1st August 2006

My vote: Harry must live!

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(IF YOU HAVE NOT READ HARRY POTTER BOOK 6, YOU MIGHT SKIP THIS POST AS I MAKE REFERENCE TO SOME OF THE MAJOR PLOT POINTS THAT MIGHT SPOIL THE STORY FOR YOU.)

I have really enjoyed reading J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series books over the years, and look forward expectantly to the release of the final book. Although I do not consider the books to be quite on a level with “The Chronicles of Narnia” or “The Lord of the Rings,” they are a lot of fun and clearly the inspiration of an amazingly creative and fun mind.

In the current discussions and predictions over what will happen to Harry in the final episode (book 7,) I side with Stephen King and John Irving: Please let Harry live!!! In a recent article, Rowling states:

“I can resolve the story now and it’s fun in a way it wasn’t before because finally I’ve reached my resolution, and I think some people will loathe it and some people will love it, but that’s how it should be.”

“We’re working towards the end I always planned but a couple of characters I expected to survive have died and one character got a reprieve,” she said, declining to elaborate.

She also makes reference to her decision to kill Dumbledore in book six in the article (sorry to those of you who hadn’t read it yet and didn’t know…) and makes it sound like Dumbledore will NOT make a comeback.

I was, like most people, shocked when Dumbledore was killed by Snape. In fact, I thought it was a bit ridiculous. It was like Gandalf the White being killed by the Great Goblin in “The Hobbit” or something. That just shouldn’t happen. Major good characters like that are our heroes in part because they survive and fight on. Dumbledore’s death in book 6 did not even seen to befit him. Had he been engaged in a direct, climatic battle with Voldemort and sacrificed his life so Harry and others in the Order could survive, then perhaps that would have been more acceptable…. but he was killed point blank by Snape, in an altercation that hardly befit the stature of Dumbledore. I found the scene acceptable only because of the thought that MAYBE Rowling was just misleading us, and Dumbledore would return….. Now I am less hopeful. :-(
Part of me would love to write creative fiction. Maybe someday I will be in a position to make the time to do that. For now, I’ll just have to enjoy (irregularly, I admit) the creative writing and fantastical imaginations of writers like Rowling. If she kills Harry, however, I don’t think I’ll be able to forgive her. Some people have said she might kill him off to try and prevent others from carrying on the Harry story. If that’s the case, she’s too late, just check a current search for “harry potter” on fanfiction.com.

Personally, I think it’s silly for her to stop at seven books. Why stop the fun, and the income? She created Harry, Hermione, Ron and the rest of the cast– If she enjoys writing in the world she has created, why stop? I don’t think I would.

On this day..

This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 1st, 2006 at 6:04 pm and is filed under books. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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  1. 1 On August 1st, 2006, Jennifer W said:

    Hello Wes

    I also was dismayed at the death of Dumbledore — and I honestly do not yet believe it is forever. (remember death can always be suspended in fiction) But more so, I was totally disappointed in Snape and can’t believe that perhaps he working for “Valdemort”.

    Rowlings seems always to stir up controversy and speculation before the release of a new book. Remember when we all though Mrs. Weasley would die in the 3rd (hmm or was it the 4th) book? Perhaps, this is what is going on again??

    As for continuing the story — as long as the stories stay exciting and interesting to read, I have no problem with her continuing the series. I truly have enjoyed all the characters and would like to see them grow up!!!

    Hmmm — we shall see, won’t we???!!!???