Sportsmanship in Harry Potter

a_svirn a_svirn at yahoo.com
Tue May 2 21:06:33 UTC 2006


No: HPFGUIDX 151780

Steve:

> Now A_Svrin seems to be making the point that it was the judges who
> displayed poor sportsmanship not the contestants. He doesn't agree
> with my position, but I still say that the tournement was a test of
> character as much as a test of knowledge, and that Harry displayed
the
> very character the judges were looking for. Consequently, I say the
> points were awarded fairly and within the context of the
tournement.

Magpie:
What's so wrong with the other players that Harry needs to be
awarded extra points for "character?"  a_svirn considered this sort
of thing not part of the actual rules of the contest but the
slippery way the judges work and I agree. Does Cedric Diggory really
lose to Harry Potter in a character contest?  He seems like a stand
up guy to me.  Even after he's dead.


a_svirn:
Exactly. Also I don't see how the tournament can possibly be 
considered as a test of character. (Character in a sense of moral 
fibre, nobility etc.) You don't have to be a decent person to fight 
dragons, giant spiders, kelpies and blast-ended screwts. You have to 
be courageous, resourceful, keep a cool head on your shoulders and 
know your jinxes and counter-jinxes. I'd say Voldemort himself 
wouldn't disdain these qualities in an aspiring Death Eater. 

Steve:
I absolutely acknowledge that Harry had help [gracious of you – 
a_svirn], but I can't quite go as
far as 'solutions handed to him on a silver plater'. That seems like 
a gross overstatement.

a_svirn:
Then would you mind providing an example of his finding a solution 
on his own? I forgot about the Sphinx (thanks Geoff for reminding 
me), but other than that the whole "thinking part" was done for him 
by others. Yes, he displayed his Gryffindor courage, his vaunted 
flying skills, and his proficiency with defensive-offensive spells, 
but on the whole he failed the "cunning and resourcefulness" section 
of this test.  Which only goes to show, incidentally, how little the 
tournament reveals about one's character – for we *know* that Harry 
can be as cunning and resourceful as any Slytherin. 

Joe:
The whole getting extra points thing is a non-issue in terms of a 
competition.

a_svirn:

Really? And here I thought that competition is all about scoring 
points off your rivals. 

Joe:
None of the other combatants or their head masters did anything like 
a formal challenge that we know of. So then we must assume that 
adding points is provided for in the framework of the rules.

a_svirn:
Naturally. Even cheating is provided for in the framework, as Crouch 
Jr. so helpfully explained. Besides, what is the point in 
challenging Dumbledore? They would have had to continue with their 
tasks in any case. Being magically compelled by the contract, you 
know.








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