What about James' sacrifice?

[Zara]

No: HPFGUIDX 165523

> Jenni from Alabama:
> A mother's love is powerful stuff, but what about the love of a 
> father and husband? I know in my case, my husband's world revolves 
> around us. Our boy is his heart and soul. I admit I'm a little 
> offended that James' sacrifice is downplayed too. I've kept hoping 
> that JKR would play up James' sacrifice more but so far I've been 
> disappointed. It's been all about Lily's.
> 
> Does anyone know why this is so? (Besides the fact that JKR is a 
> woman and a mother.) Is there something I'm missing in canon or an 
> interview with JK where she explains this?

zgirnius:
Yes, it is not about the distinction between a mother and a 
father/husband's love. It is about the element of choice. Voldemort 
told Lily to step aside, he gave her the choice to live, whereas 
James he just killed.

She explained this in an interview given right after the release of 
HBP to Mugglenet and the Leaky Cauldron, though it seems there may be 
a bit more info coming in Book 7. (http://www.accio-
quote.org/articles/2005/0705-tlc_mugglenet-anelli-1.htm)

> JKR Interview:
> JKR: 
> 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. Now any mother, any normal mother would have done what Lily 
did. So in that sense her courage too was of an animal quality but 
she was given time to choose. James wasn't. It's like an intruder 
entering your house, isn't it? You would instinctively rush them. But 
if in cold blood you were told, "Get out of the way," you know, what 
would you do? I mean, I don't think any mother would stand aside from 
their child. But does that answer it? She did very consciously lay 
down her life. She had a clear choice -