Slytherins: selfish, not evil + Ariana raped?

[sistermagpie]

No: HPFGUIDX 172688


> Quoth Nightmasque:
> <<It has been pointed out elsewhere that all the Slytherins who
> were on the 'good side' so to speak were given ulterior motives 
for doing so, i.e. Snape's was Lily.>>

Erin: 
> Ah, precisely. Ulterior motives are the hallmark of a Slytherin. 
We sometimes forget that students aren't Sorted based upon their 
family background, or what they're wearing that day, or whatever. 
They're Sorted based upon what is at the core of their 
personalities. The criteria for being Sorted into Slytherin (as best 
I can remember, not having my books on hand at work) is to put self 
first. To look out for number one. And given what we know now, we 
can see that selfishness is the greatest sin in JKR's world.

Magpie:
Exactly. Though I don't think Snape's quite so much a success story 
as you say. He's not the only Slytherin to sacrifice himself--they 
just sacrifice for reasons that mean something to them even when 
they're doing the sacrificing. So even Snape's redemptive sacrifice 
was, imo, a personal one that didn't go beyond himself as it could 
have. He sacrificed himself and saved himself. I don't happen to 
find the "it takes all kinds so learn to live with the assholes" all 
that inspiring myself, but that definitely seems to be the message 
of JKR's Christ-figure.

-m