Representing Hogwarts

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 187592

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "zfshiruba" <zfshiruba at ...> wrote:
>
> Hi! So I'm rereading Goblet of Fire for probably the fiftieth time and I get to wondering.
> 
> What is it that the Goblet of Fire looks for in a Triwizard Champion?
> Is it the best representative of the school as a whole? Whoever has the best chance to win? 

Alla:

I really liked your post :-)
I can only speculate of course, but I always thought that Goblet was looking for the person who has a best to chance to win **among one school of course**, not for individual who represents the school as whole.

I mean, it is a competition, wouldn't it make sense to look for toughest competitor even if such competitor is not the bravest, or bravest but not ambitious, etc? Although I guess some values would help one be tough competitor more than another. Hm, I think actually Goblet was spot on with choosing Hufflepuff member, hard work can achieve a lot, yes?

And of course bravery can be very helpful in the challenges they had to overcome, so what I am trying to say is that to me it makes sense that under the normal circumstances (not hoodwinked Goblet) to me it makes sense that either Gryffindor or Hufflepuff would have been chosen.

Although I can be totally wrong of course.


zfshiruba: 
> If so what does that say about the schools in question? Viktor seems to be a lot like Harry; talented, somewhat shy, headmaster's favorite, doesn't like to be fussed at. The portrayal of Viktor seems to belie Durmstrang's reputation as a bastion of the Dark Arts and leaning towards the Pureblood Elitists' view of the world.

Alla:

Right, I agree that in a sense Viktor seems to be a lot like Harry, so doesn't it say that Goblet is looking for the best competitor, not necessarily for the best school representative (in a sense that he will represent the values that school seems to represent), since Viktor does not seem to be Dark Arts lover. In fact as we learn in DH he seems to have very nagative feelings about Grindelwald, etc?


zfshiruba:
> Cedric shows loyalty, courage, and intelligence; Does he show the ambition and cunning of Slytherin as well? It seems to me that a Hogwarts champion would clearly have the traits of ALL four houses.

Alla:

I may be misremembering, but I do not remember Cedric showing cunning. I mean, I suppose it is an ambition if one simply desires to win, but Cedric IMO was definitely putting some things above the victory, just as Harry was.


> zfshiuba:
> And what about Fleur? Does her performance in the lake suggest that Beauxbatons places less emphasis on defense? Or, like Hogwarts, has had substandard Defense instruction? The Hogwarts students learned grindylows as third years, after all. 

Alla:

Fleur's performance to me was a great dissapointment. I expected her to be much tougher competitor.


> zfshiuba:
> Finally, wouldn't DH Neville make a fantastic Champion?

Alla:

I agree.