More stereotypes (was OoP hat song and discrimination)

[Milz]

No: HPFGUIDX 65047

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "darrin_burnett" 
<bard7696 at a...> wrote:
> Milz:  
> 
> > Maybe I didn't explain it well enough. I think Harry should be 
open 
> > to a "Good" Slytherin. Should he be cautious? Yes. But a 
Slytherin 
> > kid shouldn't be automatically turned away because of the 
Slytherin 
> > label.
> > 
> > Marietta was accepted because  she's Cho's friend and I think 
because 
> > she is a Ravenclaw. In retrospect, that wasn't a good idea.
> > 
> 
> 
> As a tangent, I loved Harry taking off on Cho when Cho tried to 
defend her. It 
> was good because I know that, as a 15-year-old boy, it would have 
been hard 
> for me to get angry at the girl I really really liked.
> 
> I would also hope the kid isn't turned away automatically, but the 
Slytherin 
> label is a powerful one and I don't blame Harry a bit for being 
suspicious.
> 

Yeah, I like how Harry challenged Cho too. An interesting parallel is 
Marietta and Peter Pettigrew. Both betrayed friends (Yeah, M. 
betrayed the DA but Cho's name was on that paper too.)

> Here's more on the stereotype issue.
> 
> The hat is full of the Founders' essences, who presumably choose 
the 
> student. 
> 
> The hat didn't need to even settle on Draco's head before screaming 
> "Slytherin."
> 
> Does that mean Draco was Salazar's perfect choice? That does NOT 
say 
> good things about Salazar and the kind of kid he thinks is most 
ideal to bear 
> his name and carry on his traditions. 
> 
> (To play Devil's advocate, it could also mean that the essences of 
Godric, 
> Helga and Rowena all said, "NO!" as soon as Draco came strutting up 
to the 
> hat too.)
> 
> But if Draco is indeed the Poster Boy for House Slytherin, and the 
Hat's 
> instantaneous acceptance is a strong argument for that, then House 
Slytherin 
> being evil is not that heinous and unfair a stereotype.
> 

Harry over-ruled the Sorting Hat by thinking "not Slytherin". As 
evidenced by Harry first meeting with Draco in Madame Malkin's Robes 
shop in SS/PS, Draco already had in his mind that Slytherin was the 
place for him. For all we know Draco was thinking "Please Slytherin", 
all the time he was waiting his turn. 

As for acceptable behavior in Slytherin House, you're absolutely 
correct. Societal norms are determined by the society. So for the 
Slytherins, being cunning and clever and slightly corrupt might be 
acceptable behavior. Furthermore, the remainder of the Wizarding 
society must also beleive these behaviors are acceptable FOR 
SLYTHERINS, in order for these behaviors to be tolerated within 
Hogwarts and outside Hogwarts. So the Slytherin House cultural 
encourages this behavior AND the wizarding society encourages this 
behavior by tolerating it and perpetuates the Slytherin stereotype. 
In effect, the wizarding society says "Of course, he'll try to dodge 
paying taxes. He's a Slytherin afterall."  

~Milz