[HPforGrownups] Digest Number 4628

[LadySawall at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 99320

In a message dated 05/24/2004 3:55:13 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com writes:
Mandy here:
I immediately though of the Tarot when I read the above posts. The 
four suits in Tarot are Swords, Cups, Wands, and Coins, and each suit 
is equated with one of the four elements, Air, Water, Fire and 
Earth.  While thinking about symbolism and the four Hogwarts houses, 
this is what I came up with:

The Sword of Gryffindor:
Gryffindor as bravery is obviously the suit of Swords, as represented 
by the Sword of Godrick Gryffindor.  Swords are equated with 
conflict.  They point to decisive action and interaction, as well as 
mental activity. Very much Gryffindor to me. The element of air is 
the sword.

The Wand of Slytherin:
Slytherin as ambition has got to be the suit of Wands.  Wands are all 
about Enterprise, Growth, Goals and Ambitions. The element of fire.  
You've got to have a fire burning in your soul to drive ambition.  
Drawing a wand out of the Sorting hat with Slytherin's name on it 
could be interesting.  It could be seen as destructive, but also just 
the thing to achieve you goal with. 

The Coins of Ravenclaw:
Ravenclaw is Coins.  The suit of Coins represents the Material. 
Materialistic gain, but don't think necessarily about stereos and 
cars. Material gain also includes the need to know how why things 
are. The acquisition of knowledge, and achievement in understanding.  
The element of earth, the Coin. Very grounded and solid.

The Cup of Hufflepuff:
Hufflepuff, as the hard working kids who's focus is not on ambition, 
the material or bravery, are left with the matters of the heart and 
soul.  The suit of Cups represents emotion and matters of the heart. 
The element of water.

Jo Ann:

That's really interesting...I also assigned Tarot correspondences to the 
Houses, but I made Slytherin (the house associated with ambitious purebloods and 
wealthy Old Money families) Pentacles/Earth.  I also had Hufflepuff as Wands 
and Ravenclaw as Cups, but I can see why you made the choices you did...

Hmm.  Looking back over my own data, I see that I've got the associated 
characteristics as well as the compass points for those two Houses reversed; but if 
I swap them, then their colors will be backward.  (Blue, Ravenclaw's color, 
is supposed to go with the Chalice/Water; and yellow--Hufflepuff's--with the 
Wand/Air.  This is also one reason why I chose Earth for Slytherin, whose color 
is green.)

I tend to associate the Sword with Fire, which I like especially for HP 
purposes because of the Phoenix symbology.  Gryffindor's color, red, which 
symbolizes among other things courage and love, is also associated in some systems 
with the Sword.  But then I've seen it all done many different ways.  YMMV.  :)

[Ponders]

Jo Ann


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