Soccer Dad

In our latest hpprogs podcast (gosh I sound like a loser) I found a way to keep with Greg's theory but keep Harry alive. Fret not.

I have opined many times that Harry and his two closest friends, Ron and Hermione, will not die, chiefly for the same reason you state. Otherwise all bets are off.

I really don't know what to make of the book title though. But here's an interesting comment from the discussion board on amazon.com:

"In Celtic Britain, Hallows were sacred objects. In Arthurian/Avalonian legend, the Hallows are the Cup (Grail), Sword (Excalibur), Spear, and Dish/Plate (neatly aligning with tarot suits as well). I would assume that the Deathly Hallows would refer to the objects (hallowed items) Voldemort has made into horcruxes and that Harry has to go hunt down."

BTW, I was right about there being an almost immediate IMDB entry for a HPATDH movie, targeted for 2010!

I've considered the idea that "deathly hallows" refers to the horcruxes, but aren't those very unholy?

I like your analysis of the titles vs. their signficance in the book. I was thinking something along those lines recently. Are you familiar with the concept of a McGuffin? I was going to discuss whether or not each of the things mentioned in the title's were or were not McGuffins.

Hiya!

OK...I think that Snape and Voldemort be dealt with in book 7. But I think that Voldemort will not die but merely be discorporate, as in the first book.

I also think there's a strong possibility that Harry may have a `demise' similar to Sherlock Holmes', where his fate is uncertain. This leaves the way open for Rowling to write more Harry Potter books should she get the urge to bring him back, which may very well happen. As it did with AC Doyle and Holmes.

The `deathly hallows', to me, obvious refers to a place that Harry will have to get to so he can destroy the remaining horcruxes.

Ron and Hermione look like they're on the way to hooking up, so I don't see them dying.

I also see Dumbledore coming back into the story as an advisor, either as a ghost or a picture.

We'll see, eh?

It's kind of amusing that you wouldn't post the title in the post, but that we're supposed to discuss the title :) (I'm an ass, I know).

I actually took a darker meaning from the title -- Dictionary.com's second definition for "hallow" is "To respect or honor greatly; revere." Given the "deathly", I thought it would be a reference to a heroic sacrificial death taken by one of the characters towards the defeat of Voldemort. Then again, I might just be a little morbid.

Freedom Fighter: I actually hope we don't see Dumbledore return, even as a flashback. It seems to me that doing that would negate his death in the previous book, in which case, what was the point of killing him off? It's like the end of Star Trek Nemesis, where Data sacrifices himself, and then his "brother" starts accessing Data's personality, as an opening to bring the character back. Cheap ploy!

Peninah - please let me know. (I'm not - currently - a podcast person.) I don't yet have an iPod or MP3 player, living or dead.

Elie - thanks for the definition.

Greg - as I e-mailed you, I was thinking sacred more as enchanted, though that's not an obvious way of interpreting sacred.

Freedom Fighter - I can accept Voldemort getting decarnated or whatever. But I think it's much more likely that his defeat will have to be permanent.
I don't believe that JK Rowling will write any Harry Potter after the series is over. I don't think that she'll kill Harry at all.
She's also been pretty clear that Dumbledore is really dead and that he's not coming back. I suppose, as you suggest, that he can help through his image in pictures and whatnot though.

Malnurtured Snay - I left the title out for those who still might want to play hangman and haven't heard the title yet. I expect that most sentient being know the title, but not using it is a formality.
Your idea is right in line with what Presence wrote at Harry Potter Prognostications.

I think it is time you become an iPod person (hint to to your wife for the next birthday perhaps?!?). In any event, It is really a very simplistic thought on my part but if Greg is correct about the DH being the spell or ritual that Lily performed in order to be able to die for Harry, and if Harry decides to perform that for the world (however that will happen)- I think he is going to go through a lot of soul searching, and will decide to go through with it- but ultimately someone else (perhaps Snape or Draco) will stand in front of him (literally or figuratively) and do it instead of him and he will live.

Just my thought.