Of Sorting and Snape

[Ceridwen]

No: HPFGUIDX 175574

Carol:
> I'm not going to argue for or against a Jungian interpretation, though
> the Christian interpretation is far more obvious to me even in the
> title of the chapter. But everything from the quotes I've cited to
> Hermione's information on the immortality of the soul and the
> differences between soul bits in Horcruxes and souls within human
> beings (DH Am. ed. 103-105) argues that the flayed baby (so similar to
> the fetal form of Voldemort in GoF) is Voldemort's mangled soul, not
> the soul bit from Harry's scar, and that it really is beyond their 
help.

Ceridwen:
I thought the soul or soul bit characterized by a child-like form was 
beyond help because of where they are in this scene.  At this point, 
Harry is dead, Dumbledore is dead, and if the soul, soul-bit, shadow 
side character is there at the heavenly King's Cross station, then it 
too is dead.  Redemption is for the living.  There is absolutely 
nothing which can be done for a soul etc. which lacks redemption once 
it has passed on, according to many Protestant denominations.

Calvanism is a Protestant denomination which sees even redemption in 
life as out of the question if the soul has not been preordained 
redeemed.  At least one version I've read suggests that working very 
hard might bring one to redemption, but overall, Calvanism states that 
the ordinary unredeemed soul remains unredeemed and beyond help.

Ceridwen.