Neville Longbottom: Character Analysis

[BrianTung]

Originally Posted by Moriath

I didn't.

Haha! I didn't, either, particularly, but I was OK with it. I must say, though, that I did dislike Julie Walters' portrayal of that moment. In my opinion, she showed too much self-satisfaction and bloodlust with that smile at the end.

[The_Green_Woods]

@Neville killing Nagini. I loved it too, and I loved JKR made Neville vanquisher of Nagini, Nagini who had just killed Snape. That she made Neville kill the snake, made me feel that JKR was showing that much of Snape's actions, not all, but most of it were coloured by his character as a spy.

[Yoana]

Originally Posted by RemusLupinFan

I like better the idea of the super mom beating the "anti-mom"

I'll reply to this in the Molly character thread. EDIT: I can't find that thread. Well, I'll just say I strongly disliked this implication. Motherhood has been used to punish and control women for centuries, and to pit them against one another, and using that motif in a book series I love so much really put me off.

[flimseycauldron]

I was disappointed that Neville didn't kill Bellatrix. So Harry is okay to kill Voldemort but Neville isn't a good enough of a wizard to kill Bellatrix? I know some think it wold have been revenge... but revenge implies that the retaliation is less than justified and only done out of personal hatred. Sure Neville harbored personal hatred for Bellatrix but it would not have negated the fact that his parents were hardly the only ones who Bellatrix tortured, never mind murdered. If he gained some personal satisfaction from that why would Neville be in the wrong? Snape wanted to defeat Voldemort purely for revenge. At first Harry was all about revenge and in the end he just wanted safety and peace for his friends. Does that mean that he shouldn't feel satisfaction in Voldemort's death? Relief? Why should Neville be held to a different standard? Because his parents didn't die?

I would have rather seen anyone else kill Nagini. Preferably Ron or Ginny (considering the fact that Nagini almost killed Arthur). I like symmetry. I get that war is random. And you never know who is going to step up to the plate in the end. But there are alot of parallels between Harry and Neville (after all he could have been the One if Voldemort had chosen differently) and I would have been happier if JKR had continued in the same vein.

[FurryDice]

Originally Posted by flimseycauldron

I would have rather seen anyone else kill Nagini. Preferably Ron or Ginny (considering the fact that Nagini almost killed Arthur). I like symmetry. I get that war is random. And you never know who is going to step up to the plate in the end. But there are alot of parallels between Harry and Neville (after all he could have been the One if Voldemort had chosen differently) and I would have been happier if JKR had continued in the same vein.

I think that symmetry is there, though, with Neville killing Nagini. Neville could have been chosen, and Neville is the one who destroys Voldemort's final horcrux. Neville is the one who finally renders Voldemort mortal. I think that is fitting and significant for the boy who could have been chosen.

[MrSleepyHead]

Originally Posted by flimseycauldron

I was disappointed that Neville didn't kill Bellatrix. So Harry is okay to kill Voldemort but Neville isn't a good enough of a wizard to kill Bellatrix? I know some think it wold have been revenge... but revenge implies that the retaliation is less than justified and only done out of personal hatred. Sure Neville harbored personal hatred for Bellatrix but it would not have negated the fact that his parents were hardly the only ones who Bellatrix tortured, never mind murdered. If he gained some personal satisfaction from that why would Neville be in the wrong? Snape wanted to defeat Voldemort purely for revenge. At first Harry was all about revenge and in the end he just wanted safety and peace for his friends. Does that mean that he shouldn't feel satisfaction in Voldemort's death? Relief? Why should Neville be held to a different standard? Because his parents didn't die?

I wonder, though, if Neville held himself to that standard. This is Harry's resolve for why he sought to be the one to kill Voldemort:

HBP, Horcruxes “But, sir,” said Harry, making valiant efforts not to sound argumentative, “it all comes to the same thing, doesn’t it? I’ve got to try and kill him, or—” “Got to?” said Dumbledore. “Of course you’ve got to! But not because of the prophecy! Because you, yourself, will never rest until you’ve tried! We both know it! Imagine, please, just for a moment, that you had never heard that prophecy! How would you feel about Voldemort now? Think!” Harry watched Dumbledore striding up and down in front of him, and thought. He thought of his mother, his father, and Sirius. He thought of Cedric Diggory. He thought of all the terrible deeds he knew Lord Voldemort had done. A flame seemed to leap inside his chest, searing his throat. “I’d want him finished,” said Harry quietly. “And I’d want to do it.”

Do you think Neville was similarly motivated to be the one to kill Bellatrix? Based purely upon his actions, I don't think so. I don't think he prioritized killing Bellatrix. If he did, I think he would have actively sought her, just as Harry sought Voldemort. Or, at the least, would have focused on her during the final battle. But I don't think his perspective was that singular; he seemed to be committed to the complete downfall of Voldemort and wasn't driven by personal vengeance. I think he saw the bigger picture and the part he could play in it no matter what, so he took advantage of the opportunities that arose and realized that Bellatrix would be finished one way or another. And I wouldn't be surprised if he realized he wouldn't be likely to defeat Bellatrix in a duel; I imagine that he would enter into a duel if that were the hand he had been dealt, but he seems to have also appreciated his limitations as a wizard and wouldn't purposefully commit himself to a fool's errand.

I don't think it's a case of the author not giving Neville the chance he deserved because she held him to a different standard, or that she was worried about making Bellatrix's death too contrived. Rather, I find Neville being the one to kill Nagini as best showcasing the character she created - one that was fully committed to the cause and did what he could, when he could.

[flimseycauldron]

Originally Posted by MrSleepyHead

I wonder, though, if Neville held himself to that standard. This is Harry's resolve for why he sought to be the one to kill Voldemort:

Do you think Neville was similarly motivated to be the one to kill Bellatrix? Based purely upon his actions, I don't think so. I don't think he prioritized killing Bellatrix. If he did, I think he would have actively sought her, just as Harry sought Voldemort. Or, at the least, would have focused on her during the final battle. But I don't think his perspective was that singular; he seemed to be committed to the complete downfall of Voldemort and wasn't driven by personal vengeance. I think he saw the bigger picture and the part he could play in it no matter what, so he took advantage of the opportunities that arose and realized that Bellatrix would be finished one way or another. And I wouldn't be surprised if he realized he wouldn't be likely to defeat Bellatrix in a duel; I imagine that he would enter into a duel if that were the hand he had been dealt, but he seems to have also appreciated his limitations as a wizard and wouldn't purposefully commit himself to a fool's errand.

I don't think it's a case of the author not giving Neville the chance he deserved because she held him to a different standard, or that she was worried about making Bellatrix's death too contrived. Rather, I find Neville being the one to kill Nagini as best showcasing the character she created - one that was fully committed to the cause and did what he could, when he could.

I don't think what standard that Neville held himself to was relevant. As a reader there was nothing wrong, per se, with his story. For me as a particular reader, some of Neville's most touching moments were when he was dealing with his parent's torture like when "Moody" was showing him the cruciatus curse or when he told Harry what happened to his parents after the DA lesson. I don't think that he had to search Bellatrix out but there is something to be said for facing down the villain that has put your family through so much. I imagine that Bellatrix would have taunted him in a way that would effect him deeply and I wanted him to have the chance to put their torturer in the grave if it was presented to him. *shrug*