“After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure”(J.K. Rowling, SS 297). Death is observed as a major theme in the Harry Potter series, mainly The Deathly Hallows. More characters die in this novel and there is more mention of death than in any other Harry Potter book. Through Rowling’s process of portraying murders, we come to the realization of the theme of death in her series of novels. Evidence through multiple accounts of encounters with the actual face of death put Harry Potter in a position of taking a stand against the common villain. Rowling shows how Harry learns to deal with the death of close friends and the importance of continuing his quest even though he knows more death may come before the end. In this literary analysis, Rowling’s effectiveness of portraying Harry’s attitude towards death will be analyzed. “In the character of Harry Potter, Rowling personifies the stages of maturity we all must attain on our inevitable path toward death. Harry 's maturity and wisdom are connected to his earthly existence. Harry 's soul is whole and untarnished, relying on the love of others to remain so” (Fraser).
In chapter nineteen of The Deathly Hallows, we observe Harry’s bravery and courage as he attempts to recover the sword of Gryffindor from the bottom of the freezing forest pool. “Harry put off the moment of total submersion from second to second, gasping and shaking, until he told himself that it must be done, gathered all his courage, and dived” (Rowling, DH 370). This example shows how Harry is willing to put himself in dangerous and life-threatening situations throughout his quest to defeat Voldemort. He knows deep inside that this mission may or may not be successful but he proceeds with boldness.
The protagonist 's acceptance of his own mortality is depicted dramatically in the final pages of Deathly Hallows, as he prepares to meet Voldemort for the last time. He approaches the confrontation defenseless, absolutely certain that he will die. “Harry understood at last that he was not suppose to survive…His job was to walk calmly into Death’s welcoming arms”(Rowling, DH 691). Aware of his physical self more than ever before, Harry walks through the ancient trees with the spirits of loved ones by his side. Harry is symbolically closing the cycle of his life, having learned to accept his death as nature 's reality (Adama).
“You are the true master of death, because the true master does not seek to run away from Death. He accepts that he must die, and understands that there are far, far worse things in the living world than dying”(Rowling, DH 720). Harry 's courage in the face of death is partly due to his headmaster and mentor, Albus Dumbledore, whose wise words are especially poignant: "It 's the unknown that we fear when we fear death, nothing more" (Rowling, HBP 567). It 's also no coincidence that this final encounter should occur in the Forbidden Forest, which elicits the same fear of the unknown that death inspires. In addition to being associated with these final moments of violence and death, the Forbidden Forest is often depicted as an evil and dangerous place in the story. It is only after Harry overcomes his fear, after accepting his own mortality in terms of his loving connection with all life around him, that his mature life begins (Fraser).
It 's essential however, to contrast the protagonist, Harry, with his chief antagonist and the most evil of wizards, the Dark Lord Voldemort. Death can be a sensitive topic to be discussed but when it comes to outlook and attitude towards death, Harry Potter and Voldemort are complete opposites. Harry’s actions throughout the novel placed him in numerous near-death situations, but he faces death bravely and with great courage. In contrast, Voldemort makes his desperate attempts to avoid death. Several characters were killed throughout the books, many of whom were loved ones of Harry and gave up their lives to save others. However, those who were fighting on Voldemort’s side were willing to do almost anything to stay alive. Voldemort 's fear of death fuels his evil ways and he violates the laws of nature in striving for immortality. To conquer death, Voldemort splits his soul into seven parts, hiding them in the treasures of his past greed. Harry can be seen as the stronger wizard because he is prepared for death, while Voldemort fears it. (Muggles’ Guide to Harry Potter)
Rowling has effectively portrayed Harry’s envious attitude towards death through his behavior and acts of chivalry. She was also successful in highlighting Harry’s boldness by contrasting his attitude with Voldemort’s fear of death.
Work Cited
Adama, Nick. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Book Review." Ezine Articles (2007): n. pag. Web. 22 Nov 2010. <http://ezinearticles.com/?Harry-Potter-and-the-Deathly-Hallows---Book-Review&id=657032>.
Los, Fraser. "Harry Potter and the nature of death: maturity, mystique and most of all mortality dominate this wildly popular septet." Alternatives Journal 34.1 (2008): 32+. Academic OneFile. Web. 19 Nov. 2010
"Muggles ' Guide to Harry Potter." Wikibooks n. pag. Web. 22 Nov 2010. <http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Muggles%27_Guide_to_Harry_Potter/Books/Deathly_Hallows/Themes>.
Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. 1. NY, USA: Scholastic Press, 1998. 309. Print.
Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. 6. NY, USA: Arthur A. Levine Books, 2005. 652. Print.
Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. 7. NY, USA: Scholastic Inc, 2007. 759. Print.
Cited: Adama, Nick. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Book Review." Ezine Articles (2007): n. pag. Web. 22 Nov 2010. <http://ezinearticles.com/?Harry-Potter-and-the-Deathly-Hallows---Book-Review&id=657032>. Los, Fraser. "Harry Potter and the nature of death: maturity, mystique and most of all mortality dominate this wildly popular septet." Alternatives Journal 34.1 (2008): 32+. Academic OneFile. Web. 19 Nov. 2010 "Muggles ' Guide to Harry Potter." Wikibooks n. pag. Web. 22 Nov 2010. <http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Muggles%27_Guide_to_Harry_Potter/Books/Deathly_Hallows/Themes>. Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. 1. NY, USA: Scholastic Press, 1998. 309. Print. Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. 6. NY, USA: Arthur A. Levine Books, 2005. 652. Print. Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. 7. NY, USA: Scholastic Inc, 2007. 759. Print.
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