What's the point of Hogwarts? Sherry.

[naamagatus]

No: HPFGUIDX 127782


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "sandra87b" <sandra87b at y...> 
wrote:
> 
> Sherry <sherriola at e...> wrote:
> > We know from OOTP, that to become an auror, Harry would 
> have to undergo three more years of intensive and specialized 
> training.  I assume it's the same for other careers in the 
> wizarding world.  I associate Hogwarts with middle school 
> through high school, and then the students go on to other 
> training for careers.  Or they do things like drive the knight 
> bus, which probably doesn't need post Hogwarts training. < 
> 
> 
> Thanks Sherry!
> But that kind of emphasises my point in that the kids are very 
> limited in what they can do in life. Wizards and witches don't 
> seem to live in places with muggles, and the exams etc are 
> useless in a muggle world anyway, so any careers and 
> livelihoods have to be in the wizarding world - but to do what? 
> They learn what all the other magical ones learn, and it all 
> seems so pointless. I'm amazed that JKR hasn't tried to give a 
> little credibility or purpose to the reason Hogwarts exists. It 
> just dawned on me that the call-up from Hogwarts to the 11 year 
> olds is hardly a real priviledge, is it? It's like narrowing their 
> life path somewhat. I think.
> 

I think that Sherry is right, in that Hogwarts parallels high school 
in Muggledom. You are also right in that it doesn't seem to open much 
career options to its graduates - but then, neither does high school.

A lot of the humorous side of the books arises from the paralells 
between the regular world and the WW, hiding just around the corner. 
While JKR hasn't made the WW completely consistent (there's a thread 
about the ability of a writer to do that), its clear that she means 
it to be self-sufficient: it includes all the institutions that "our" 
world has. Banks (well, one), highly bureaucratic governemnt, justice 
system, police (of a kind - aurors and other ministry law enforcers), 
schools (well, one). 
The WW also comprises other features that paralell regular modern 
life - rock singers, radio, magazines, tabloids, photographs, 
spectator sports, buses (well, one) ...  
So, kids who finish Hogwarts parallel kids who graduate from high 
school - they find jobs within their world. That is, Hogwarts kids 
find jobs within the WW - as ministry workers, shop keepers, 
Quidditch players, work for banks, breed dragons... the fact that the 
list doesn't seem long enough is because it is a fictitious world, 
and JKR wasn't interested (I suppose) in developing a full and viable 
WW economy. However, she means for magic kids to stay within the 
magic world - which is kind of the point. It's a better world than 
the Muggle world (we wouldn't be so eager to read about it if it 
weren't).


Naama