Not Slytherin, not Slytherin

ezzie_mora <ezzie_mora@yahoo.com> ezzie_mora at yahoo.com
Sat Feb 1 02:04:52 UTC 2003


No: HPFGUIDX 51326

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "dicentra63 <dicentra at x>" wrote:
 > JKR is most definitely biased against House Slytherin, but it's
> because Salazar Slytherin hates "Mudbloods" and wanted to impose that
> value system on Hogwarts admissions policy.  Good heavens, the man hid
> a *basilisk* in the castle to wipe out "undesirables" centuries after
> his death.  His heir--Tom Riddle--mounted an enormous campaign to
> "cleanse" the WW of "the wrong sort."


I don't believe she's biased.  I believe she has a plan (when does she ever not have a plan?) 

Up until now we have seen this view of House Slytherin - ambitious, haughty, and full of bigots.  But as time has gone on, JKR has revealed (or rather, Harry has learned) that not all bigots are in Slytherin, and not all Slytherins are bad.

For example, in Book 3 Harry learns that a Gryffindor was on Voldemort's side and in Book 4 learns that Snape is on Dumbledore's side.  JKR seems to be moving us forward here.  The books are told from Harry's perspective, and it's quite possible that when he was 11 his view of the world was very black and white.  Now, as time progresses, he is learning that is not the case and perhaps the stories will begin to reflect this 'gray area' a bit more.

If that is true, then it's hardly fair to blame JKR for her intentional exploration of this issue in an attempt to educate her young readers.  She has made the books very black and white (good vs. evil) as Harry is young and seems to be expressing the fact that the world is not so straightforward as he gets older.  

- Heather (one more Snape fan)







More information about the HPforGrownups archive