[HPforGrownups] Tarot and HP

[Bart Lidofsky]

No: HPFGUIDX 144805

Bruce Alan Wilson wrote:
> I am not a great expert on Tarot, 

Bart:
Don't worry. I am.

> The four suits in the Minor Arcana are 
> 
> 1. Wands (sometimes Spears)
> 2. Swords (sometimes Arrows)
> 3. Cups 
> 4. Gems (sometimes Coins)

Bart:
	If JKR knew anything about the Tarot (and, if you wish to believe her, 
she doesn't), she'd probably be familiar with the Rider-Waite deck, 
which is by far the most popular deck in England (the Marseilles deck is 
more popular in the non-English speaking world), which uses Wands/Fire, 
Swords/Air, Cups/Water, and Pentacles/Earth.

	Interestingly enough, another fantasy author for children, Frank Baum 
(of Oz fame) was quite familiar with the occult, having previously been 
the editor of a Theosophical newspaper; each Witch had power over one 
element, with the Wicked Witches having power over the masculine 
elements (fire and air) and the Good Witches having power over the 
feminine elements (earth and water).

> The four Hogwarts houses seem to correspond Alchemically as follows:
> 
> 1. Gryffindor=fire
> 2. Ravenclaw=air
> 3. Slytherin=water
> 4. Hufflepuff=earth

I don't know exactly what JKR said on this, and there might be some 
argument, but Ravenclaw is DEFINITELY air (and I THINK JKR said that 
Gryffindor was fire). A case could be made for Slytherin being earth 
(with their obsession for the material), and Hufflepuff being water 
(success through dogged determination).

> BUT the talismans associated with the Founders (at least the three we know of)
> don't match.  Gryffindor is a Sword, Lutheran's is a Ring and Hufflepuff's is a
> Cup. 

Bart:
	Some Tarot writers (notably the late Ellen Reed, who wrote THE WITCHES 
QABALAH and co-created THE WITCHES TAROT) associate swords with fire and 
wands with air. Given that, they COULD fit.

	But, once again, JKR professes only surface knowledge of the occult.

	Bart