Wanting or presenting: Was: Snape's reaction to Harry in Slytherin

[cubfanbudwoman]

No: HPFGUIDX 93406

Siriusly Snapey Susan wrote:
> continue to be slightly distressed that many people continue to say 
> that the Sorting Hat **wanted** to put Harry in Slytherin.  It 
> reads to me that the SH merely *presented* Harry w/ the information 
> that he could do well there...
 
Berit replies:
> I'm inclined to agree with you. But, there is also Harry's own 
> interpretation of the Hat's words to consider:
> 
> Quote:"'But I'm a Gryffindor,' Harry thought. 'The Sorting Hat 
> wouldn't have put me in here if I had Slytherin blood...'
> 'Ah,' said a nasty little voice in his brain, 'But the Sorting hat 
> *wanted* (italics in the book) to put you in Slytherin, don't you 
> remember?'" (CoS p. 147 UK Ed)
> 
> And, then there's the even more interesting second meeting between 
> Harry and the Sorting Hat:
> 
> Quote:"Surely it couldn't hurt if he [Harry] took the hat down and 
> tried again? Just to see... just to make sure it had put him in the 
> right house... 'You've been wondering whether I put you in the 
> right house,' said the hat smartly. 'Yes, you were particularly 
> difficult to place. But I stand by what I said before – you would 
> have done well in Slytherin.'" (CoS, p. 154-155 UK Ed)
> 
> So yes, I'm inclined to believe the subtle hints of CoS points to 
> the Hat not only suggesting Slytherin, but also *wanting* to put 
> Harry there... just as much as it wanted to put him in Gryffindor! 
> In its own words: Harry was particularly difficult to place! And it 
> won't take back its words that he would have done well in 
> Slytherin! Very odd, when what Harry *really* needed just then was 
> a reassurance that he had been placed in the (only) right house, 
> Gryffindor... He didn't get that reassurance, now did he? 

 
Susan:
Thanks for this additional input, Berit.  It is helpful to get the 
two sections of text together.  I still think, though, that the 
word "wanted" is awfully strong to place onto the SH.  "You would 
have done well" is a statement of the SH's opinion but I don't see it 
as a statement of **desire**.  The hat *didn't* say, "Damn it!  *I* 
wanted to put you in Slytherin, but that darn DD tells me that CHOICE 
is the key and I had to let you go to Gryffindor."

It *is* curious that the SH does not assuage Harry's fears, doesn't 
come right out and say, "Oh, no, you're a Gryffindor through & 
through" or some such thing.  I'm not sure why it did this, other 
than perhaps it really wants Harry to *think* about this for 
himself.  But I stand by my original statement, that while the SH 
believed Harry could have done well in Slytherin, it did not 
necessarily *want* to place him there.

Siriusly Snapey Susan