The Ancient and Noble House of Slytherin

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 150710

There is a discussion going on about the merits of Slytherin, the
characteristics of the four Houses, and the likelihood of seeing one
or more 'good Slytherins'. 

Since I can't really blend all my comments into direct responses to
individuals, I will gather them together here. For what ever they may
be worth.

The Sorting Hat-

Let us remember that the Sorting Hat speaks to the school in song and
rhymes. That is a very limited format in which to speak. It doesn't
allow for much dialog or for complex thought when everything has to
fit the meter and rhyme. 

So, I think we need to be careful not to take what the Sorting Hat
says as absolute. In song format, the best the Hat can do is
generalize and speak figuratively or illustratively.

When the Hat says that Slytherins are those with great ambition, those
whose blood is purest, and those with great cunning, etc..., it is not
making an absolute statement of any and all characteristics. It is not
defining Slytherins. It is illustrating characteristics that are
important in those who will be selected for that House. But I don't
think it is an all-defining statememt. I'm sure great long essays,
perhaps even thick history books could be written about the history
and nature of Slytherin House, and even after they were published, Pub
gossips would continue to speculate.

Also notice the most House Prejudice fades after people leave school
and enter the 'real world'. To most adults, the House characteristics
serve little more than petty school rivalries which have little place
in the business world.

Salazar Slytherin -

According to the Sorting Hat and to Prof. Binns, Salazar didn't trust
Muggles which is why he wanted to keep wizarding education limited to
established wizarding families. Not necessarily Pure-Blood families,
but established wizarding families that had a vested and personal
interest in the security of the wizard world. So, it seems reasonable
to me that he was expressing a very valid security issue, not a blood
prejudice.

I think people, at a later time, took Salazar's security concerns
about muggle-borns, and expanded it into an excuse to carry on their
own personal blood prejudice. 

House Names and Geography-

Again, a caution that the Sorting Hat is force to conform any
information it convey into song format. That has to be limiting. So,
I'm not really sure what we can say about glen, fen, moor, and valley
broad other than they make the song rhyme nicely. 

Personally, I would have thought a glen was a stand of trees, but it
turns out it is a Scottish valley. Fen is a swamp, bog, or marsh. Moor
is usually on the high ground, a broad area of poorly drained land
with heath (shrubs) and peat bogs. And, of course, 'valley broad' is
pretty obvious. But wait, a glen is a valley, and a fen isn't much
different than a moor except fen is low ground and moor is high
ground, but both are swampy. 

In otherwords, I don't really think that tells us very much. 

As far as the House names, certainly the names can imply some origin,
but can we be sure that origin still implies the name. 

As an illustration, most Scandinavian names end in -son (Johnson,
Olson, Nelson, etc...). Logic tells me that there must be plenty of
people in the British Isles whose name end in -son. While those names
imply Scandinavian origin, the names do not imply that these people
are native Scandinavians. We know that Vikings invaded Britain long
ago, centuries ago, and may Vikings settles in Scotland, Ireland, most
likely Wales, and most likely England. So, a name ending in -son could
represent a name with centuries of history in Britain. 

My point is that Founders names may imply an ancestral origin, but not
necessarily a personal origin. Much like the Viking in my example above.

Most Slytherins-

We must be carefull about making assumptions about 'most Slytherins'
because we have NOT met /most Slytherins/. JKR said as much in her
Melissa-Emerson interview. In fact, we, through Harry's eyes, have
seen very few Slytherins. Most of the negative behavior we see from
the many unnamed Slytherins is typical school stuff like laughing at
Draco's smart remarks, or causing trouble as a critical
Slytherin/Gryffindor Quidditch game draws near. I hardly think we can
judge all or most Slytherins based on such scant information. I also
think it is very unfair to paint all Slytherins in the same manner as
the few Slytherins we do know. 

I suspect /most Slytherins/ are just kids who are minding their own
business and going to school. Ambitious and cunning - yes, but little
more.

Good Slytherins-

I don't think we need ONE token Good Slytherin, and I don't think we
need a conversion of all or most Slytherins. I say that if, in the
absents of Draco's intimidation, we get /some/ Slytherins who can see
the folly of following a deranged dictator like Voldemort and join the
good side to fight against Voldemort, then the four House are united
as they were meant to be. It's not an all-or-nothing sort of thing.

I'm sure there will be some from each House amoung the general
population that support Voldemort, but I suspect the most of the
wizard world, meaning most from all houses, will see Voldemort as
dangerous at war and inept at government, and will fight against him.

Just a few Slytherin thoughts.

Steve/bboyminn