A James Rant - Who was This Guy?

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 181334

> Pippin:
<SNIP>
>> I think JKR wants us to view James's death in the light  of
> Dumbledore's. Yes, he foolishly underestimated the danger, but 
when he
> realized that, James thought first of Lily and Harry's peril, not 
of 
> his own. IMO, in JKR's scheme of things that's better evidence of
> James's worth than putting up a glorious fight. As Yoda put 
it, "Wars
> not make one great."

Alla:

I agree with a lot of what I snipped. I do not really want to get 
into James growing up after the Prank v James not growing up after 
the Prank, since I never thought James just HAD TO change his ways 
after the prank. 

But I do want to get into how James died.

I would be totally with you Pippin. I found the manner of James' 
death as described in book 7 totally human and touching and tragic 
and wonderful, etc. I do not need him to do a duel with Voldemort to 
feel sad for young father who loved his wife and child and wanted to 
save them first and foremost. 

Except that's not what JKR said originally, didn't she?

You know me - I rarely get on JKR's case about flints. I could care 
LESS about her maths, since her maths mistakes do not take away, 
well anything from my enjoyment of the story.

This I think is very sloppy. This is one of the key scenes in the 
saga, isn't it? JKR said so, not me, right? She said that the books 
start with murder and it sets up the tone or something ( do not 
remember exact quote).

So, what I am trying to say is PICK how James died and stick to it 
JKR in my opinion.

If James put up courageous fight, that is not what happened in book 
7. Could she not reread book 1 to stick to the continuity in the 
scene like that?

As I said, I rarely critique her plotting because as I mentioned the 
mistakes do not take away from my enjoyment or I honestly do not 
consider them mistakes. This I do consider sloppy writing.

By the way, before you ask me, yes it is possible that Voldemort 
lied about James putting up courageous fight. The only question is 
why would he lied? It is not like it is in his interests to praise 
James just because he feels like it IMO. Any other motivations?

Oh and I also respect her right to rethink the manner of James' 
death by the way. I have NO PROBLEM with it. But I wish she would 
say that she would go to book 1 and edit it out at some point. 
Otherwise to me it is just too glaring of error.

IMO of course.

So, to make a long story short, I do not feel that James was torned 
down anymore than any other of Harry's father figure. I like him, I 
feel bad for him, but I wish she would stick to ONE description of 
his death, I really do.


> Pippin:
<SNIP>
>> I think  JKR followed this pattern because it  shows  that it 
isn't
> only demonizing people that robs them of their humanity. Putting 
them
> on a pedestal is just as bad. A person who is only supposed to make
> choices you admire is  as much a slave to your needs as any house-
elf. 


Alla:

Oh sure, but Lily still seems to me to be on the same pedestal as 
she always was. IMO of course, because I do not think she was shown 
to do anything wrong when she did not accept Snape's apology for 
example.