CHAPDISC: 34, The Forest Again

[jkoney65]

No: HPFGUIDX 185061


I thought this was the best chapter she wrote in the series.

> 
> Discussion Questions
> 1.  What did you think as you read Harry's immediate reaction to 
the 
> knowledge that he must die?  Did you find his reaction realistic?  
> Did this scene change your opinion of Harry in any way?

I thought he actually took it quite calmly. It's as if all of his 
trials had matured him to accept what he must do to end it.

I loved the way his mind started racing, the heartbeats etc.


> 
> 2.  How about Dumbledore?  Did it make sense to you that Harry did 
> not seem to blame Dumbledore?  How did you feel about Dumbledore, 
as 
> you read Harry's thoughts?

I thought Harry's outlook was very mature. He realized that 
Dumbledore had a plan, but the final decision was still up to Harry. 
He could have fled under his cloak but he didn't. I thought that 
Dumbledore was smarter than I gave him credit for. He came up with 
the best plan he could and worked it until his death. Even then he 
used it to advance his goal.


> 
> 3.  What did you think of the imagery as Harry walks through the 
> deserted, empty halls and stairways of Hogwarts?

I thought it was a nice job of imagery. The looking for the Weasley's 
was a good image. He's looking for the last of his family...


> 
> 4.  Neville has come up often in this book's chapter discussions.  
> Thinking of the Neville in the early books, even up to the third, 
did 
> you think anything about Neville being out recovering bodies?  
Could 
> you have imagined this Neville from what we saw of him in previous 
> books?


I thought Neville's progression through the books was well done. We 
see him getting braver as time goes on. Harry has had a good effect 
on him. Neville has become one of those solid people you can depend 
on. 


> 
> 5.  In his journey to meet Voldemort, Neville is the only living 
> person to whom Harry speaks.  Why Neville?  Do you think Harry 
could 
> have been thinking that Neville was the other "prophecy boy"?  Do 
you 
> think Neville knew Harry was going to sacrifice himself in spite of 
> Harry's denials?

I think that the Neville scene was to show us the growth Neville had 
during the books. The timid shy boy is the one cleaning up the 
battlefield.

If Neville thought Harry was going to face Voldemort, I have no doubt 
that he would have tried to go with him. Solid!


> 
> 6.  As Harry watches Ginny with the injured girl who wants to go 
> home, he thinks of himself, Voldemort and Snape as the "abandoned 
> boys" who all found their only home at Hogwarts.  How did you react 
> to this thought?  Why did Harry think of those three and link them 
in 
> such a way, a common bond between them all?

I thought the link was tenuous at best. One was evil, one was evil 
and redeemed himself as best he could, and one was good. Other than 
poor childhood homes I didn't really link the three.


> 
> 7.  What did you feel as 17-year-old Harry put the snitch to his 
> mouth and said the words, "I am about to die"?

Tears formed against my will (I'm supposed to be tougher than that)

It was probably the most emotional moment of the series for me.


> 
> 8.  Were you surprised at the identity of any of the people who 
came 
> to Harry through the Resurrection Stone?  

No, who else would he have called?


> 
> 9.  Did you find the interaction between Harry and his loved ones 
> typical, particularly of interactions between himself and Sirius 
and 
> Lupin?  Did you feel Sirius and Lupin acted in character in this 
> scene?  What about James and Lily?  Did they say or do anything 
that 
> surprised you, given the little but important things we knew of 
them 
> previously?

I thought they all acted within the parameters we knew of them. 
Sirius tried to joke to relieve tension, his parents were proud and 
reassuring...


> 
> 10.  When Harry is saying that he didn't want them to die, why was 
he 
> mostly addressing Lupin?

Because Lupin's life had just changed for the better. He had a wife 
who loved him and he just had a son. His life was really just 
starting.


> 
> 11.  Harry's loved ones have promised to stay with him to the end.  
> Why did he drop the Resurrection Stone before entering the clearing 
> and meeting Voldemort?  Was it accidental, just nerves, or was 
there 
> another reason?  Did he not want them there with him when he died?

I thought they had served their purpose of escorting him to the 
meeting. They helped keep him calm. Once this was over, he would join 
them.

I think he may have also dropped it because he didn't want them to 
see him die. He was still very nervous/scared. I think he wanted to 
die well and didn't want them to see in case he didn't. After all, 
all four of them died fighting. He was just going to stand there. Not 
exactly the way a hero is supposed to go out. It reminds of the 
graveyard scene from GoF where Harry decides to stand and fight 
instead of hiding behind the tombstone. Harry wanted to face death, 
not hide from it.


> 
> 12.  Were the final moments of this chapter what you expected?  Did 
> you think there would be more, more action, more description, more 
> dialogue between Harry and Voldemort?  

After all the other problems, I didn't think Voldemort would give us 
the long speech. Especially once he saw that Harry wasn't carring his 
wand. The one that kept defeating him. So kill him quickly.


> 
> 13.  What was your immediate reaction at the end of this chapter?  
> Did you think, even for a moment, that Harry was really dead?

I didn't think he was dead, but I didn't know how he was going to 
come back.


> 
> 14.  What was your overall reaction to this chapter and all its 
> events?

As I said above. I thought this was her best chapter in the series. I 
also thought is was the most emotionally charged.

Harry's long walk to his death was one of the bravest things that 
anyone has ever done. It's much easier to die in battle than in a 
slow walk to death. 

I always refer to the chapter as Dead Man Walking.

> 
> 15.  Please share any other questions or thoughts that come to mind 
> about this chapter.  
> 
> Sherry
> 
Thanks for summary and questions. Great job!
jkoney