What's the point of Hogwarts? Should be a summer camp. Mfterman.

[mfterman]

No: HPFGUIDX 127749


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "sandra87b" <sandra87b at y...> wrote:
> Which is a fair point, and eloquently made. The difference 
> between a high school diploma and the OWLs etc from Hogwarts is 
> that a diploma is a platform to anything you want to do, at any
university. A Hogwarts list of qualifications only gives the 
> holder access to a medieval world where spells and potions 
> reign supreme - how very useful.

I would prefer to disagree. A diploma isn't much of a platform to do
anything you want to do. A diploma by itself doesn't count for all
that much. Frankly there's little difference between requiring OWL
scores to qualify for certain jobs and having to score on a battery of
standardized tests and maintaining a GPA score to get into certain
colleges/universities.

Sandra: 
> The kids at Hogwarts may have a basic knowledge and skill set 
> when they leave, but for what purpose? So they can go on to a 
> bizarre university  to study something that a medieval world 
> requires... something  which needs more than a flick of a wand 
> to produce, more than a latin word to create... say what? 

They are experienced in basic spellcasting skills and potionmaking
skills, which are a prerequisite for almost any job that they want in
the wizarding world.

[Actually, my real beef with Hogwarts is that JKR has set up a
completely unrealistic class list for her students. The classes that
Harry takes are driven more by narrative conventions than any sort of
realism. More realistically, Harry should have an English class, a
Latin class, maybe a Math class, and Care of Magical Creatures,
Herbology and Astronomy be optional electives]

Sandra:
> And that brings me back to another point - what if one of the kids 
> doesn't want to be in the wizard world? Say they like the muggle 
> world and prefer to be there with all the modern pros and cons - 
> they've got no qualifications to enable them to get to a muggle 
> university and they're up a creek. The invitation to Hogwarts is 
> potentially a poisoned chalice. JKR could have fleshed-out her 
> world a bit more right at the start.

Well, that is one of the issues that JKR hasn't bothered to address.
On the other hand, that doesn't mean that Hogwarts isn't recognized as
an accredited school in the Muggle world. Remember that one of the
students at Hogwarts was planning on going to Eton. I suspect there's
also the fact that Hogwarts being an accredited school in the (Muggle)
school system avoids eyebrows raised at all these (Muggle) kids
suddenly not going to (Muggle) schools.

Sandra:
> Those muggle Hogwart kids know what life can be like in the 
> muggle world - they know the convenience, they know the 
> technological aspects, they know how their muggle world ticks 
> over and therefore have a lot to 'miss' when they get drawn into 
> the medieval world of Hogwarts. Non-muggles would hear about 
> the muggle world... and perhaps wonder who's better off.
> Yes, there is a list of menial livelihoods which they can go on 
> to do, and I think that just reinforces my point. Going to 
> Hogwarts is a step backwards, a giant leap into a world trapped 
> many centuries ago.

On the flip side, imagine having a powerful magical talent and not
being able to use it at all. Imagine a life living in the closet,
keeping your existance a secret from others. Not being able to talk to
people or being able to use your most precious gift. And for that
matter, a world filled with magic often has conveniences that the
Muggle world lacks. The Floo network and Apparation beat Muggle
transportation methods down cold, for example.

Yes, JKR could have thought things out better, but even with what she
has, the issues are not all that clear cut. For example, high amounts
of magic blow technology out (hence no technology at Hogwarts). It's
not clear what the threshhold level is. Now if you're a wizard, would
you prefer to live with a high concentration of magic where your own
gift can act freely and you've got conveniences working from magic
instead of electronics, or would you cripple yourself for the sake of
Muggle technology, which doesn't offer any real advantages?

mfterman