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JULY 18, 2006 at 9:25 AM
Posted by GERI
Source: Newswise via Yahoo! News
A few weeks ago Harry Potter author JK Rowling appeared on the Richard & Judy show and announced to the world that two more characters have died than she originally planned in the last book. Fans have been grappling with who is going to die for weeks, and now James Krasner, professor of English and British Victorian literature at the University of New Hampshire insists
that Harry will not be killed off in the last book.
According to Prof. Krasner:
There's no way Harry will die. Harry won't die largely because these are comic stories, like Dickens' novels, in which good has to win.
Whenever an author's books become very popular in his or her lifetime, as is the case with Rowling, a tug of war starts between the author and the fans about who the characters really belong to. Rowling, like Conan Doyle (creator of Sherlock Holmes), is trying to assert her control. She’s reminding us that Harry is her character, not ours; she can kill him if she wants to. Doyle actually did kill off Sherlock Holmes, but Rowling won’t go that far because she cares about Harry. Conan Doyle was really sick of Holmes.
Krasner also points out:
Rowling caused a media sensation when she said a "major character" would die in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Rumors targeted Harry’s best friend, Ron Weasley, but in the end, it was it was Sirius Black, who Krasner says "was an important supporting character, but not really a major character like Ron."
Krasner's thoughts on who will die in the last book:
Lord Voldemort has to die. And Snape, who is really fighting for good despite all appearances, will likely die. Neville Longbottom is really the chosen one, so I suspect he'll die.
UPDATE: So far, most of you agree with him. In our ongoing death poll (now with over 20,000 responses), 60% say Harry will survive the series.
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Squib
Points: 112
Ginnyish3890 says:
WOW! I hope he is right i dont want Harry to die in the last book but i hope Neville does not die either but i hope for the best.
Posted Jul 18, 2006 at 11:52 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 4th Class
Points: 1270
SlytherinHeiress says:
Sirius is not a major character but "an important supporting character." ??? There is no way this man has read the books closely enough. How could one make the statement that Harry's godfather, the closest thing to a father he has ever had, is a "supporting character?" In my opinion, Sirius was as important to Harry as Ron, Hermione or Dumbledore, if not more. But this man does have a point about Harry's death. I have been straddling the fence for a while on that one, but after reading what he said (it does make a lot of sense), I am leaning towards the idea that Harry will not die.
Posted Jul 18, 2006 at 12:00 PM EST
Head Girl
Points: 466
Claire Bear luvs Potter says:
I'm quite certain that this professor has no idea what he's talking about. Harry will die. End of story.
Posted Jul 18, 2006 at 12:03 PM EST
Witch
Points: 717
speckledtoad says:
SlytherinHeiress, I was just about to writ esomething along similar lines, but after seeing your post, it would be redundant :) I'll add that what he said sums up my feelings about Harry living or dying (JKR won't kill him off)- well, the first part at least.
Posted Jul 18, 2006 at 12:05 PM EST
Half-Blood Prince
(Moderator)
Points: 942
Professor Scoots says:
The professor quoted in the interview makes some good points, but I don't think I agree that Neville is in fact the chosen one. I believe Harry is, as Voldemort selected him (as stated by DD).
Otherwise, I don't think Jo's recent quotes makes it any more or less likely that Harry is whether Harry will survive. She had this planned from the beginning and so these new deaths are most likely supporting characters. I suspect that obviously Voldemort has to die (which is the planned death from the beginning), and that the new deaths are Snape (as he has taken steps that Jo had not foreseen since she started writing the books) and then one other person... it could be Neville or really anyone (maybe Wormtail as he owes Harry).
Well that's my 2 knuts,
Posted Jul 18, 2006 at 12:08 PM EST
Lady of Godric's Hollow
Points: 5292
GodricsGirl says:
[i}Neville Longbottom is really the chosen one, so I suspect he'll die.[/i]
Er.... pardon moi, but has he ever read the books? Neville COULD HAVE been the chosen one, but he isn't. Everyone who's ever read the books or listened to J.K. knows this.
Althoug I think his theory about Snape is plausible I also believe one of the Weasleys will fall. I mean, Molly has lost two brothers and numerous cousins. She should have known that with all those children the odds of her losing one would be great. My theory.... Voldemort(of course), Lupin, and Ginny. Lupin because he is the last true Marauder and closest tie to James (Pettigrew doesn't count, he was always just a hanger on as Sirius explained) and Ginny because she is very probably the love of Harry's life.
Posted Jul 18, 2006 at 12:10 PM EST
Auror
Points: 2231
Harry's Detour says:
Very interesting comments. WHy does he think Neville "is really the chosen one"? After all, Harry and DD discussed this in HBP--Harry is the chosen one because LV marked him so. I think the professor's comments are interesting just the same.
Posted Jul 18, 2006 at 12:10 PM EST
Prefect
Points: 308
Eklypse says:
I do not like this Krasner professor person at all. He's all preachin that he knows who's gonna die and who's not: Well I got information for you buddy!!! Jo's the only one who knows who's really going to die, and like she'd ever follow predictions of a brainless idiot with his pants in a bunch!!! All of us fans have tried it before, predicting what's going to happen in the book,and the only thing it got us is sweet sites like these, endless headaches, and occasional correct guesses. I do not think a proffessor will know better than we do. Jo has made it a rule to go against the grain in her books, making them completely different than others of the same type. This Krasner is making it sound like the books will end in the perfect Disney fairy tale ending. I can almost guarantee it won't. Because if the book was a Disney fairytale-ish book, Sirius and Dumbledore wouldn't have died. >:-(
On another note: Has anybody thought about who might die in the last book??
Also: I like what SlytherinHeiress said about Sirius being an "important character".
Posted Jul 18, 2006 at 12:12 PM EST
Witch
Points: 627
~DetailedDragon~ says:
Well he had me until he said that Nevile was "The Chosen One" and then i was like... "This dude is crazy!" J.K. has already told us Harry was the chosen one. DUH! DO U EVEN READ THE BOOKS?!?! I hope Harry lives though! If he doesn't....
I will mourn for years and years...
That guy needs to reread the books. Seriously. Then he can give us his theorys, because then he will know Harry is the chosen one not Nevile.
Posted Jul 18, 2006 at 12:15 PM EST
Professor
Points: 1063
Ginny511 says:
Wow.......well isn't REALLY from Jo herself so i don't think all this is true i guess we all just have to wait!
Posted Jul 18, 2006 at 12:18 PM EST
Student
Points: 210
llama_llama_duck says:
I think neville might die too, but Neville isn't the chosen one, and i don't think that's why he would die.
Posted Jul 18, 2006 at 12:18 PM EST
Wizard
Points: 906
*The*Physical*Being* says:
Oh my gosh, my brain is buzzing now.
Um, hello? Neville cannot tbe the chosen one, how many times has this been debated over?
Anyway Doyle brought Sherlock Holmes back to life due to the uprooar of his fan-base.
Posted Jul 18, 2006 at 12:19 PM EST
Wizard
Points: 677
Bill' says:
This professor Krasner doesn't know anything about JK Rowling.
And I mean who thought that Albus Dumbledore's going to die in the sixth? He was one of the most important character too and I don't JK was sick of him. The same with Sirius.
If I remember well Albus said, it is sure that Harry is chosen one and not Neville, I don't think that JK 'll write the opposite in the next book. And JK said that two people MORE are going to die in the next book than she thought at the beginning and not there are 2 people who are going to die.
Bye
Posted Jul 18, 2006 at 12:20 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 4th Class
Points: 1383
Tabitha Black says:
wow interesing...I wonder if he's right...well there's no way to really know for sure what JKR is going to do in book 7. One can only wait and see...
Posted Jul 18, 2006 at 12:26 PM EST
Student
Points: 247
Sir Col Col says:
Interesting speculation, but I am convinced that Harry will die. Personnally I think that's the only way he can reunite with his parents. Anyway, doesn't it seem very morbid the way Jo is saying "Oh yeah, two other people died," casually as though that's just the way things went? It's like book seven will be held in a slaughterhouse.
Posted Jul 18, 2006 at 12:27 PM EST
Points: 102
nadav says:
And I know a literature expert who thinks he will die. I don't think anyone (besides JKR and her editor) really knows.
Posted Jul 18, 2006 at 12:29 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 3rd Class
Points: 1506
Paint Horse says:
I'm totally confused about who may die, or survive, but I really think Harry will live to tell the tail.
Posted Jul 18, 2006 at 12:31 PM EST
Points: 8027
deemz says:
I think Harry will die, it's better of that way, plus JKR books, not that dude!
Posted Jul 18, 2006 at 12:32 PM EST
Points: 865
superduperpotter says:
I hope harry survives. If he does J.K might want to write another couple of books after the seventh to tell us how everyone is living now that Lord Voldemort has gone forever.
Posted Jul 18, 2006 at 12:33 PM EST
Witch
Points: 642
Fairy Foozle says:
I don't think JKR will kill Harry but not nessisarily for those reasons... It's fine for him to have and opinion but that doesn't nessisarily mean he's right.
Posted Jul 18, 2006 at 12:35 PM EST
Witch
Points: 684
HermioneandRon says:
I like everything he said until i got to the Nevil part. If he read the books he would know that Nevil is not the choosen one and Dumbledor makes that really clear when explaining that to Harry in the sixth book. Harry is definatly the chossen one, there is no need to question that. And the part of Nevil dying he won't because he is going to grow up and become a herbolgy teacher at Hogwarts. JK has already hinted something like that happening.
Posted Jul 18, 2006 at 12:40 PM EST
Witch
Points: 718
lonelyzephyr83 says:
I too paused when I got to the "Neville is the chosen one" part, but I kind of wonder if he was taken out of context or misquoted, but even if he got that wrong, then I still think the guy isn't some nut or idiot, he's not making statements on what whim he thinks is going to happen in the next novel. He's basing his opinions off of what has come before, trends and standards that basically rule literature. That doesn't mean that he's right though, because Rowling doesn't have to do what has been done before. However, this is risky, because deviating from what is common can always cause people to turn against you. That said, it is the last book, so she could turn a blind eye to that idea and do whatever she wants.
I just don't think it's right to blast this guy just because his last few statements seemed to come out of nowhere, because we all know that people are misquoted in newspapers all the time. The rest of what he said is right based on his area of expertise, no matter how it sounds to us.
Posted Jul 18, 2006 at 12:43 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 3rd Class
Points: 1485
_sapphire_ says:
OH MY GOSH! I've been saying this all along. Gosh, I should be a freaking english professor! Wow, now when Mrs. Bigshot says is, everyone believes it :D Well, I'm upset but the lady has valid valid points.
Posted Jul 18, 2006 at 12:45 PM EST
Dark Mark Caster
Points: 7648
FireboltFlyr says:
HAHAHAHAHAHA! That's the dumbest Professor EVER! Did he not read the books?? It clearly said that the Dark Lord picked Harry to be the Chosen One...Neville got really lucky.
So just becuz Harry is good he can't die? That makes NO sense...good characters die all the time...doesn't mean evil always wins (which it should becuz it's more entertaining) Harry is good, and evil will get the best of him and eventually kill him...
So boo-hoo if JKR kills Harry, it's HER story...let her frickin write it.
Posted Jul 18, 2006 at 12:46 PM EST
Points: 26
StarBeamBaby says:
Ok, I actually go to UNH and have taken the 19th Century British Novels class with Professor Krasner, and, while I don't neccessarily agree with him on some of these points (like the part about Neville), I can assure you that he HAS read the books carefully, and usually knows what he's talking about when it comes to literature. During one class he did discuss HP, and his theories on what is going to happen but, more importantly, WHY he thinks that way. Basically, until this point, the HP novels have all followed the archetype of the British school boy novel, and, IF JKR continues to follow this method, Harry likely won't die. It's a big IF though; personally I don't know what I think about the concept of Harry's death, other than it's a possibility.
Posted Jul 18, 2006 at 12:46 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 4th Class
Points: 1303
PotterGirlThru&Thru says:
I agree with the professor for the most part of his guesses, I think he is wrong only in saying that Neville is the Chosen One... DD explained this to Harry: Voldemort chose him instead of Neville, and this makes Harry the one the prophecy talks about.
But I agree that JKR is very fond of Harry, and she won't kill himn off...
Posted Jul 18, 2006 at 12:48 PM EST
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