JKR's intent

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 178796

> Prep0strus:
> 
> This comparison is flawed, and on two counts.  
> 
> The assumption of star athletes being male is one that comes from the
> real world.  People are bringing their biases with them into the
> story.    Slytherins are created by JKR. 

Pippin:
The argument I've heard is  that if  JKR wanted us  to think the Slytherins 
were moral, she'd have made them more sympathetic. That is a real world 
assumption about characters in fiction.

Adam: 
> If JKR wanted to show Slytherins as equal to other members of society,
> or even as a morally neutral group, yes, she failed.  The fact that we
> have this discussion supports the failure.

Pippin:
If she wanted to show that it's easy to overlook virtue when it's not
presented in a sympathetic light, she succeeded.  Harry's story itself
is ample demonstration of that.  If you prefer to see the Slytherins as
a confusing exception rather than a subtle proof, it's okay by me <g>

If Regulus sacrificing his life for his House Elf, Slughorn duelling with 
Voldemort, and Snape keeping his cover to the death are not proof
of good Slytherins, I have to say you're setting the bar for being a
good Slytherin awfully high. I sure haven't done anything like that,
and I'd like to think I'm a good person.

Pippin