Talking to Animals

[blpurdom at yahoo.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 24292

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "princesskatie115 -" 
<princesskatie115 at h...> wrote:
> I think the reason that Slytherin and his descendents (and Harry-
the-fluke) 
> can speak to snakes is due mainly to the fact that Slytherin pulled 
a 
> Voldemort. Aha
I've lost you haven't I? Allow me to explain my 
theory
. Like 
> the big V experimented with immortality, Slytherin experimented and 
> unearthed this ability (for lack of a better word) to speak to 
snakes, who 
> he happened to feel a certain affinity with. [snip]

But there is a connection between immortality and snakes that's being 
forgotten here.  Snakes have long been a symbol of immortality 
because their sloughing their skins was considered a death and 
rebirth (much like the phoenix's).  Their shape also caused them to 
be considered an axis mundi (world axis, or connection between this 
world and the next).  In their elongated form, they are also phallic 
symbols, while in their circular or coiled forms they are considered 
yonic symbols (the womb).  As such they are considered to be 
hermaphroditic, or symbolizing both male and female sexuality.  
Anything that regularly dies and is reborn, and bridges worlds and 
the sexes is considered very powerful.  Many ancient fertility cults 
were snake-centric, and many ancient goddess statues are shown with 
the goddesses clutching snakes.

So the two great wizards each have a creature associated with them 
that is a symbol of death and resurrection...Dumbledore with Fawkes, 
Voldemort with Nagini.  Harry is like a cross between the two.  He 
was considered for Slytherin and placed in Gryffindor; he can speak 
to snakes and Fawkes comes to him when he demonstrates his loyalty to 
Dumbledore.  Like many great heroes, Harry has a foot in two 
different worlds, and must reconcile these, rather than choose.  
Traditionally, heroes faced with this conundrum who choose one or the 
other rather than reconciling the seeming contradictions are worse 
off, as they are out of balance when they choose.  JKR has shown 
consistently that the world isn't black and white, and I think she 
will present even more seeming moral ambiguities before the end...

--Barb