House Pride (wasRe: Sorting Hat (was: muggle baiting...)/Arthur is right or not?

[spookedook]

No: HPFGUIDX 155929

Sydney-
>> Something to bear in mind is the so-called "Pygmalion Effect",
the phenomenon of self-fullfilling expectations.  There was a famous
experiment where teachers were randomly told one class was 'gifted'
and one class of similar students were 'slow'.  Huge differences in
performance were of course what resulted.  It's a very well-known
experiment and I'd be surprised if JKR, who was a teacher after all,
would be unaware of it.

It's hard to think of a more classic scenario that would produce such
an effect than to put a hat on an 11-year-old, tell them it's a magic
hat that knows who they really are inside, and then tell some of them
that they are brave and good and some of them that they are cunning
and selfish. <<


Tinktonks - The sorting hat does not give bad opinions of other
houses. It says Slytherins are cunning, it does not say negative words
like selfish. Members of other houses do but that is to be expected
for any competitive opponent. I think you are missing JKR's intent. I
think that the Slytherins are power hungry cunning people. That does
not make them bad, it just puts them in the path of temptation.

To steal a spiderman quote "with great power comes great
responsibility". That is very true but how many of us always do the
right thing when put in the way of temptation?

I don't think the Slytherins are bad, I think this is a Harryism
because they are Gryffindor's fiercest oposition. I hope in time Harry
will realise this and there will be reconciliation and Slytherin will
have a great redemption.

As I always think, those who are capable of great good are capable of
great evil, but thank the lord it works in reverse!

Tinktonks - Who believes in redemption and feels JKR as always (damn
her!) has things right!!!