Dissin' the Gryffs - Slytherin and the Reader

[dumbledore11214 <dumbledore11214@yahoo.com>]

No: HPFGUIDX 51276

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Eileen <lucky_kari at y...> wrote:
> But the Slytherins are the underdogs. And hopelessly
> so.  JKR seems to want to keep emphasizing that the
> Gryffindors are underdogs, the Slytherins winning the
> seven years before, and the Gryffindors not winning
> the Quidditch Cup till PoA, but the truth is that all
> we see is Harry winning, except for the one time where
> he didn't win because of the dementors, which wasn't
> the miraculous child's fault. 

 Me: I respect your view on Slytherins, I really do, but if JKR 
wanted us to think that Gryffindors were an underdogs, she convinced 
me. How did she achive it with me? I guess by showing Snape's 
unfairness to Gryffindors during the whole PS/SS and  by showing 
McGonagall  doing something completely opposite (except getting Harry 
the broom, of course)

> Life just isn't good for the Slytherins. 
> 
> And whether or not they deserve it, in a lot of people
> rooting for the underdog kicks in. 
> This championing of the underdog is stronger in some
> people than others. A lot of people don't understand
> it in relation to Draco, feeling instead with the
> morality of the situation. Harry is a better person
> than Draco, so who cares if the author's against
> Draco? That's a sensible reaction to the text, and one
> that if you hold, you may find it very difficult to
> understand the opposite reaction. 

Me: Oh, I understand the opposite reaction, but I like being 
manipulated by the author (most of the time, anyway) and if she wants 
me to feel that Draco is a bad guy, I am happy to oblige.

> The reason I don't think that Sympathy for the Devil
> is exactly the same thing as rooting for the underdog
> is that you can often be rooting for the underdog
> without feeling much for the character. Often, the
> primary feeling in rooting for the underdog is rage
> against the author, as in my example of Draco.
> Usually, when JKR deals Draco a bad hand, I'm not
> feeling sorry for Draco, I'm mad at JKR. Similarly, I
> don't have any particular emotional attachment to the
> Slytherin team. I just feel that every dog should have
> his day. 

Me: I guess that's what is different in our interpretations  of the 
canon. I am uncapable of rooting for underdog if I do not feel 
anything for the character (by feeling anything - I mean annything 
positive :) ) I don't feel that "undeserving dog" should have his 
day. If this "dog" shows at least some of the redeeming qualities in 
my eyes, I'll be happy to vote for him.



> 4. Bad Move, JKR!
> 
> I've mentioned this a bit above, but I'll make it very
> explicit here. Sometimes, what makes people feel for
> the Slytherins is the feeling that JKR is making bad
> artistic decisions in portraying the Slytherins. 

Me: Yes,I would love for her to develop Slytherin House more, but 
right now since I don't like any Slyths (except Snape - whom I like 
when he is not unfairly picking up on Harry and Co), I don't bother 
rooting for them.
  
> Oh, me too. The annoying dualism and shallowness of
> the first book seems to be leaving us, whether it was
> only a trap to catch the unwary, or it's a matter of
> JKR's artistic vision growing. I suspect it's both.
> She purposely lulled us into assuming Snape was bad,
> but, on the other hand, the weak portrayal of Quirrell
> shows that she has come a long way since the
> beginning.
> 
> But while in many ways, things have grown more to our
> tastes, Slytherin is still a problem. One of those
> fault-lines we like to talk about. 

Me: Again, if she wants to show that not everything is black and 
white (I agree she does a wonderful job with Snape) and is going to 
show some grey Slytherins, that's wonderful. Since right now I don't 
see any except Severus, it is not enough for me to root for them yet.
 

Alla