting killed
solving problems created by your own stupidity/mistakes/etc.


> He's willing to face his greatest fear for someone else. Courageous
> and not real "selfish" in my opinion.


I've never accused Harry of being cowardly or selfish (I might call
him self-absorbed as in oblivious, though). Bellatrix seemed pretty
brave and selfless (being a very devoted follower) to me as well, but
that doesn't make her a good role model, does it?

<snip>

> I agree with you on a few points here. Yes, James also made a
> sacrifice. Lily's sacrifice is the one spoken of the most because she
> is the one who has living relatives for the protection of the blood
> sacrifice to continue. I also agree that Harry's sacrifice was not
> like Lily's in that it did not provide the protection to the people of
> Hogwarts that Lily's sacrifice gave him. I think that the real defeat
> of Voldemort was in the wand and Harry's sacrifice was just to rid him
> of the Voldie bit. It does not make it any less of a sacrifice, nor
> does it make it out of character for Harry to have done it. 


Oh, I wish you were right. But JKR seems to think otherwise:

"Don't you want to ask me why James's death didn't protect Lily and
Harry? There's your answer, you've just answered your own question,
because she could have lived and chose to die. James was going to be
killed anyway. Do you see what I mean? I'm not saying James wasn't
ready to; he died trying to protect his family but he was going to be
murdered anyway. He had no - he wasn't given a choice, so he rushed
into it in a kind of animal way, I think there are distinctions in
courage. James was immensely brave. But the caliber of Lily's bravery
was, I think in this instance, higher because she could have saved
herself."

(
http://www.accio-quote.org/articles/2005/0705-tlc_mugglenet-anelli-1.htm )

And Harry says:

"I've done what my mother did. They're protected from you. Haven't you
noticed how none of the spells you put on them are binding? You can't
torture them. You can't touch them. You don't learn from your
mistakes, Riddle, do you?"

(DH page 738, Scholastic hardcover)

That last part is a pretty good observation, I think. I wonder why JKR
gave her hero such a handicapped antagonist?


> Interesting that you should phrase it that way, as I am a very curious
> anarchist myself. 


Well, I'm very curious, but not an anarchist, myself. I guess that's
why it's harder for me to sympathize with Harry and easier to see the
flaws in the books :)


> I'm going to leave the RW hot potato alone here, and
> just ennumerate some more of Harry that I find admirable. He's
> reasonably loyal to his friends (everyone has their breaking point)


I think his friends are more loyal to him, actually. And it's
presented like the Right Way to Be.


> he's kind to the vast majority of people he interacts with,


Until they dare question him or disagree with him about anything.


> and he
> even tries to protect those who have been immeasurably cruel to him. 


The only people who have been "immeasurably" cruel to him are Voldie
and Umbridge, IMO. He indirectly kills him and leaves her to Dementors
(why JKR decided that she was in a fit state to be judged and put in
prison after that, I don't know).


>I
> guarantee you, If someone had treated me the way the Dursleys treated
> Harry, my last act before leaving them would *NOT* be to get them
> safely in hiding from the terror that could befall them, it would be
> to make damn sure that they got everything that was coming to them.  


You would want people who neglected you and yelled at you in childhood
to be *tortured* and *killed*? Well. I hope you'll never be tempted to
leave anyone to that kind of fate, for your own sake :/

On the other hand, Harry isn't seriously damaged by the Dursleys'
abuse simply because JKR wrote him that way (that is, I do think he
has some serious issues, but apparently the Author does not agree).
I'm not sure how realistic that is :)


Nita