Likeable Slughorn (was: Villain!Dumbledore )

[sistermagpie]

No: HPFGUIDX 177892

> zgirnius:
 
> I agree with Mike - Sluggie does not have an obligation to further 
> everyone's success to the same degree during his free time, so I 
do 
> not have a problem with the way he treats Ron.

Magpie:
For me, I don't think it's an issue of what he does in his "free 
time." It's not like he's a teacher who just happens to recruit for 
Harvard on the side. He can certainly associate with whom he wants 
outside of class, and nobody's entitled to his personal help in 
getting jobs outside of school. (Though as I've said, I think it's 
completely inaccurate to say he's cultivating talent in his spare 
time. A large part of his hobby is about helping the already well-
connected, whether or not they are the best people for the job.)

But the Slug Club is central the classroom experience in Slughorn's 
class. There's no reason for any kid in the class to be much aware 
of it, yet it's at the bottom of everything--it's a joke in the way 
he treats everyone. I have no problem with Ron not being in the 
club. I have a problem with the way Slughorn treats Ron. I don't see 
why anybody would be okay with being on the receiving end of that 
kind of behavior, for instance by having the guy make it clear every 
time they meet that while he's actually brilliant at remembering 
names, that only counts for people whose names are worth 
remembering.  And I'd think Slughorn's behavior would seriously 
backfire on him more than once. The author shows Slughorn being 
transparent about judging people as worthless to him and treating 
them as such. Whether or not one uses the word racism, being treated 
as nothing is an experience described by real life people in just 
these kinds of situations.

zgirnis:
> I am totally comfortable with Hermione trotting off to the club, 
it 
> is Ron I have the problem with. If Hermione goes on to be a much 
> greater "success" in life than Ron, and he can't deal with that, 
they 
> are better off breaking up right then and there over the Slug 
Club. 
> He should find someone small and weak enough for his fragile ego 
to 
> handle, and Hermione should live as though the sky is the limit. 
> \climbs off feminist soapbox 
> 
> (Aside: I think Ron CAN handle it, he's had a lot of practise 
being 
> Harry's best friend and the youngest of the variously accomplished 
> and outstanding male Weasleys. I think Hermione needs to let Ron 
know 
> that she loves and admires him for traits other than worldly 
success. 
> We see some indication of both in DH).

Magpie:
Yeah, I agree. I don't really think Ron has any issues at all with 
Hermione being more successful. If he did, why on earth would he 
like Hermione to begin with? She's always been the superstar while 
he was normal. He even rejects the relationship where the girl looks 
up to him. However, I also can't blame him for reacting badly to 
being dissed by Slughorn in front of her etc, and if that club 
created bad blood between them I don't think it would have to come 
from Ron being entirely unreasonable. 

Personally, I didn't think Hermione came out very well re: the Slug 
Club. I thought she was a sucker for it because she loves praise and 
being told that she's special, myself. The fact that as far as I was 
concerned Slughorn had introduced himself by making clear that he 
does look down on Muggleborns as inferior, but prides himself on 
cases like Hermione who are the exceptions, made me feel that even 
more. Did she know she was a token Muggle-born? I don't know. It's a 
bit complicated since Muggle-borns by definition are going to be far 
less aware of the prejudice against them than anyone else. From what 
I've read in the books, Hermione was raised as basically part of a 
non-minority group, and her experience in the Wizarding World has 
been no different. She doesn't identify as a minority at all. It's 
only in DH that she's in a bad position due to her parents being 
Muggles, and then that ends and she goes back to her proper position 
as part of the elite of her world. (And in case it seems like I 
forgot, I know she's been called Mudblood by Draco and was once 
called a Muggle in an angry letter, but she's not experiencing 
institutionalized discrimination.)

I assume the best attitude was supposed to be the one held by Harry 
and Ginny, who thought the Club was ridiculous and rejected it, 
while being the most sought-after people. Though of course that 
makes it a lot easier to reject it--both of them got adulation 
elsewhere. Hermione's more insecure to begin with. (Not that 
Hermione needed the Club so much either--she's bff with Harry 
Potter.)

-m