Some of the stuff about goblins still made me uncomfortable, like Harry wasn't really being fair.
I think Rowling tried not to make it all about redemption and resolution. With the inter-specis thing, I think she made a point, from as early as SS, to make the other species as real and different from humans as she could. I left it off my little glee session, but I loved Bill's little chat with the Harry about Griphook and Goblins. What he said really stuck with me: "Goblin notions of ownership, payment, and repayment are not the same as human ones [...] We are talking about a different breed of being." It reminded me of Hermione's fruitless battle to free the House Elves and of Firenze and the centaurs. I think that Rowling really tried to make them seperate and so we're not meant to think that Harry is necessarily *wrong* about the way that he thinks of the goblins, but not right either. We get Hermione on one end of the spectrum and Harry on the other.
I'm not really surpised that there wasn't more cooperation from the other species because from as early as PoA we've been told that this is a Wizard's War. The centaurs saw what was coming and wouldn't get involved. That was parroted by the Goblins and the house elves are only involved when they are ordered to. Except at the end and I'm not sure where that came from.
I read the end as a happily ever after from Rowling to the fans. Everything worked out and well into the future our heroes are happy. The only reason that I didn't like the epilogue as much was that it was too much. Too Mary Sue fan writing a cotton candy sweet ending for Harry Potter. They all grew up, married each other and had kids. But what you've pointed out makes a certain kind of sense. They *are* repeating themselves -- as Dumbledore as Riddle as Snape as Harry. But life is cyclical and nothing ever really does change, does it? The Malfoy's betray Voldemort for the same reasons that got them involved with him in the first place ... dangerously stupid self-interest. In the end it's that desire for their son's safety that leads to that betrayal. They aren't redeemed in the end because they are not interested in redemption, never were, never will be and given the chance I can see the potential for Draco to follow his parents path.
I'm kinda all over the place as well! I LOVED this book!!
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I think Rowling tried not to make it all about redemption and resolution. With the inter-specis thing, I think she made a point, from as early as SS, to make the other species as real and different from humans as she could. I left it off my little glee session, but I loved Bill's little chat with the Harry about Griphook and Goblins. What he said really stuck with me: "Goblin notions of ownership, payment, and repayment are not the same as human ones [...] We are talking about a different breed of being." It reminded me of Hermione's fruitless battle to free the House Elves and of Firenze and the centaurs. I think that Rowling really tried to make them seperate and so we're not meant to think that Harry is necessarily *wrong* about the way that he thinks of the goblins, but not right either. We get Hermione on one end of the spectrum and Harry on the other.
I'm not really surpised that there wasn't more cooperation from the other species because from as early as PoA we've been told that this is a Wizard's War. The centaurs saw what was coming and wouldn't get involved. That was parroted by the Goblins and the house elves are only involved when they are ordered to. Except at the end and I'm not sure where that came from.
I read the end as a happily ever after from Rowling to the fans. Everything worked out and well into the future our heroes are happy. The only reason that I didn't like the epilogue as much was that it was too much. Too Mary Sue fan writing a cotton candy sweet ending for Harry Potter. They all grew up, married each other and had kids. But what you've pointed out makes a certain kind of sense. They *are* repeating themselves -- as Dumbledore as Riddle as Snape as Harry. But life is cyclical and nothing ever really does change, does it? The Malfoy's betray Voldemort for the same reasons that got them involved with him in the first place ... dangerously stupid self-interest. In the end it's that desire for their son's safety that leads to that betrayal. They aren't redeemed in the end because they are not interested in redemption, never were, never will be and given the chance I can see the potential for Draco to follow his parents path.
I'm kinda all over the place as well! I LOVED this book!!