The Fundamental Message.../ Heroes...

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 176350

> >>Alla:
> How do those quotes show Harry not thinking about the plan, when   
> this is what he is doing? Thinking about it? No, seriously, his     
> thoughts are about the plan, are they not?
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
Rather than Harry working through the whys and wherefores, I see 
those passages showing more Harry coming to grips with the fact that 
he's got to die.  He doesn't consider other means or methods so I 
don't see him thinking for himself.  I see it more as Harry prepping 
himself to take the action that's required of him.

> >>Alla:
> By the way, what **are** the arguments against it that you see?
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
Oh, there are none.  It's JKR's story and this is the solution she 
came up with, so that's the solution that is.  So it's not so much 
that Harry's death was needed, it's *how* Harry found that out and 
then how it was played out that bugged me.

I didn't like that Harry didn't figure it out for himself, I didn't 
like that he didn't really protest (especially since this is 
something he's *told* not something he concludes), I didn't like that 
his parents and godfather are all "death is *great*!".

It's not that I don't get the extreme coolness of a hero going into 
certain death.  I *loved* the heck out of 300, and not just for the 
pretty, pretty men. <g>  And I'd also agreed with predictions that 
Harry was going to need to do some sort of death walk.  It's just...  
I really expected Harry to grow up and figure this all out for 
himself, have it be *his* plan, *his* idea that he stood in the face 
of his friends' *protests* to do.

> >>Alla:
> <snip>
> IMO during whole chapter 34 it had been shown that Harry does not 
> just immediately decides to lay down and die.  To me it had been 
> clearly shown that Harry does it, against all his instincts to     
> fight for live – for others and for himself.
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
Yes, Harry liked life.  And chapter 34 pointed that out (though I'll 
say Jack London did it better <eg>).  But it didn't show Harry come 
to a conclusion, it showed Harry accepting what his mentor and his 
loved ones have told him to do.

I know this won't change your mind at all, Alla. That's not what I'm 
trying to do.  I'm just showing how this entire scene played more as 
a glorification of suicide to me, than a hero doing what was 
necessary.  Obviously, YMMV.  Frankly, I was just gratified someone 
agreed with me.  Thought I was maybe a little crazy for a second or 
two there. <bg>

Betsy Hp