Slytherins come back WAS: Re: My Most Annoying Character

[lealess]

No: HPFGUIDX 180240

> Magpie:
> 
> Albus Severus will certainly have to find out what 
> Slytherin means for himself by actually going to Hogwarts, but I 
> don't see any indication in this scene that he'll have to become any
> more enlightened than Ron is.
> 
> Pippin:
> Ah, now I see it. So, Harry should have pushed Albus to make the
> enlightened choice and go into Slytherin, not because Albus wanted 
> to, but for the greater good? I really think Harry had had enough
> of that. 
> 
> Pippin
>

*Scratches head*  A person agrees that Al will have to find out for 
himself about Slytherin/cooties.  A person offers an opinion that the 
Epilogue does not contain hope of enlightenment about Slytherin 
House.  Where does Harry pushing Albus to go into Slytherin come into 
it?  A straightforward reading of the entire comment is entirely 
adequate to understand its meaning, it seems.

I could come up with the comment that Magpie really wanted the 
elimination of the House system and wanted Harry to argue with 
passion for that on the platform.  Isn't that the same kind of 
reasoning?

No offense meant, but I hope you see what I am illustrating here, 
because I think it applies to some readings of the book.  Not that 
there aren't many ways of reading a book, and yes, readers are 
entitled to *any* of them as individuals interacting with the text 
and bringing their own experiences to that interaction.  It's just 
hard to  appreciate readings that embellish the original text with 
information or even intent that may not be there, in the actual 
text.  (I include JKR's interview comments in this category, as well.)

Again, I don't mean to cause offense, but I am trying to express the 
bewilderment and difficulty I face sometimes understanding what I 
might call fill-in interpretations.

lealess