What about James' sacrifice?

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 165531

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.<snip>

> 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. 

JKR: "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" -(TLC/MN)

Jen: Look, JKR is posting now!  I do think the answer is there's more 
coming about that as zgirnius said.  I've speculated in the past 
about very specific reasons LV might have given Lily a choice--some 
knowledge she had from her work perhaps--but at the moment think it 
might connect more to an overarching theme.  Meaning JKR's going 
somewhere with what heroism is, what's courageous, what's noble.  
That the traditional way of being a hero, fighting to the end, might 
not be the only way to be a hero or best way in certain circumstances 
(although I don't believe she's demeaning James' actions there at 
all, just taking a different avenue).

She's going somewhere with Harry on this, from 'playing the hero' to 
ultimately defeating Voldemort in a way where he's not battling him 
and winning by killing him.  Well really, none of Harry's heroism has 
been a fight to the end, but his own intuition and help from 
others.   And if the tower plays out as a loyal Snape, there again 
JKR had a reason Snape didn't do what many believe he should have 
done which was fight to the death like James or Sirius would have 
(although I don't know that she can or will paint Snape as a hero for 
the tower if an actual AK was involved, that presents its own moral 
complications).

I'm not certain how to tie all these loose threads together exactly, 
just an idea brewing for why JKR would see Lily's act as a slightly 
higher caliber of bravery.  JKR is working from her own opinions 
about what is brave after all and not everyone will agree with her.

Jen R.