CHAPDISC: 34, The Forest Again

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 184999

Sherry:
<SNIP of the SUMMARY>

> 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?

Alla:

Hm, yes, sure I found it realistic, absolutely. I felt his pain, 
almost literally, it felt as if I was about to die myself. And mind 
you when I was reading it I already KNEW that Harry survives from 
spoilers and it still affected me that much. It is parts of the story 
like this is what make me think that JKR is an excellent writer. How 
she manages to pull one's heart strings (mine).

So, yes, certainly I mean different people will of course react to 
the possibility of soon death differently, but what Harry felt and 
thought rings true to me as one of the possibilities.

Scene did not really change my opinion of Harry a lot, just made me 
respect him more, but it is not like I thought that he will not 
sacrifice himself or anything.


> 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?

Alla:

No, absolutely not. I mean, it made sense to me that Harry found his 
plan to be efficient **from Harry's POV**, of course, Harry with his 
saving people, of course IMO he will find it a great plan that he 
should die rather than anybody else will.

However I disagree that Harry did not blame Dumbledore at that point 
in time. Oh yeah, he says that Dumbledore's betrayal was almost 
nothing, however he does not think of Dumbledore as his loved one, 
since he does not come with the stone and I was happy about that.

How did I feel about Dumbledore? I felt very angry.


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

Well, emptiness of the Castle reflects Harry's mood, right? he feels 
hostly as if he already died and actually come to think of it, I 
suppose it can also be argued as foreshadowing of Harry's fate in a 
way. We know that no matter what Castle is only temporarily empty, 
students will come back, ghosts, etc, I mean, no matter what, no 
matter who wins, Hogwarts is not dead, like Phoenix maybe?

Oh never mind me, just rambling here.


> 
> 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?

Alla:

Oh Neville grew all right, but I think actually yes that him picking 
up bodies was not a surprise at all. I think his character 
development is one of the strongest in the books and I think his 
inner strength started to shine well, even earlier than him standing 
up to Trio.

 
> 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?

Alla:

I totally think he knew something was up with Harry, otherwise why 
would he say that we are going to keep fighting to Harry's empty 
reassurances that he is all right. IMO of course.

 
> 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"?

Alla:

I think I cried.

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


Alla:

No of course not, who else could it be? I mean, one would expect 
Dumbledore under different circumstances, but that's about it. Well, 
I mean I guess I was **sort of** surprised that Tonks was not there, 
but since I always had warm fuzzy feelings about Sirius and Remus, I 
only giggled as much as it was possible under circumstances of Harry 
going to die and them being dead already.

 
> 
> 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?

Alla:

Well, absolutely - between him and Sirius very typical and actually 
between everybody else too. I know people were surprised about Lily 
supporting him that much, me - I cannot really see it any other way. 
Because even if Lily is not in his head and will not say anything 
Harry would have wanted her too, I would think that soul of Lily will 
feel Harry's determination and will not decide to hurt him in his 
last minutes by quarreling with him. So, yes, I find it believable. 
However if Lily was alive Lily, I would have probably not found it 
believable. IMO of course.



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

Alla:

I think because pain of his loss is still the freshest for Harry and 
hurts the worst.

> 
> 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?

Alla:

You know, it is of course could be nerves, I would not have find it 
strange at all, however, wierdly I think it was not. I think Harry 
and him always wanting to protect everybody around him played here as 
well. Yes, they are already dead, however I think Harry did not want 
to risk the possibility that Voldemort may harm them all over again. 
Speculating, but that is how I feel.


> 
> 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?  

Alla:

I did not expect anything, but I think it was done just right.

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

Alla:

As I said, I knew he lives, however I still had a tiny doubt for a 
second or two :)

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

Alla:

Painful.

 
> 15.  Please share any other questions or thoughts that come to mind 
> about this chapter.  

Alla:

Excellent questions Sherry :). Thank you so much.