Ending WAS : Compassionate hero

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 176009

Magpie:
<SNIP>
Well, yeah, an uncertain note is fine. I just don't think we get to 
> have it both ways, with any significant steps towards healing a 
major 
> rift being unrealistic yet also saying we've got signs of steps 
> because Teddy Lupin doesn't have to hide his love for Victoire 
(btw, 
> I have no idea why this is a step--why would Teddy not have done 
> that?) and Draco Malfoy nods to the Trio (but still couldn't have 
any 
> more positive relationship with them). I might have preferred more 
> progress, but I'm not protesting the lack of it here, just noting 
> what I see and don't see.

Alla:

I do not think I am having it both ways. I am saying that I see 
**small** signs of change, while saying that not showing **bigger** 
signs of change sounds realistic enough to me, not even saying that 
they are not possible.

I do disagree with the lack of progress, yes, but am saying that 
progress is going in baby steps.

As to why Teddy might have wanted to hide it – it is not like IMO 
general public necessarily would like to watch the son of werewolf 
with somebody, anybody.

Yes, I think WW was that bigoted to werewolves and their families. 
And I totally think that Draco's curt nod IS a progress. When 
exactly did he acknowledge Harry and his friends before without 
screaming obscenities ( metaphorically) or throwing curses at them?

So, yeah, I believe it is a sign of change, but gradual one. IMO of 
course. 

I would find Draco becoming **friends** with Trio for example, as 
Lissyben suggested before to be extremely unrealistic and 
saccharine. IMO of course. Seven years of animosity do not just go 
away in my opinion and curt nod is the most I thought possible, you 
know?


Magpie: 
> I do disagree that it's *unrealistic* to have any different ending.

Alla:

No, it is not necessarily unrealistic to have different ending, I 
just find this one to be rather realistic.

Magpie:  
> I mean, it's not like the only other alternative is hearts and 
flowers. 
> I don't believe it would be by definition unrealistic for JKR to 
have 
> actually wanted to tackle the rift with Slytherin. She didn't have 
> to, but it's not like it's completely crazy. And it's not 
> unreasonable to think it might happen since she defines her bad 
guys 
> as the ones who are bigoted.
>

Alla:

Well, correct me if I am wrong, but aren't you talking about 
**complete** healing of the rift as ending that you would find more 
appealing, more satisfying?

If you are, then yes, it is pretty much reads to me as hearts and 
flowers, meaning that everybody becomes friends, no?


Magpie:
> This is especially strange to me when it comes to Slytherin--it's 
> really that hard for a single school to not have a big rift with 
1/4 
> of the students? That seems a bit silly. 

Alla:

I recently had a conversation with a friend of mine, who never goes 
to Internet to read HP discussions, but is just obsessed as I am. 
Oh, and I remember somebody mentioning "casual reader" recently ( 
not you), so he is far from casual reader, he is let's put it this 
way, very sophisticated reader. I think I mentioned his opinions 
here once.

I was discussing DH with him and mentioned Slytherin issue and  told 
him that while it does not majorly bother me, it is strange that one 
quarter of the school is allowed to go to Slytherin.

He looked at me as if I am crazy ( he does have a child by the way 
to foresee questions, she is twelve now). He was like, are you 
seriously telling me that you think that by the age of eleven you do 
not find the character of the child to be completely formed? He was 
like – well, I do and no, I do not find it strange that Sorting hat 
seems to know who is who at the age of eleven. After all, it is not 
like school does that, Hat is magical, it knows.

He was also saying that sure, change is possible later on, but he is 
perfectly okay with  looking in the heart of the child and knowing 
where such child belongs at eleven years old.


Magpie:
<SNIP>
> I'm also suspicious of the "usual" epilogue idea since I don't 
know 
> exactly what epilogues refered to. It makes it seem like every 
other 
> fantasy or children's writer was writing pablum until JKR 
introduced 
> the idea of an ambiguous ending, when a) plenty of other writers 
have 
> had endings that allowed that evil could still return and b) I 
don't 
> know that JKR necessarily considers this ending ambiguous. Maybe 
she 
> just fixed all the problems she thought needed to be fixed. It 
reads 
> to me like a happy ending, not an ambiguous one.

Alla:

It reads to me as happy ending for the characters, but with plenty 
of room for change left in the society level.

As to the endings, I was definitely talking about fantasy endings 
only, there are of course plenty realistic endings in the non- 
fantasy fiction books.

But yes, I stand by the assertion that majority of fantasy endings 
leave pretty much everything resolved and they lived happily ever 
after, all problems in society done.

First example comes to mind – Mercedes Lackey of course. I read 
plenty of hers, I used to love it, I hate it with passion now, I 
wish she would stop writing, took a breath and just wrote something 
less commercial.

But I do not remember **one** of her books ending in any way 
ambigiously.

I just finished another book, where bitter, bitter war between two 
groups ended and everything was so peachy at the end ( It is called 
Honored enemy, do not remember the author).

Of course there is Tolkien, sort of ( I love the books, just do not 
find his ending ambiguous much) and
..? I am talking about fantasy 
only again.

So, yeah, I give cheers to JKR for her ending. I think it is another 
sign of her mixing genres and painting some real touches in as well 
with fantasy.

Of course there were fantasy books I loved happy endings in, but 
they were actually done quite similar to what JKR did – problems in 
society sort of remained, while heroes got happy ending ( Miles 
Vorkosigan saga for example.



JMO,

Alla