Christ figures in LOTR and HP (LOTR spoilers) (Was: Am I unique?)

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 171522

MikeyRPh wrote:
> 
> MOST everyone will have observed that for Harry the lives and
happiness of his FRIENDS (he's fresh out of relatives) are of ULTIMATE
importance.  The character we have become familiar with would NOT
consider his death to be much of a sacrifice to end the terror of
Voldemort. Therefore I believe the loss of his friends (as already
promised) will be the worst he will/can suffer.
> 
> ("There are things more important than death"--a MAJOR difference
between Harry/Dumbledore and Voldy, and--for those who have eyes to
see--a MAJOR clue for DH and the role of Severus Snape).
> 
> ...and while I'm getting biblical PLEASE do not confuse the
> sacrifices of Jesus/Aslam with anything that might happen to Harry.
> Unless you consider Harry DIVINE (and hopefully there aren't many of
> you out there) the comparison is invalid.
>
Carol responds:

Forgive me, but the comparison is not necessarily invalid. Although I
certainly hope that Harry is not a Christ figure, he can legitimately
be interpreted as one if he sacrifices himself to save the WW. Christ
figures are quite common in literature. A Christ figure is not divine
and is not intended to represent Jesus. Instead he (or she) has traits
in common with Christ. 


LOTR spoilers ahead*********

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For example, Gandalf in LOTR dies and is resurrected (which, of
course, is what JKR refers to when she says that Dumbledore won't
"pull a Gandalf"). Frodo doesn't die, but he saves Middle Earth only
to find that he can no longer live in it, so he, too, has been
interpreted by some critics as a Christ figure.

To call a character a Christ figure is not to say that the story or
novel or play is an allegory of the life of Christ, much less to say
that the character *is* or represents Jesus the man or Jesus the Son
of God. It's merely to say that the character is Christ*like* in some
ways but, even in the case of the Maia Gandalf, still fallible.

Also, I'm not sure what you mean by "fresh out of relatives." Neither
sirius Black nor dumbledore was a relative of Harry's, and he still
has the Dursleys, two of whom (Petunia and Dudley) are closely related
to him by blood.

Can you clarify what you mean by "a major clue" regarding Snape? I'm
hoping he won't die, and I certainly don't think he's going to suffer
a fate worse than death. Had it not been for him, Harry could have
been killed by the DEs on the tower or the Hogwarts grounds.

Carol, noting that symbolism is not allegory (a one-on-one
correspondence throughout the whole story) and that JKR as a Christian
writer may well be using Christian symbolism in Harry's holly wand and
elsewhere