Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the Contex

[Ali]

No: HPFGUIDX 105855

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Shaun Hately" <drednort at a...> 
wrote:

> It seems obvious to many people who are familiar with both  
> the Harry Potter books and the institutional qualities of  
> British Public Schools that J.K. Rowling has, to a greater  
> or less extent, chosen to use the British Public School  
> model in considering how she presents Hogwarts to her  
> readership. It must be stated immediately that Hogwarts is  
> not a perfect exemplar of the Public School tradition -  
> while there is a substantial influence, it cannot be assumed  
> that Hogwarts always follows Public School traditions. It is  
> a unique school in many ways, but there are enough  
> influences from the tradition that an awareness of the  
> traditions of such schools may serve to enhance the  
> understanding and appreciation of the school for some  
> readers. 

Shaun, this was a fantastic post and I hope that it will clarify for 
some, what you and I are perhaps fortunate enough to take for 
granted. I do disagree with you on a number of issues that you use 
as specific pointers for Hogwarts being similar to a typical English 
Public School, although not on the general picture.

The fact is many British schools have houses, uniforms and prefects. 
None of those facts alone or collectively would make me feel that 
Hogwarts is like a public school. I think it would be correct to say 
that many English schools have borrowed their traditions from the 
longer established public schools, but that is regardless of their 
place in the public or state sector. These traditions have been 
borrowed from the Public School System simply because they were the 
only really established pattern from which to build on.

Had Harry gone to his local comprehensive, we know that he would 
have had to have worn a grey uniform. For me, it is not a stretch to 
imagine that he would have been in a house or told off by prefects.

I do agree that there *is* something very public-school like about 
Hogwarts. I suspect for me it has something to do with the way that 
Hogwarts is steeped in traditions and rules but primarily because it 
is a boarding school. The intensity of the inter-house rivalry is 
perhaps more akin to public schools than state, but my 6 year old 
still accrues house points each week, and the winning house gets a 
treat at the end of each term. Her school is most definitely state, 
and always has been.

Ali