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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