Sportsmanship in Harry Potter

horridporrid03 horridporrid03 at yahoo.com
Tue May 2 02:15:59 UTC 2006


No: HPFGUIDX 151731

>  >>Joe:
> First let me say that I can not think of a worst example of a     
> sports article ever.
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
I thought it was pretty amusing.  She did miss the point that 
quidditch is *supposed* to be maddingly complicated and chaotic and 
that it can all change on one person's single action.  It echos the 
wizarding world in all it's glory, and I think it was a brilliant 
invention by JKR.  But you don't get that if you haven't read the 
books.

The big problem I have with quidditch as a sport is the tiny team.  
I mean, the very fact that Harry had to scramble to train Dean up 
when Katie got sick was plan weird to my mind.  There should be 
several chasers, etc., training with the team just in case of sudden 
injury (or detention).  Of course, that could be a British thing for 
all I know.

[My favorite made up sport? That game in Ender's Game.  I mean, how 
cool would that be to play?  Heck of lot cooler than getting beaned 
by iron balls, IMO.]

> >>kchuplis:
> Maybe my definition of sportsmanship is faulty. I think of it just 
> as much in terms of gracious winning as gracious losing. I also    
> think of it as being in the behaviour of the the participant and   
> not the judges. *Harry* didn't ask to be put equal. The judges     
> (read DD) chose that. I don't recall him gloating about it. He    
> just accepted it. To me, at any rate, "good sportsmanship" doesn't 
> mean Harry would have to put a big fuss up and insist on being    
> placed lower. That's just silly.

Betsy Hp:
But doesn't that lessen Cedric's protest of the Hufflepuff win in 
PoA?  After all, *Cedric* kicked up a fuss that his grabbing the 
snitch shouldn't count because Harry was knocked out by dementors.  
Was he just being silly?

On the other hand, I don't hold Harry at all responsible for the 
judges activities.  He'd decided to forfeit the race in order to 
make sure the other hostages were safe.  He did behave graciously, 
as did the other champions.  It was the judges who cheapened Harry's 
actions.  Harry isn't to blame for that.

> >>Magpie:
> <snip>
> Other examples of good sportsmanship?  Err, there's a couple of   
> places where JKR seems to be highlighting Harry being a good      
> sport.  
> <snip>
> Usually "good sportsmanship" seems to just get thrown around to   
> describe how other people are fighting terribly dirty.  Generally 
> whenever our guys are playing a game where they're just having fun 
> it seems likeit's supposed to be good sportsmanship, even when    
> they're being tricky or trash talk later.

Betsy Hp:
That's a continual problem in the Potterverse, IMO.  Like when the 
twins complain about Slytherin's spying on the Gryffindor practice, 
because that's just so not done, and then come running back to 
report on what they found out *while spying on the Slytherin 
practice*.  Or how it's just horrible that the Slytherins have such 
good brooms, but isn't it great when Harry gets the best broom on 
the market?  There's a bit of eating her cake and having it too, I 
think, within the school competitions.

> >>a_svirn:
> <snip>
> And I agree that there is nothing sportsmanlike about awarding
> points for "moral fiber". In fact, it's downright ridiculous.

Betsy Hp:
And, most importantly, it lessens the moral fiber being 
demonstrated.  Harry made the hard choice to give up on the race and 
look after the hostages.  And Dumbledore turned around and made it 
an easy choice.  

> >>Magpie:
> One of the hilarious things about GoF is that we're always        
> encouraged to sympathize with Harry for being the underdog but     
> Rowling just can't bring herself to have him lose at anything.

Betsy Hp:
And that's another problem, IMO.  Harry never loses.  Not at any 
sort of school competition, not ever.  GoF is just the most 
egregious case.  But there's no way Harry can possibly be painted as 
the underdog at Hogwarts.  That would be Draco, honestly.  And I 
think it is a problem that Harry never gets to learn what it's like 
to lose.  Even (as you point out in the part I snipped) the prefect 
position was supposed to be his.

> >>Magpie:
> He's still acting like he can't possibly win when he's in first    
> place right out of the gate...
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
And that's what keeps Harry likable, IMO.  He really does *see* 
himself as the underdog, poor love.  Just like he thinks he's a big 
loser who can't pull a date for the Yule Ball when girls are falling 
all over him.  He's so introverted (or something) he has a hard time 
seeing his own popularity and power.  

> >>Magpie:
> <snip>
> Most kids have to deal with disappointments, and making
> mistakes for good reasons that they still have to suffer for.

Betsy Hp:
I suppose this is where one could say that Harry's hardship under 
the Dursleys taught him all the life lessons he needs about losing, 
etc.  I don't buy it myself, and while I like the books overall, I 
don't think they do a thing for demonstrating sportsmanship.  In 
fact it sends the unrealistic message that good people always win 
and bad people always lose.  ("The bad guys are easily identified by 
their black hats" and other lies Giles told me. <g>)

Betsy Hp







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