Oh my goodness, what book are THEY reading?

[delwynmarch]

No: HPFGUIDX 106814

Batchevra wrote :
> I see the House system in Hogwarts and probably representative of 
> what happens in Britains school systems, especially the public 
> schools (private schools in the US). 
(snip)
> There are highly competitive schools and ones that basically let you
> meditate, Hogwarts has competition and teaches what it needs to, 
>usually.

Del replies :
And everything in the middle :-)

I *know* all of that. I *never* mentioned that before because even as
I got a shock reading about it, at the very same time I realised it
was completely in accordance with what I know of other school systems.
It's quite drastically different from my school system (public school,
not private, in France) and even from the values we had at school
(competition encouraged in class and on the sports field, but being
punished because you were kissing someone ??), but *my* experience is
*not* relevant where HP is concerned.

However, as a parent for example, or a teacher, I might want to point
out to my French child that some values commonly held in HP are not
necessarily values I completely approve of.

Do you see the difference ? When discussing canon with you guys, I
*cannot* bring up my cultural difference, because it's not relevant.
But when discussing the books with my fellow whatever (Frenchmen,
family, colleagues), my values do count, and I have every right to
criticise those expressed in the books if I want to. That's what Mr
Yocaris was doing in his article.

Batchevra wrote :
> There are indisputable facts, but interpreting them is where people 
> differ.

Del replies :
Too many facts are not even indisputable. Even in the Potterverse,
which is based solely on 5 books and a few interviews, too many facts
are hotly disputed. So in RL....

Batchevra wrote :
> You come from a backround that is different from mine and we see a 
> few things differently. 

Del replies :
You'd be amazed at the number of things we might see differently just
out of different cultural backgrounds. I spent 10 months in
English-speaking Canada, and went on vacation for a few days in the
States. The cultural differences between France and both Canada and
the States were nothing short of amazing.

Del