Hated DH epilogue

[houyhnhnm102]

No: HPFGUIDX 172848

Leah:

> And then there's the whole Slytherin problem. From 
> Hagrid in book one onwards, Slytherin has been the 
> despised, the evil house; it's been reinforced in 
> every book. Even in DH, DD doesn't say, "You've been 
> a brave chap,Severus, there must be good in Slytherin", 
> it's "we sort too soon", ie. you should have been a 
> Gryffindor, mate

houyhnhnm:

Although I have said I am satisfied with the ending 
of the story (mainly because I was dreading any number 
of worse possibilities) you have put your finger on my 
biggest dissatisfaction with the HP septology.

If the four houses correspond to the four elements as 
Rowling said in interview, then they must be equal even 
if different in their natures.  There must be a  good 
way to be a Slytherin.  A good Slytherin would still 
be more introverted, more deliberative, less spontaneous, 
more attached to family and tradition than a Gryffindor 
but without the malignant prejudice against Muggle-borns.  
I was waiting for Rowling to develop that idea and she never did.

I can only conclude that while the idea of all natures 
being part of a whole and all types being capable of 
good or evil in their own way appeals to Rowling on 
a superficial level, on a deeper level she sees only 
one way of being a good person, and that is the Gryffindor way.

To some extent she treated Ravenclaw house the same 
way.  Most of the Ravenclaws we saw were unattractive 
in some way, foolish, excentric, or flighty.  The good 
Ravenclaws were those who exhibited the most Gryffindor-like 
qualities.

"It takes all kinds to make a world" is apparently a 
nice idea that appeals to Rowling on an intellectual 
level, but deep down she doesn't really believe it.  
I'm disappointed, but I didn't really expect any more 
from a woman who despises math and science and doesn't like cats.