Essay

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Student Name

Dr. Harrison

English 218

18 December 2020

Of Life and Loss in the Harry Potter Series

Life is ever changing, and death is a part of life whether it is welcome or not. It comes in

all shapes and sizes; It can destroy or build, discourage or embolden, weaken or strengthen.

Sometimes it is the loss of something of value, or the death of a phase in one’s life. Sometimes

death itself eases the dying process with a visit from those we have loved and lost. No matter

how it occurs, there are many ways of coping and offering support. Support is also given to those

who choose death – whether it be to end one’s own suffering or as a sacrifice to end the suffering

of others. The notion of death and dying reveals that loss is unavoidable; however, it shapes

character, influences decisions, and defines one’s humanity.

Loss is most often associated with something valuable being taken away. It is not

something one would normally hope to experience. However, some losses are beneficial, and

some terrible losses give both good lessons and consequences as well as negative remnants. In

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Harry is just beginning to embark on the journey and

change of his life. He is now suddenly exposed to a world that he was shielded from for most of

his childhood. It is a fascinating change from his usual, least abnormal life that was forced upon

him by his magic-hating aunt and uncle. He will now start his adventures – his trials and

tribulations – which involve learning about how to continue developing despite suffering losses.

From an early age, Harry loses his parents. He must then grow up without that

comforting foundation and must find said security elsewhere. For the majority of his childhood,

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he knew nothing of his parents. His aunt and uncle would not mention them, and if they did it

was not in a positive way (Rowling Philosopher's Stone 58). It became obvious to readers that

these individuals are not polite folk and are not fond of the magical world that Harry was

originally born into. There are bitter feelings, and Harry was a convenient target for their

negativity. Fortunately, on Harry's eleventh birthday, he receives a letter from Hagrid that will

change his life. Harry discovers he is a wizard (55) . This is a big plus on Harry, but just as it is a

good thing, it is also a loss. He begins to lose his lack of independence and ignorance. He also

loses his protection from the dangers he will inevitably face by living in a world where he is the

number one target of the most evil Dark Lord. This means he will have to be mature and

strategic from a young age. Harry will have to learn how to defend himself using powers that, up

until that year, he never even knew could exist. He will also be thrust into an environment where

he is immensely famous. He goes from being outright neglected to being looked and marveled at

by everyone. These are big changes and big losses. Harry loses his ignorance to the world that he

belongs in, but he also gains a new outlook on life and a fresh start.

Just as in Harry's case, there are also other students who show development through loss.

Neville is first described as meek and awkward. He is shown as clumsy and somewhat

dimwitted: "[Neville] fell over on his way to the stool (….) Neville ran off still wearing [the

Sorting Hat] and had to jog back amid gales of laughter" (129). However, behind his not-so-

heroic exterior, he develops in character and finally brings out his real inner strength. He is

bullied throughout his time in school and even at home, and despite being sorted into Gryffindor

he appeared to lack certain Gryffindor traits such as bravery and boldness.

According to Jennifer S. Silk et. al. in their article "“You can do it!”: The role of parental

encouragement of bravery in child anxiety treatment," it is very difficult for children in

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unmotivating environments to develop thick skin. If they are not encouraged to improve

personally and are not given the chance to improve, they will most likely not do so. They write,

"For example, children who are more anxious may be less likely to elicit or generate

encouragement from their parents as a result of transactional processes" (Silk et. al.). At his

home, he was not given the means and situations to become stronger. He didn't have a group of

friends to offer support. Eventually, he grows closer to Harry, Ron, and Hermione, who do give

him support (sometimes unknowingly). Neville later catches on to the trio's plans of going out at

night to get to the Philosopher's stone, and instead of not doing anything, he decides to confront

them. "'I won't let you do it,' he said (…) 'I'll – I'll fight you!'" (292). Neville experiences a now

growing loss of cowardice. He stands up against his own friends – people who have accepted

him when, his whole life, he was not seen as good enough. For all he knew, he was losing three

good friends that night. This does not deter him from doing what he thinks is the right thing to

do. As much as the trio wizened up at this point Neville did as well.

Ron, from the start of the series, displays evident signs of bravery. He may experience a

loss of dignity from his upbringing, having come from a poorer family seen as blood traitors

(115-116). He also happens to be the best friend of the boy who lived, which takes away the

spotlight from him. He may have shown signs of boldness and impulsiveness, but his true heart

and bravery shown when he was about to sacrifice himself for Harry's sake. "'That's chess!'

Snapped Ron. 'You've got to make some sacrifices!'" (304). It is amazing how willingly these

children have faced death, But this moment really cuts it. Ron truly believed that this was his

end, but he was very graceful of his death. Ron looked at the chess piece and called forward his

own knight, knowing what fate awaited him. He truly cherishes Harry and Hermione's

friendships, and he willingly went up to face his own demise for Harry's sake. He is a good

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friend and a brave character who shows courage and will face his fears. He willingly looked

death in the face when older and more powerful wizards could not.

Going back to Harry, by the end of the book, becomes more aware of the dangers that

this new world has to offer. He also gets glimpses into who his parents were. Upon looking into

the Mirror of Erised, he sees his smiling parents looking back at him. He begins to yearn for

them and spend hours immersed looking into said mirror (231). Harry is also aware that their

reflections are not real, but having to cope with the reality and their loss is difficult when he was

able to get a taste of what it could have been like. When having to give something up, sometimes

it can be so valuable that coping may be difficult. It is possible, damaging as it may be.

According to Ronald Paul Hill, it is possible for children who are not raised in stable homes to

find closures. But it is also common for them to dream of better lives, naturally. In his research

paper, "Homeless children: coping with material losses," he observes what it is that children

want when faced with living situations similar to Harry's.

Fortunately, attempts at self-restoration appear to be common among these

homeless children. They typically integrate quickly into the shelter environment,

make close friends with the other children, and develop parent-child relationships

with the sisters and volunteers. Further, the children often use fantasy to help

them cope with losses. In their dreams/reveries they conquer or are saved from

sources of terror in their make-believe surroundings, are reunited with lost but

cherished possessions, and acquire homes with their own rooms that contain items

under their direct control (Ronald Paul Hill).

Harry also displays behaviors similar to these children. Their fantasies are not grandiose; rather,

they are simple and longing. In Harry's case, he has nightmares of losing his parents. Thus, he

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imagines what it would be like had they not been killed, had he been a "normal" kid. This is a

kind of loss that leaves negative remnants behind. It is going to leave permanent wounds, but

having good friends and adult support can heal some of the pain. For example, Hagrid is a good

father substitute for Harry. He takes him out shopping, he buys Harry Hedwig, and he brings

Harry a cake. He fills in where his own father could not.

When having to face death and pain, it can be easy to curl into a ball or to run from the losses.

But sometimes, it is more beneficial to face the uncertainty because, deep inside, everyone has a

flower blossoming inside of them. For it to truly grow, it must be fed. Harry truly began to

blossom from everything he endured in his first year alone. Neville quickly went from being a

coward to confronting his closest friends. And Ron went to a chess duel knowing the

consequences can lead to his untimely demise. After experiencing a loss, an individual can either

learn from it or continue to go through it. Sometimes it is an unavoidable loss and cannot be

lived past, but it can give the sufferer a chance to become stronger from the event.

Death does not always mark the end of the life of someone or something; death can

symbolically mark the end of a phase and beginning of another. As such, death and dying has a

literal and figurative meaning that can describe the end of someone or something. From Harry

Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Dumbledore explained to Harry, “'Phoenixes burst into flame

when it is time for them to die and are reborn from the ashes'” (Rowling 219). The phoenix is

symbolic in Greek and Roman mythology as being a creature that is able to be reborn. The

phoenix is also alike to Hinduism and Buddhism in that death is not the end and a perso-n is

reincarnated to begin a new cycle in attempts to obtain enlightenment. While Harry explains to

Ron about how the Basilisk kills, Harry tells Ron that “'the Basilisk kills people by looking at

them. But no one’s died – because no one looked it straight in the eye'” (Rowling 307).

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Although all the victims saw the Basilisk indirectly, they were still petrified due to the Basilisk’s

gaze. The only person that actually died was Moaning Myrtle due to staring directly into the

eyes of the Basilisk. Petrification is similar to being in a vegetative state. Victims are seen to be

as stiff as stone. Victims are alive but are unconscious, with the state being similar to hospital

patients who are in a coma being kept alive on life support. This can be akin to living in a

perpetual hell. When Harry stabbed Tom Riddle’s diary with the Basilisk’s fangs, “There was a

long, dreadful, piercing scream. Ink spurted out of the dairy in torrents, streaming over Harry’s

hands, flooding the floor. Riddle was writhing and twisting, screaming and failing and then…

He had gone” (Rowling 340). This quote marks an important part in the eventual demise of

Voldemort as it destroys an unknown link to Voldemort’s power. Throughout Harry Potter and

the Chamber of Secrets, there are many different versions of death occurring; whether it be a loss

of life or a change in the individual’s life.

There are many real world examples of death not marking the end of life and marking the

beginning of the next phase of life. Buddhism, a religion considered to be the fourth largest in

the world, includes text regarding reincarnation. As stated by Buddha Dharma Education

Association & BuddhaNet, “The Buddha taught according to the mental and spiritual capacity of

each individual. For the simple village folks living during the time of the Buddha, the doctrine

of reincarnation was a powerful moral lesson” (BuddhaNet). Not only did reincarnation provide

good moral lessons, it was a means of understanding the unknowns of what happened after

death. For the simple village folks mentioned, this meant doing things that were morally right so

that they would not end up reincarnating into one of the many animals that their village ate.

From this, it can be seen that death has many different meanings.

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Death can have many different interpretations. Death can be an analogy for ceasing

activities on various levels in the body whether it be the overall body or a specific vital organ.

As seen in the wizarding world one of the many tragic events to happen is when victims are

petrified to near death. According to Oxford Dictionary petrification is, “an organic object

which has been turned to stone” or “a state of such extreme fear that one is unable to move”

(Oxford). In real life, victims have had similar experience going through traumatic events

putting them into a coma or vegetative state. In addition to this, people can put themselves into

this state voluntarily for spiritual reasons. This can be seen with Buddhist monks who utilize

thukdam. As stated in the National Geographic article on how science is redefining life and

death, “thukdam is where the biological signs of life have ceased yet the body appears fresh and

intact for a week or more” (Henig). In both of these instances, the definition of living revolves

around having brain activity while death equating to the brain ceasing any activity. In addition

to brain activity, the article also mentions oxygen’s role on the grey border between life and

death, nothing that “[oxygen is] essential to life” (Henig). With this, the exact moment of death

is determined by absence of oxygen cycling through the body. Society’s interpretation of death

can be based on many factors whether it be religious or scientific.

Life and death is not always so clear cut. The boundary can be blurred by supernatural

experiences. As stated in the National Geographic article, “in the gray zone, death isn’t

necessarily permanent, life can be hard to define, and some people cross over that great divide

and return—sometimes describing in precise detail what they saw on the other side” (Henig).

This would be considered as “coming back from the dead” that many patients may have during a

near death experience. In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, there are many ghosts that

defy the boundaries between life and death. One of these is Moaning Myrtle. She was one of

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the many unfortunate victims of the Basilisk. However, she remains in the world of the living,

interacting with them on occasion. An example of this would be her conversation with Harry

about her death, “'Ooooh it was dreadful’, she said with relish. It happened right in here. I died

in this very cubical. I remember it so well. I’d hidden because Olive Hornby was teasing me

about my glasses. The door was locked, and I was crying, and then I heard somebody come in.

They said something funny, a different language, I think it must have been. Anyway, what really

got me was that it was a boy speaking. So I unlocked the door to tell him to go and use his own

toilet, and then... I died'" (Rowling 316). This is similar to many paranormal experiences that

people are said to have where the dead are interacting with the living. With the divider between

both worlds blurred, it can be seen that life and death can interact freely.

Death has many interpretations based on how and where it is viewed from. In the world

of Harry Potter, the dead are often times not truly gone but in the next stage of their life; all the

while interacting with the living in various ways. In the real world, we try to rationalize death in

various ways to define it and in essence try to find what death truly is. Death is not the end but

the beginning of spiritual journey to the unknown.

While it might be seemingly obvious that coping skills vary and are different per person

for the most part, it is interesting to take note of how loss and death are viewed on an individual

basis. What do we consider as a big loss? A small one? An altogether insignificant one that feels

significant at the moment? It really gives a nod to the character themselves how they deal with

losses and what they themselves view as losses. After all, coping over a small loss in the same

way one copes with a bigger one is unnatural. In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban,

Harry must further deal with his shortcomings in life and face the threat posed to him by

someone he considered a traitor and, ultimately, the reason that his parents were discovered by

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Voldemort. But what about other characters as well? Do they experience losses? How do they

cope? What do they even believe is loss enough to show their hidden feelings for?

From the beginning of Prisoner of Azkaban, the Dursleys have Vernon's sister, Marge,

over. It quickly becomes clear that she is worse than the Dursleys. For the sake of the topic of

death and loss, it would be well to pay attention to the way in which Marge deems the worth of

someone. "'This one's got a mean, runty look about him. You get that with dogs. I had Colonel

Fubster drown one last year. Ratty little thing it was. Weak. Underbred'" (Rowling Prisoner of

Azkaban 30). To her, loss is comparable to dogs. A person's value is similar to that of a dog.

Harry is the runt, thus he is the least of value. His loss is not as valuable as Dudley's in Marge's

opinion and in her mind. However, in the world of magic that Harry truly belongs to, his death

and absence would be a colossal loss to the wizard community.

Marge's personality is a very toxic one, and she takes the insults toward Harry too far. He

becomes fed up with the abuse and neglect in the house and decides to leave. "And next moment,

he was out in the dark, quiet street, heavy trunk behind him, Hedwig's cage under his arm" (32).

Based on the research of Pauline J. McLoughlin, the background of homeless youths is often

based around stress or neglect. "Regardless of housing trajectories, young people’s accounts of

how they came to be ‘outside the parental home’ at an early age were especially centered on the

divorce or separation of parents, and stressful, alienating or unpredictable relationships within

parental home(s)" (McLoughlin). Much like today's homeless, couch surfing youth, Harry no

longer wants to deal with the neglect he faces. He runs from home and even casts magic against

wizarding law, risking his future in the world where he finds acceptance.

His pain and anger toward the loss of his parents and toward the unfair and cruel

treatment he received at the Dursleys caused him to act in ways that are not in the norm for him.

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His loss of a home leads to a future of uncertainty, one which he prefers over the situation he was

in before. He was willing to lose his place in Hogwarts, in wizarding society, in order to escape

the situation he was under. His actions prove how much he wanted his parents to live, how much

he had respect and love for them. He perceived their deaths as unjust, and since his family

treated his parents negatively even after death, he reacted more severely to them. And as much as

Harry resents their deaths, Marge is not saddened by it; she is actually inconvenienced and sees

their deaths as a good riddance. Their opposing viewpoints show the variability of coping

methods and portray how differently two people can see the same deaths.

On the ride to Hogwarts, Dementors are introduced. According to Remus Lupin, they are

creatures that "glory in decay and despair (…) get too near a dementor and every good feeling,

every happy memory, will be sucked out of you" (Rowling 197). Dementors symbolize

depression and human sadness. After the trio's initial encounter with a dementor in the Hogwarts

train booth, Harry becomes more aware of the fact that the Dementors elicit stronger reactions

from him than from the others. His powerful reaction makes him more self-conscious of his

emotions. "'Harry didn't understand. He felt weak and shivery (…) but he also felt the beginnings

of shame. Why had he gone to pieces like that, when no one else had?'" (Rowling 91). Harry

feels shame at experiencing such emotional responses. He compares his reaction of his deepest

sadness and negative experiences to those of his friends. His past is far more toll-taking and

devastating. Ginny can come close to that from the experiences she endured the year prior, but

that is as close as she can get. Harry does not realize that his feelings are not abnormal, not a sign

of weakness. But because he compared his losses to those of others who did not experience them

the same way he did, he hides his feelings (or tries to).

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Colin Murray Parkes, writer for British Medical Journal, published a study on the

concepts of loss and hiding certain losses because of shame. He writes, in his study "Facing

loss",

"Hidden losses arise when (…) the loss is associated with feelings of shame or

inadequacy (…) When a loss is very gradual or imperceptible, or the person has been

born with a disfigurement or disability of which they only gradually become aware, they

often succeed in ignoring or minimizing the implications of the loss."

Harry tends to take in this form of coping. He is averse to showing his inner emotions. People

will often confuse his feelings or not understand how he feels and will not know how to

approach him with his problems. Harry feels the need to play the act of a strong person, which he

is. However, Lupin advises him not to be ashamed of how he feels.

When Harry actually looks into his memories for joy and confidence, he is finally able to

produce a Patronus. He might have experienced major losses in his time, but he also managed to

gain lasting bonds from friends that he made. Unlike Voldemort or Dementors, Harry is able to

experience love, which helps him cope during hard times. He witnesses several losses and deaths

in his time; all the same, he comes out stronger than before.

When one thinks of loss and death there are usually negative connotations that follow,

such as grief and bereavement, especially when this occurs in childhood. Though as hard as such

times are they can also result in a strong character change for the positive and better. This is also

more evident when the background and environment around the person is taken into account.

This level of harsh growth is demonstrated in J.K. Rowling's magical Harry Potter and the

Goblet of Fire. Harry experiences this loss and death and though both are unpleasant in the cycle

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of life, he tackles them knowing they are part of a cycle and challenges the threat they pose in his

new year at Hogwarts.

The key highlight that makes every kid’s day when he or she goes to school is getting

to see the friends they have made and grown used to that sort of company. But nothing can take

the cake more than when you think you will lose your friend when he says, “‘Yeah?’ said Ron,

and there was no trace of a grin, forced or otherwise, on his face now. ‘You want to get to bed,

Harry, I expect you’ll need to be up early tomorrow for a photo call or something’" (242). Ron is

expressing his disdain and hidden hate for the fact that his best friend got chosen as a Triwizard

Champion rather than him. But it is so much more than that as he feels even more insignificant

considering how the audience already knows how special Harry is at this juncture, and the

Triwizard Cup may have been his only chance, had he a chance, to shine as brightly as his

friend. This is the first big argument we see between the males and while Harry may have lost a

friend temporarily, it was not without reason since Ron lost confidence and feeling of importance

or equality. There is probably loss of trust as well as Ron is deeply offended that Harry would

not tell him how he managed to stick his name in the goblet of fire. Now, though the friendship

is still there it is in the process of dying, neither fully alive nor gone completely. And

retrospectively, “‘You’re doing a really good impression of it,’ Harry snapped” (242), is the

retort that Harry makes when Ron mentions that he is not stupid. Now the roles are flipped and

Harry is the one who feels like that trust is gone since his best friend will not believe him. Kids

of their age, in the teens, tend to not be so open about each feeling they experience - especially

painful ones. They try to be tough, swallow the desire to confide in someone and bury such

feelings beneath anger and dissociative habits. Kids this age when displaying this type of

behavior tend to take it less to heart and more in the moment which heightens the anger.

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Anger of course though is a powerful outlet and means of ventilation, while also not assuming

that person does not feel anything remotely close to grief, stated in,

Losses are so painful and frightening that many young children – able to endure

strong emotions for only brief periods – alternately approach and avoid their

feelings so as not to be overwhelmed. Because these emotions may be expressed

as angry outbursts or misbehavior, rather than as sadness, they may not be

recognized as grief-related. (Institute)

It states that grief is displayed second to something like anger and misbehaving. But in reality

not everybody is willing to be so open with the fact that they are in a state of grieving. Some are

shy and reserved, some believe they are weak for it; and so those who believe in such an idea

will most likely turn to a more aggressive and violent approach. Calling out for help and leaning

on others becomes an alienated concept while pushing away becomes second nature to the

person.

Though life is full of adversities and grief overcoming them becomes second nature and

one grows stronger with each passing event of such kind. Bully activist Ally Del Monte shares a

video blog about her bullying experience with one of her viewers replying the video with,

"Continue to be strong and brave and stand up for yourself and others who are being bullied"

(Marcela Rojas). Ally faced bullied since her second grade time and it led to a suicidal attempt at

the age of thirteen many years later as this abuse never ceased. She refused to accept that she

needed help and ran away, thinking being sold out as a snitch would make it worse rather than

better. However it was with the suicide attempt that her mother got her therapy and help, as well

as monitoring online usage since a good portion was cyber bullying. She has since talked many

out of suicidal thought and helps them realize they can be brave and make it through this as it

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does get better. Though one is bullying and one is death, as seen here, "And then, before Harry's

mind had accepted what he was seeing, before he could feel anything but numb disbelief, he felt

himself being pulled to his feet."(537) Harry is stuck in the graveyard here after watching Cedric

Diggory fall dead on the floor and even though he is getting caught up in the ongoing mess, he

cannot deny what is before his eyes. It is obvious to the audience this event is very displeasing

but he does not turn or run away from it. He accepts it and chooses to face the upcoming

challenges with a strong head. In order to beat loss and overcome the challenges that follow, you

must be willing to tackle them on head first and keep moving forward as that is where real

character is developed.

Although dying and death are everyday occurrences, muggles and wizards alike struggle

with this concept of their mortality on earth and the mortality of the ones they love. During the

final Triwizard challenge, Harry experiences a traumatic event. He and Cedric are caught in the

wrong place at the wrong time, resulting in Voldemort murdering Cedric. As Harry looks back to

see Cedric’s lifeless body, he will never be the same. Michelle Palmer, author of Understanding

and Supporting Grieving Adolescents and Young Adults, discusses how adolescents of different

stages of growth need different forms of support during the time in which they process their loss.

Palmer states, “individual personality traits, including emotional reactivity/intensity, resilience,

adaptive functioning… grieving style… cause of death, time since the death, and relationship to

the deceased person, also impact the grief process”. After seeing such a gruesome death of a

fellow Hogwarts student, Harry learns that not everyone in the wizarding world believes in his

account of what happened in the maze. Therefore, Harry is left feeling secluded, confused, and

vulnerable. Unfortunately, Harry never receives the comfort and support he needs during his

holiday away from school on Privet Drive with the Dursleys.

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Supportive relationships are an important factor in how one processes the death of a

loved one. After the loss of his classmate, contact with peers and supportive adult figures is what

Harry needs the most. In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry feels isolated and

disconnected from his best friends, and his mentor Dumbledore. The whole summer passes by

void of meaningful communication which additionally influences Harry’s emotions and mental

processing of Cedric’s death. Harry tries to get Dumbledore’s attention, during the trial for his

continued education at Hogwarts, however, he cannot successfully make eye contact with him

“and without looking once at Harry, he swept from the dungeon… Dumbledore’s abrupt

departure took Harry completely by surprise” (139-140). Harry has been through so much to help

keep Hogwarts and its’ students safe, although, when Harry needed acknowledgement and

reassurance, he was not even given a moment of time. His ability to lean on Dumbledore for

support during his time of need is dwindling, and Harry does not have many other trusted adults

he can go to for help. In Unraveling: Betrayal and the Loss of Goodness in the Analytic

Relationship, Dianne Elise, Ph.D. explains how betrayal effects positive memories of someone

once trusted;

When one is betrayed by a loved one, good and bad come to reside in the same person

and one loses not only a loved person in one’s life, but a good object in one’s mind…

good and bad are inextricably intertwined… [imposing] a complex demand on the

process of grieving the loss of this trusted relationship.

In Harry’s eyes, he has been betrayed, what could he have possibly done to deserve the cold

shoulder from Dumbledore? Could Dumbledore believe Harry had something to do with

Cedric’s death? Because of Dumbledore’s absence in Harry’s life, Harry struggles with the idea

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of looking to authority figures for help and in turn becomes more independent on his journey

from young adolescence to young adulthood.

As humans evolve through the stages of life, they learn there is a time and place to stand

up for oneself and defend one’s reputation. Umbridge does not believe it is Harry’s place to plant

seeds of doubt, against the Ministry of Magic, into the young and impressionable minds of his

classmates. Harry knows, beyond a doubt, that the night Cedric died Voldemort returned to the

flesh from his mysterious disappearance. He emphasizes how important it is to be prepared for

the inevitably approaching war. For several nights, Harry does not go to his friends in confidence

about his punishments for talking back to Umbridge, but soon realizes they are all he has left.

“The most important influences in the life of an adolescent are [their] peer group and social

relationships… [they] will often tell their peers things they would never tell an adult, even a

trusted adult” (Palmer et al. 276). After allowing his friends in and coming clean about the

torture he has endured the past three nights of detention, they advise him to speak to Professor

Dumbledore, however, “He was not going to go to Dumbledore for help when [he] had not

spoken to him once since June” (253). In the past, Dumbledore, has always been a supportive

figure in Harry’s life, however, as more time and distance grows between them the less Harry

trusts Dumbledore with personal information. Harry prefers to internalize his cries for help after

his cold summer alone on Privet Drive. Most people do not know exactly how they would react

in a situation until they are face-to-face with a specific circumstance. Threats of potential loss

influence how an adolescent’s character will develop and strengthen over time, and whether to

ask for help from adults.

During a time of loss and uncertainty, there are characteristics which will lay dormant as

other parts of a person will be challenged to grow strong and flourish. Students at Hogwarts have

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their quality of education threatened when Professor Umbridge is appointed as the new Defence

Against the Dark Arts instructor. Hermione very openly expresses her feelings for her new

DADA instructor, “she’s an awful woman... we’ve got to do something about her… something

about what a dreadful teacher she is, and how we’re not going to learn any Defence from her at

all” (301). Hermione suggests that they gather a group of students who would like to learn

hands-on Defence techniques from Harry, as he has been through so much which has required

his sharpest defense skills against the dark arts and dark magic. Students of Hogwarts find

themselves drawn to Harry and his leadership skills, eager to learn what he must teach to in order

to stay protected against the Death Eaters and Voldemort. The students make a proactive choice

and take their education into their own hands to prepare for the battle against Voldemort. Harry

is not initially thrilled about taking on the role of DADA instructor to Dumbledore’s Army,

however, he rises to the occasion and proves to be a wonderful instructor.

Part of losing the innocence of childhood and growing older is learning what death and

pain mean in the grand scheme of things. Harry's belief of who his father was, is shattered, when

he discovers one of Professor Snape’s most stirring memories. “For nearly five years the thought

of his father had been a source of comfort and inspiration… And now… now he felt cold and

miserable at the thought of him” (603). Snape’s claim to James’ character have been proven to

be true, now, Harry must deal with the accumulation of dents in how he viewed his father. Harry

feels like every piece of his father that he can remember is a lie. It is a challenge to come to

terms with the reality, that his father was far more complex than he knew him to be. Shortly

after, Harry refuses to accept that he has also lost his godfather, Sirius, in the fight against the

Death Eaters. “… Some part of him realized… that Sirius had never kept him waiting before”

(743). Harry has grown to understand Sirius would always be there when Harry needed him.

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However, with unanswered cries for help, in this moment Harry knows he is no longer

accompanied by Sirius in his life. Sirius he has gone on to join his parents in their death.

Fortunately, this painful realization comes hand in hand with some of Dumbledore’s loving

incite;

There is no shame in what you are feeling, Harry… On the contrary… the fact that you

can feel pain like this is your greatest strength… suffering like this proves you are still a

man! This pain is a part of being human. (758)

Dumbledore has come through and reminds Harry of his humanity with much needed support

and validation. It is okay to feel such strong emotions and feelings of loss; it means there is love

for the lost. Love is the strongest magic of all, and it never leaves a heart that has been touched

with its power. Harry is told, “[his] mother’s sacrifice made the bond of blood the strongest

shield,” and with Dumbledore’s charm “[he] cannot be harmed by Voldemort” while he has a

home with his aunt Petunia (769-770). Even though Harry believes there is no love in his home

with the Dursleys, Harry would do well to remember that even with the loss of his parents and

godfather, Harry will have love wherever he goes, if he remembers the ones he loves.

Dumbledore is rather excellent at bestowing his wisdom in times of need. “You think the

dead we have loved ever truly leave us?” (Prisoner of Azkaban 454). The love shared between

family and friends can never be taken away. Because of the immortal power love holds, the

memory of loved ones will never be erased, even once death comes to remove their mortal

bodies from this earth.

Imagine not being able to reach for a smart phone or to walk into a classroom. Imagine

losing the ability to speak, to eat, to move, to breathe. Imagine living with and dying from a

terminal disease that robs one of his or her independence and dignity. By enacting Aid in Dying

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laws similar to those established in Oregon, Montana, Washington, Vermont, California,

Colorado, and Washington D.C., the whole of the United States will ensure that those terminally

ill individuals who have the desire to end their life, may effectively do so in a compassionate

manner.

To understand States’ laws, it is essential to define the terms Aid in Dying (AID) and

Euthanasia. The term Aid in Dying (AID) rather than the older term, Physician Assisted Suicide

(PAS), is the preferred terminology. Within the medical community, there are several terms with

regard to the end of life and the various processes associated with it. For clarity, J. Donald

Boudreau M.D., a respirologist and Acting Director of the McGill Centre for Medical Education,

and Margaret A. Somerville, a professor of law and founding director of the McGill Centre of

Medicine, Ethics and Law explain:

[In Aid in Dying], a physician, at the request of a competent patient, prescribes a

lethal quantity of medication, intending that the patient will use the chemicals to

commit suicide. In short, in assisted suicide, the person takes the death-inducing

product; in euthanasia, another individual administers it. Both are self-willed

deaths. The former is self-willed and self-inflicted; the latter is self-willed and

other inflicted. (2)

Understanding the pertinent medical terms is essential to understanding the various points of

view surrounding aiding in the death of a person suffering from a terminal disease.

An area of contention for some with regards to States passing AID laws is that doctors

should heal and not harm their patients. While the phrase 'first do no harm' is not actually part of

the Hippocratic Oath taken by physicians, the sentiment is supported by doctors. “An absolute

barrier to physicians becoming involved with acts that intentionally inflict death is that doing so

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would be incompatible with their healer role” (Boudreau and Somerville 2). This argument falls

short because a terminally ill patient cannot be healed. The doctor is not harming, but hastening

what will ultimately happen, though in a pain-free manner.

There is much speculation that AID laws will have a negative impact on the vulnerable

members of society by targeting minorities who might not have the means to pay for life

extending services; therefore, under such circumstances, one might opt for AID. However,

Barbara Coombs Lee, a Nurse Practitioner, Physician's Assistant, and the attorney who was the

Chief Petitioner for Oregon's Death with Dignity Act noted that after a thorough inspection of

Oregon AID, investigators “found no evidence of heightened risk for elderly, women, the

uninsured, people with little education, the poor, the physically disabled or chronically ill,

minors, people with psychiatric illness, or racial or ethnic minorities”. In fact, her data “confirms

that those who complete an aid-in-dying request are equally divided between genders and [are]

mostly white, well-educated, insured and receiving hospice services” (98-99). This

overwhelming evidence is in stark contrast to the unsubstantiated fears and claims that those who

oppose AID have put forward. The individual who requests AID are well informed of his or her

prognosis and are able to make decisions in a well-reasoned manner.

Challengers to AID prefer palliative care or deep sedation because, in their view, good

palliative care renders AID unnecessary. To clarify, palliative medications can include opiates

for pain as well as sedatives either given alone or in combination. The sedation can be superficial

or deep. This is also referred to as the "therapeutic approach". Boudreau and Somerville state,

“The therapeutic approach…aims to preserve persons’ inherent dignity, in part by helping them

to see that their intimate dependencies can be attended to without their losing self-respect and

that they can continue to play meaningful roles” (9). What constitutes a loss of dignity is not

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universal. If a patient does not subscribe to that line of thinking, he or she should be afforded a

death with dignity utilizing AID or, if incapacitated due to disease, by euthanasia.

A controversial issue is the use of “continuous palliative sedation” at the end of life

(Boudreau and Somerville 3). This practice has become more common and has been the focus of

conflict “especially because of its probable abuse” (Boudreau and Somerville 3). Dutch

researchers interviewed the relatives of patients who received palliative sedation until death.

During one interview, a family member shared, “Actually I think…to me palliative sedation is

also a form of euthanasia. You send someone to sleep, and then instead of it all being over in 5

minutes like it would with euthanasia, it takes 2 days” (Bruinsma et al. 352). Often, with

sedation, the ultimate time of death is much more prolonged than it is with AID and euthanasia.

According to family interviews and patient medical records, “The duration of the sedation varied

from five hours to one week” (Bruinsma et al. 353). This is essentially euthanasia under the guise

of deep sedation to make the action more palatable.

More states are passing Aid in Dying laws, and honest and open discussions are

happening more often in families with ailing members. Discussing the end of life does not need

to be taboo. Novels have used euthanasia as a plot device; J.K. Rowling’s novel Harry Potter

and the Half Blood Prince indirectly explores AID when two main characters discuss and plan

euthanasia. After Dumbledore is cursed and Professor Snape informs him that he has about a

year to live, Dumbledore makes the decision to convince Professor Snape to perform the Avada

Kedavra killing curse on him when the time is right. For Dumbledore, the decision is clear. He

knows there will be a time when he will need someone to provide him with aid in dying because,

as Harry Potter realizes later, “It [is]…the difference between being dragged into the arena to

face a battle to the death and walking into the arena with your head held high” (426). However,

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when the moment arises, Professor Snape confronts a truth that Dumbledore has always known,

“Killing is not nearly as easy as the innocent believe..." (488). Professor Snape hesitates for an

instant—a moment of regret or perhaps of sorrow—a pause for a silent goodbye. Professor

Snape then becomes Dumbledore’s aid to death; Professor Snape’s heroic final act towards

Dumbledore is euthanasia.

Providing a dying person with a prescription for medication that they take on their own to

end their life or administering a lethal dose of medication to a patient is not an easy task. While

state legislatures debate the issues related to Aid in Dying and argue the semantics of

"continuous palliative sedation" and euthanasia, the focus of a person living with, and ultimately

dying from, a terminal illness is the quality of his or her life. Attaching a definition to a term as

broad as 'quality of life' is next to impossible, as no two people will define it the same way.

Therefore, it is up to the inidividual to define what his or her quality of life is and whether it has

declined to the point that he or she would prefer to choose aid in dying. One may wonder if it is

moral to aid another person in dying; however, the following is a better question: Would it not be

immoral to witness another’s suffering and not offer the aid of his or her choice?

Death comes for us all but when one is aware of it approaching, it can help aid and guide

one to their destination. It shapes and allows a moment of peace to prepare for what they have to

do before they cross. The knowledge of death gives a moment to repent and question what is to

come next, but it also gives a chance to ready oneself to greet death as an old friend. In Harry

Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Harry knows death is fast approaching him and he contemplates

dying. His journey finally leads him to where he needs to be, and with death so close, the

thought of dying and what accompanies it becomes the first thing on his mind. The thought of

dying shows him exactly what he has to do.

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With the resurrection stone in hand Harry becomes surrounded by something almost

expected. Standing in the forest on his way to a fight that would result in him dying, death

surrounds him. Around him stand those closest to him. Death materialized before him and

“Lily’s smile was widest of all. She pushed her long hair back as she drew close to him and her

green eyes, so much like his,... ‘You’ve been so brave’ He could not speak. His eyes feasted on

her, and he thought the he would like to stand and look at her forever and that would be enough”

(Rowling 571). The thought, or more so the knowing, of one’s own dying can manifest death in

a form of a loved one. Harry knows a few more feet into the woods is where he will die so the

resurrection gives him a moment to come to terms and to look into his mother’s eyes for comfort.

To see the face of his mother before dying softens the blow of dying. Greeting death will not be

a lonely thing; he will be greeted by a familiar face.

Dying is a frightening thing, and sometimes death as a familiar face can ease the ache of

crossing worlds. In Emma Badgery's article ‘Vivid Dreams Comfort the Dying’ for Scientific

America, she writes how patients in hospice care who are dying will see the faces of loved ones

in dreams. She writes about a study, which found that “often participants saw deceased loved

ones waiting for them, for example. As patients approached death, they tended to transition from

dreaming about living people to dreaming about the dead, which the patients described as more

comforting” (Badgery). This shows how those who know they are dying find comfort in seeing

the faces of their loved ones who are already dead. It shapes the person into who they truly are.

They know they will be greeted when they cross, so they are no longer afraid and are allowed to

stand tall and do anything they must finish before crossing. Like Harry, comfort was found in

his mother, a familiar face. He is able to face Voldemort knowing that she waits for him. Death

and dying become a concept that should not be feared for they are never truly alone in the fight.

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Dying comes with so many questions, but there is one that somehow stands above all the

others. As Harry stands among loved ones who had died he grows scared and asks them all a

question in a desperate moment. In that moment he asks, “‘Does it hurt?’ The childish question

had fallen from Harry’s lips before he could stop it. ‘Dying? Not at all,’ said Sirius. ‘Quicker

and easier than falling asleep’” (Rowling 571). In this moment Harry questions dying; he knows

it is coming but he still fears it. He sees the end matter or death because he is surrounded by

those you crossed but dying stands as the gray area for him still. He is a child still faced with so

much that leads to him dying. With Sirius’s answer though Harry finds comfort in knowing that

what he has to do will be painless.

Furthermore even in the muggle world the fear of pain in dying is a valid fear. In a

journal by Fiona Hicks and Elizabeth Rees called “Pain-Free Death” for the British Medical

Bulletin they talk about how patients who are dying look to death and ask the same as Harry did.

They write, “Characteristics of a good death have been described by both patients and health-

care professionals as being pain-free/adequately symptom controlled, respectively” (Hicks Rees).

This passage shows how a ‘good death’ is one that is painless and one knows that they can ease

the thought of dying into their minds with no reserves. Death is shown as a calm and peaceful

thing to go towards when one knows they are dying. Like Harry, someone who knows dying is

in their very near future to know that it is painless clears the mind and shapes the mind into

focusing on the task at hand. In Harry’s situation he now knows it will not hurt him, and it helps

influence him on his way to fight Voldemort.

Death is the aftermath of dying and when one is dying the thought of death is a mystery.

Harry gets the chance everyone asks for, he sees death in the form of those he loves. They show

him that he is not alone in anything he does. They show him that he will not be alone and that

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the passing and crossing over with be painless. With this knowledge Harry is able to shape his

mind into seeing only the task at hand. Knowing that he will be greeted and he will not be alone

when crossing over and that his crossing will be painless influences him to carry forward to greet

death as an old friend.

Through the Harry Potter series, death is portrayed as a drawn out process. In the final

books, the denial begins to wane away, replaced by urgency in preparing to fight Voldemort and

increasing morale when facing war. War will inevitably take victims with it. All of Dumbledore's

fighters knew this, yet they still teamed together to confront the impending death of their friends,

families, mentors, or even themselves.

The main characters who do not run from death are Harry, Snape, and Dumbledore.

Dumbledore requests that Snape kill him, seeing as how his death offers a long term benefit. Had

he not been killed when he was, he would also suffer due to the curse placed on Marvolo's ring.

It was a swifter death, and Dumbledore did not fear it. Snape was called up by Voldemort to the

Shrieking Shack, where he knew he would most likely be killed. He went anyway, facing

Voldemort's power and doing his job for Dumbledore. He did not try to stop his death any longer

than was necessary. Harry, while afraid, was able to muster up his courage and confront death

willingly. He knew it was his time to go, but his family waiting for him on the other side was his

way of finding motivation to not fear death.

Death and dying is an experience that is unique to each individual. Through life

experiences we learn to cope and adjust to loss and in doing so learn from the journey. Although

death is simply part of nature’s cycle, acceptance is difficult; therefore, one will search for

reasons and explanations in an effort to become stronger from the encounter. Pain, suffering,

loss, and even death define an individual – even during his or her final breath.

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