If you read my blog a couple of entries back entitled 'Will Harry Die?,' you know what my ultimate prediction was... however shrouded in satire it may have been. But seriously, how do you wrap-up the most successful literary/cinematic/merchandising phenomena in entertainment history?
(Ok, I know that's probably not yet quantifiable, but come on... do we really need to quibble? The last figure I saw was nearing the $6.7 billion mark -- and there are still two more films to be made, and the inevitable Criterion Collections; Directors' Cuts; Gold Bound Special Editions; Complete DVD Box Sets; Complete DVD Box Sets - Extended Editions; 5, 10 & 25 Year Anniversary Box Sets; and the endless supply of Harry Potter merchandise to come)
I, for one, think that J.K. Rowling had an immeasurably difficult task at hand when it came to providing a fitting conclusion to the series, especially considering the incredibly diverse range of HP readership. Rumors have been circulating for the past two years that key characters were sure to die in this seventh and final book of the saga, and by this time in the narrative, it's open war, and in wartime, people die. So there was a feeling that at any given time, on any given page, any given character could kick off.
The death toll is pretty extensive: Hedwig (the owl); Mad-Eye Moody; Dobby, the house-elf; Lupin; Tonks; Professor Snape; and George Weasley loses an ear. (Hey, I said there'd be spoilers!)
Deathly Hallows deviates from the standard HP sequence of events found in the prior books - opening at Privet Lane; the journey to Hogwarts on the Hogwarts Express; 1st Term; Christmas Break; 2nd Term; climatic conclusion at Hogwarts as the school year ends - and begins with Harry, Ron and Hermione, having withdrawn from Hogwarts altogether, almost immediately embarking on their quest to find the hidden 'Horcruxes.' This adds another layer to the overall story in that it concentrates much more on the adventure's journey - much like The Lord of the Rings.
It's no secret that Rowling is well educated in the classics, and at times her influences and inspirations are evident - Tolkien; C.S. Lewis; the... New Testament Apostles?*
*Asked if she was a Christian, Rowling answered:
''Yes, I am,'' she says. ''Which seems to offend the religious right far worse than if I said I thought there was no God. Every time I've been asked if I believe in God, I've said yes, because I do, but no one ever really has gone any more deeply into it than that, and I have to say that does suit me, because if I talk too freely about that I think the intelligent reader, whether 10 or 60, will be able to guess what's coming in the books."
I'm not sure of the authenticity of this quote (I found it online), so I'll save my comments. That being said, Harry does choose to lay down his life for the lives of others (greater love hath no man); he secretly goes to meet Voldemort (reminiscent of Aslan and the White Witch in The Chronicles of Narnia), and he does not defend himself (like a lamb to the slaughter). And it's the act of not defending himself that "saves" him and paves the way for his resurrection (although it's not clear as to whether or not he was truly dead or simply heavily stunned).
Despite much criticism and scrutiny from the religious right, this story is not about magic, witchcraft or wizards. It's a tale of virtue and flawed heroes; of friendship and loyalty; of trust, love and reconciliation.
There are some surprise twists in the story that lie in the re-emergence of Dumbledore, and the true nature of Snape's allegiance. I mentioned in my previous blog entry that we LOVE surprises even more than explosions, body counts and clever quips from our heroes. Although this tale does not end with the shocking death of Harry, Ron or Hermione, there are enough twists and turns to appease this reader. There are a couple of loose ends, however, that I would have appreciated being just a little bit more resolved. As I said, I think Rowling did a masterful job concluding the story, but I would like to know what happened to Hagrid. The lovable , cuddly half-giant was, indeed, one of Harry's most trusted and devoted friends, and as we're told what happened to just about every other character that meant at least as much to Harry, Hagrid's outcome remains a mystery. I'd also like to know what Harry does now. He always wanted to be an auror. I'm not sure that they're necessary in the wizarding world, sans Voldemort, but surely there is still some level of evil left. It seems that every witch and wizard in the world worked for the Ministry of Magic. Is that Harry's fate too? Do he and Ginny run a quaint B&B? A nice cafe? Is he a broom mechanic, or a Quidditch coach?
These are just a couple of unanswered questions I have, but I'll leave you to your own imagination as to the answers to these queries.
McRating: 9.0
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