Slytherin Stereotypes WAS Re: [HPforGrownups] Re: Dumbledore's awarding ...

[Ladi lyndi]

No: HPFGUIDX 57422

--- Tom wrote:
> I don't see the trio calling for genocide, but
> I see Harry and Ron 
> and just about everyone else complacently
> accept house-elf slavery.
> I see Ron buy into bigotry over the giants and
> werewolves fairly 
> easily. 

Lynn:

Given the house-elves own thoughts on the matter,
it's not surprising just about everyone else
accepts house-elf slavery.  Just look at how the
house-elves reacted when Hermione tried telling
them they shouldn't be enslaved.  Harry, however,
is just learning all about this.  From all his
questions to Dobby it could be inferred that he
doesn't have a clue about house-elves.  Yet, when
he knows that there is a house-elf who is being
mistreated and would rather be free, Harry does
something about it.  Let's also consider
Dumbledore.  When Dobby asks for wages,
Dumbledore freely offers 10 galleons a week with
weekends off.  Dobby beats him down to 1 galleon
a week with one day off a month.  Dumbledore
doesn't insist on other enslavement requirements
and yet Dobby offers those freely (such as
keeping secrets).  The house-elves have lived
this way for what I assume is centuries and to
just cut them all loose would be very damaging to
them.  Winky is a good example of that.  Until we
know the history of how the elves got enslaved, I
don't think we can say that it's completely
wrong.  Perhaps it's better to say they shouldn't
be enslaved against their will.  After all, we do
have examples throughout history where some
slaves preferred to remain slaves while others
preferred freedom.

As for Ron's prejudices, well, that's natural
isn't it?  Don't kids usually hold the prejudices
of the adults they are around until they have an
opportunity learn those prejudices are wrong? 
When faced with the reality, Ron is capable of
seeing through the prejudice.  Ron doesn't
automatically write Hagrid off when he learns
he's a giant, after all, and Ron does accept
Lupin.  Also, we have a kid from a pure-blood
family who is incensed over the word Mudblood and
accepts that being pureblood doesn't mean being
better when others in the WW, including the
Minister of Magic, appear to believe otherwise. 
To me, Ron has shown a willingness to see where
his attitudes may be wrong and change them.

> Tom wrote:
> I'm simply pointing 
> out that Harry isn't a very likely candidate to
> be giving the 
> Slytherins any benefit of the doubt.

Lynn:

Well, that's not exactly true.  If Harry only
imagined the worst of the Slytherins, when he saw
them huddled together right after his Firebolt
was revealed, Harry would have automatically
assumed that the Slytherins were coming up with
some plan to destroy it.  Instead, he assumed
they were talking about whether the broom really
was a Firebolt, even after Draco's comment about
dementors and parachutes.  We have a pretty good
idea now that the confab wasn't just confirming
the Firebolt's existence given certain actions at
the Quidditch match which followed.  so, even
though we know Harry's feelings of Draco & Co.,
he doesn't automatically assume they are up to no
good.

Tom wrote:

>I've given you 
> the Slytherin group's evident concern for Draco
> at dinner, and you 
> don't want to count that either because they
> were 'cooking up' their 
> own version of the story.

Lynn:

Umm, could you tell me where you get that the
group gathering at dinner was showing evident
concern about Draco?  Seems to me, if there had
been such concern, the class would have followed
Pansy up to see Draco rather than just head off
to the dungeon.  Gee, I'd have thought at least
Crabbe and Goyle would have gone with her.  We
only have Harry's interpretation of the huddle
which must be considered colored.  Given that at
this point we have no clue that Crabbe and Goyle
had been to see Draco and Pansy is not described
as part of the group, I see no evidence to
suggest is was a great love fest of concern for
Draco.  It may have been, however, there is no
evidence to support that.  It may very well be
the 'cooking up of a story' as well.  In fact,
Hermione appears to show more concern than the
other Slytherins.  We see Harry's lack of concern
coming more from his knowledge of Madam Pomfrey's
abilities.

Lynn



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