[HPforGrownups] Re: House points and Dumbledore

[Maria Kirilenko]

No: HPFGUIDX 51142


 
 "pippin_999 <foxmoth at qnet.com>" <foxmoth at qnet.com> wrote:
The House Championship is not about that  modern concept 
"boosting self-esteem." The point is not to teach all the children 
to think of themselves as winners. It would be a remarkably 
wrong-headed way to do that, since only one quarter of the 
students can win. No, it is supposed to teach those 
old-fashioned virtues, sportsmanship and fair play. The fine art, 
that is,  of letting the best man win.
<snip>
That's why they are made to  lose in such a humiliating way. If 
the seventh-year Slytherins did not see this, it can only be 
because they are already focused on "their powers and their 
pleasures" rather than "their rights and their freedom" -- They 
have already chosen their side, and it isn't Dumbledore's.

I suspect it's only us grown-ups who need to assure ourselves 
that  Slytherin *really* deserved defeat. Children know a moral 
illustration when they see one, and are quite happy to see the 
good triumph and the bad punished. 

Me:

But, Pippin, they're not athletes who only meet each other once a year during a competition and never talk to each other again. They are students who live and study *together* for the bigger part of the year. Humiliating one part of the student body has nothing to do with awarding the Cup to another part. Dumbledore must be aware of the dislike between Gryffindor and Slytherin, but his actions speak of the fact that he simply doesn't care about it - he increases the dislike even more, when he, IMO, should be trying to let them reconcile.

Pippin:

"Ravenclaw could have amassed enough points to clinch the 
House Championship for themselves. They don't, because it 
wouldn't be sporting to use Harry's absence to take advantage, 
even of Slytherin."

How do you know that's what happened? And BTW, we don't know how many points you get for winning at Quidditch.

"They don't, because it 
wouldn't be sporting to use Harry's absence to take advantage, 
even of Slytherin. Slytherin itself, alas, has no such compunction.

That's why they are made to  lose in such a humiliating way."

So you're basically saying that because Slytherin wants to be the winner, they are humiliated? Isn't that kind of unfair?

I was really sorry for Slytherin at the end of PS. Not only did they lose in such a "humiliating" way, but even more - *everybody* is incredibly happy to see Slytherin lose. I don't think anyone deserves that.

Maria



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