[HPforGrownups] Re: Harry's Characterization

[sunnylove0 at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 163482

In a message dated 1/5/2007 6:05:47 P.M. Mountain Standard Time,  
bboyminn at yahoo.com writes:

Again,  if you place yourself in Harry's mind to do anything
else is completely  irrational. Consequently, if Harry is
at least making an effort in the next  book I will be
satisfied, but if he plans to get by on Luck or boxes  of
chocolate or hugs and kisses, then all plausability has
gone out of  the story. It's Harry and only Harry from here 
on in, at least in Harry's  mind. That means he has to 
meet Voldemort as close to Voldemort's level as  he can get.

That's from Harry's internal perspective. From the  external
perspective of a reader, I agree, some unforseen abstract
force  will help Harry win the day, but it is irrational
for Harry to count on  such a force and not prepare himself
to the best of his  ability.
A few unrelated points:
 
If Harry goes wand blazing alone against anyone (and I am worried about his  
animus towards Snape, whether Snape is good, bad or indifferent) he is very  
likely to get killed.  But the entire point of having love on his side is  that 
he will not do anything alone.  Harry knows several wizards who will  lay 
their lives for the sake of himself and his mission, especially Ron and  
Hermione.  In contrast to Voldemort, who has no truly loyal followers, only  excepting 
an insane, sadistic deluded girl who cannot be trusted.
 
Harry's job for most of book 7 will be to seek out and destroy  Horcruxes.  
He needs to stay out of the way until this mission is  accomplished.  I even 
wonder, along with RedHen and several other  theorists, whether Harry will be 
the one to actually kill Voldemort.  The  prophecy after all, says "vanquish" 
not kill.  
 
And Dumbledore's preparation: did he train him in defensive spells and  
charms? No.  The greatest witches and wizards of the age, who likely used  every 
spell in the book (I'm sure Amelia Bones did not go down without a fight)  
ultimately lost their battles, one by one.  Instead, Dumbledore shows Harry  
Voldemort's true weak spots, not spells or potions or curses (he knows them  
all)...but the Horcruxes, his checkered past, his empty longing after  things instead 
of the love of others, his lack of any emotional bond with  anyone.
 
I'm quite sure Harry is capable of driving a metaphorical sharp knife into  
all of them, and to do it with the pity and understanding of which even  
Dumbledore (bless his heart) was incapable.
 
Amber
 
 


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