[HPforGrownups] Depression (was Re: DH reread CH 31

[Quidditch.Master]

No: HPFGUIDX 187491


Potioncat:
In the ABC-TV interview that recently ran in the US, JKR and the interviewer discuss how depression played a role in the evolution of the HP story. JKR says the plot was strongly affected by her mother's death. Also, that she dealt with depression after the break-up of her marriage. She worried about her daughter's well being while she was depressed.

The Dementors represent depression's effects, but JKR also shows characters in the throws of depression. In the case of Dementors, a character needed a happy thought and to a certain degree, a patron/protector to overcome "depression. "

In Snape's case, having a mission-- a purpose-- helped pull him out of drepression. Would you say that's a fair statement? Yet, having a child wasn't enough to pull Merope out of her depression. Any thoughts on that?

(I don't for a moment think having a baby is a cure for depression in RL. Just wondering how JKR was viewing it from a literary angle.)

Quidditchmaster:

I agree with you statement about Snape and I would add something else: not having a mission but having thismission helped Snape. He was told that by helping Harry he would be helping Lily, making amends, if you will, and somehow earning her forgiveness. We've seen in his memories that every time he wanted to give up on everything, that's what Dumbledore argued and Snape always caved.

About having a child, one could argue that Merope's depression only agravated with the birth of Tom. It is a fact that many women suffer from postpartum depression so this could be her case. Also, she did hope that he looked like his father, so the fear of having to look at Tom's face and remember what she did, how she was dumped, etc, would have "helped" her give up on life. So maybe she did think that her son would be better off without her? Though I don't think that's what Rowling had in mind when writing about Merope. 

I believe JK Rowling used Merope as yet another comparison point between Harry and Voldemort. The "hero" gets the "good" mom who died for him to live whilst the "villain" got the "bad" mom who died in spite of him. Also, if you compare Lily and Merope and give them both depression, the way JK described them, Merope would be (and in fact was) the weak one who succumbed whilst Lily would be the one who would probably overcome it (not that I believe Lily would become depressed, but just for the sake of argument). Thoughts on that?


      

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