Neville's choice (was: ghosts, ...etc... - Minor Point)

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 119228


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Vivamus" <Vivamus at T...> wrote:

> > 
> > bboyminn:
> >  
> > This is a common misstatement, Harry didn't choose 
> > Gryffindor, he chose NOT Slytherin. I'm guessing based on 
> > statements by Ron, Hagrid, and Hermoine, Harry probably has a 
> > preference for Gryffindor, but he never had a chance to 
> > actually state that preference. ...
> >
> > Setve/bboyminn (was bboy_mn)

> Vivamus: 
> 
> ...edited..
> 
> I absolutely agree, Steve, that Harry is the quintessential 
> Gryffindor.  You are right, all he chose was "not Slytherin," ....  
> My point is that Harry's choice played into the SH selection. If it 
> did, then I think we need to ask ourselves just how MUCH does choice
> play a part.  
> 
> Vivamus

bboyminn:

Ask yourself this, with his definite overriding lack of
selfconfidence, what are the odds that Neville choose 'not Gryffindor'? 

I would speculate that it would be possible for Neville to argue with
the Hat and say 'I'm not good enough for Gryffindor, I should be in
Hufflepuff'. I furthur speculate that the Hat overrode Neville's
objections, and placed him in Gryffindor anyway, seeing in him things
that were impossible in that moment for Neville to see in himself.

Yes, is all speculation, but if we can speculate, with some
foundation, that the Sorting Hat considers a students choice, isn't it
reasonable that the Hat would disregard a student's choice when it
knows that choice goes against the student's true nature?

The Sorting Hat was designed for one purpose, and that is to sort the
students in to Houses according to the criteria setup by the founders.
It's not to assist the student in /bunking/ with their friends, or
carrrying on the family tradition, or engaging in a popularity contest
based on students whimsical and fickle desires.

So, I contend that the Sorting Hat's dialog with the student may give
it some clues as to what is best; choice being only one of the clues,
as well as underlying motivation for that choise, and others. I think
it is those clues rather that the students actual choice that helps
the Sorting Hat decide. Again, the hat sees far deeper into a student
than the superficial. It sees character and characteristics that know
one else can see. Afteral, who in the first year would have been able
to guess that Neville was a brave hero and a fearless fighter? Who
would have guessed that just a few years later, it would be Neville
who was saving the great Harry Potter?

In a sense, the Hat doesn't ignore choice, but at the same time, it
doesn't yeild to it either. The student's choice does tell the hat
something about the student, but I think the Hat is more likely to
consider at what is behind that choice than to consider the choice itself.

If you get my drift.

Steve/bboyminn (was bboy_mn)