ESSAY WINNER--OLIVIA

Forced Will

Implementing Law in Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows

Everyone is entitled to free will. However, sometimes free will is stripped away from you when matters of life and death are put before you. In these situations instinctively we want to do whatever it is to stay alive. Morals, beliefs,  and perspectives can be clouded in these situations when we’re fighting for our lives. In these circumstances that are unfortunate but real a person often will compromise someone else’s live for their own live. Are they responsible for the life that they killed? Or was it a mere response to survival and self-defense? 

It is arguable that the characters that followed Lord Voldermort should be charged with first degree murder because of their actions. The followers of Voldermort acted in the premeditation to kill Harry Potter and many other wizards as well. Rather or not they were instructed to kill Harry directly they were a part of the process. They participated in every step along the way, killing others and helping to carry out the final plan. Thus, first degree murder is an appropriate charge.

Of course there is arguable side to this. Were all these followers forced to do this? Threatened by the choice of life or death? For anyone who denied the Lord, or acted as if they couldn't’t carry out the plans or stood in the way of the plans were killed. It this is the case it may just have been easier to slaughter the opponents to stay on good gracious with the Lord. Is this enough? Is there life being in danger enough to justify the act of being a part of plotting and killing others? I argue it is not enough this not self-defense the magnitude of their actions is too great. If they are willing to die in battle for the Lord they should be willing to die instead of killing innocent people. 

Did Harry Have Reason to live?

Harry Potter had to reason to live in order to save others. He was given this ability from the love of his parents, and friends. Love is what shaped and molded him, allowing him to face challenges that seem bigger than life itself. Harry Potter not by choice but by instance had many people die on his behalf.  For him it was hard to justify this at the end. Especially, when he was told in all he would have to die. Regardless of this personal cost he took up the task among himself. His inspiration was the lives of his friends, the people he loved. And he didn’t stop at anything, even at the cost of his own life. In the end Harry died, he didn’t die in the way he thought he had to. He died to Voldemort, no longer a part of what he was trying to destroy, so physically he lived. In his living he saved the lives of his best friends and many other innocent people.

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