Serpents and Parseltongue

[Grey Wolf]

No: HPFGUIDX 46910

Judy wrote:
> But, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them repeatedly connects
> snakes with Dark Wizards.  I think JKR *is* setting up some animals
> to be strongly good (phoenixes) while others are strongly evil 
> (snakes.) This helps to establish the intrinsic goodness of
> Dumbledore (and perhaps Gryffindor house) while showing the intrinsic
> evil of Voldemort and Slytherin (both the wizard and the House.) It
> may not be fair to paint snakes as evil, but it is strongly implied
> in the books.  
>
> AnimalLover!Judy

...so far, that is. If JKR is intending to desmythify the idea that 
snakes are eveil, she has to start by *creating* such myth in the WW. I 
found very telling that Harry's first use of magic power (at least, the 
first one he does in the story, as oposed to in his life) is used to 
free a sympathetic, educated and overall *nice* snake. In a zoo, there 
are hundreds of different animals. JKR could've selected a cocrodile, 
or a lion, but she chooses a snake that isn't evil at all. In fact, it 
is more on the "good" side, since she displays humour and not vengence. 
I see that as very telling.

FB is a book that Harry is suposed to have studied, and thus must 
reflect the WW's views on snakes. But, the way I see it, it is nothing 
but ground work for a plot point.

Hope that helps,

Grey Wolf