Scapegoating Slytherin (was:Punishing Draco (was:Re: Snape, Hagrid and Animals)

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 143860

> >>Lealess: 
> I came to a disturbing conclusion this afternoon, one which I would
> like to be wrong about, so ... bring it on!
> It seems to me that the Slytherins in the HP series fill the role 
> of certain traditionally scapegoated groups in our real life       
> society.
> <snip>
> That the Slytherins murder Muggles and non-Purebloods shows to me  
> (1) how deeply the author abhors them or (2) -- I just don't know -
> - they've internalized the dominant society's view of Slytherins as
> power-hungry? 
> <snip>
> Suddenly, this really disturbs me.  It is the "deserve what they  
> get" hatred that disturbs me the most, I guess.  Honestly – is    
> there a good Slytherin?  And if there isn't, what does this really 
> mean?
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
See, I think the Slytherins are seen as the "bad" house *within the 
Potterverse*, but I don't think that view is shared by JKR.  For 
one, not all Muggle murderers are Slytherin.  Actually, the biggest 
known Muggle murderer, number-wise, is a Gryffindor.  In many ways 
Peter Pettigrew is the best example of all sins usually heaped at 
House Slytherin's door.  He's a coward, a turn-coat, a liar, and a 
murderer.

I have believed, pretty much from my first reading of PS/SS that the 
so-called sins of Slytherin are really in the eye of the beholder.  
JKR's world is far too multifaceted for an entire fourth of the WW 
to be written off as bad.  HBP, to my mind, has completely born this 
out.  Draco is not only, not an evil child, he's rather nobly 
concerned with the safety of his family.  Harry's "Slytherin side" 
is not an aspect of his character he needs to repress, rather it's 
something he needs to cultivate and use if he's to succeed in his 
task to take down Voldemort.  (It's also, apparently, something he 
got from his mother.)

I think it's rather telling that when the Sorting Hat tells us of 
the trouble that brewed up between the Founders, Slytherin does not 
receive the blame.  All four fought amongst each other until 
Slytherin finally left.  And his leaving weakened Hogwarts as a 
whole.  This suggests, IMO, that Slytherin was not an unclean 
character who needed to be cast out.  Instead, the Slytherins need 
to be brought back into the fold in order for Hogwarts to be whole 
again.

What I think HBP did was instead of finding one good Slytherin, it 
showed us that Slytherins as a whole are just as good as any other 
House.  I believe book 7 will probably drive this point home.

> >>Lealess:
> Hooray house unity!  But I wonder if the Slytherins will have to  
> discard part of themselves to make it happen.
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
I think HBP has shown us that no, Slytherins will not need 
to "reform" somehow to rejoin with Hogwarts.  Or at least, their 
reformation will only be equal to the reformation of the other 
houses.  (After all, it is partially on the other houses that 
Slytherin was allowed to remain in their "outsider" status.)

I think JKR likes Slytherin quite a bit.  Perhaps second only to 
Gryffindor.  I think she actually *does* like Draco and Snape, and 
I'm betting they will each show Harry that being Slytherin does not 
mean being evil.  After all, Harry wouldn't be Harry if he didn't 
have such a strong Slytherin streak.  (And Snape wouldn't be Snape 
if he didn't have such Gryffindor-ish tendencies.)  I'm betting that 
when book 7 draws to a close, the Sorting Hat will finally be 
content.

Betsy Hp (who blathered on a bit and hopes this post is at least a 
tiny bit coherent <g>)