Sadism or not ? McGonagall and her punishments and hair

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 186698

Shaun:

Well, first of all, I think there's a very clear reference in canon about
it. The whole case that we are discussing. Professor McGonnagall tells
Parvarti to remove the ornamental butterly from her hair.

Alla:

Well, sure there is a case of canon which we interpret differently – you argue that this is the reference to the school having regulations about the hairstyles and I am saying that this is professor McGonagall attacking student's taste. I was asking for the additional canon evidence.

Shaun:
<SNIP>
Back in their first year when Snape confiscated 'Quidditch Through The Ages'
and took points from Gryffindor, stating that it was against the school
rules for library books to be taken outside, Ron was very quick to say "He
just made that rule up!". Parvarti, on the other hand, accepts Professor
McGonnagall's order without question - she doesn't like it, but she does as
she's told. She doesn't protest that there's no rule. Why would we assume
that there isn't?<SNIP>

Alla:

This is a very good example, one of those which is very high on my Snape as sadist list by the way. So, how does Ron saying that helped Harry? Ron did not say it to Snape's face, didn't he? I completely agreed with him simply because to me having a rule when student is  reading a book outside enjoying weather with his friends is absurd, it makes no sense. I would imagine teachers encouraging the boys to read. But many people still said that oh no, Ron does not know, of course there is such a rule. As to why Parvati would not protest, even if there is no such rule to me the answer is very simple – she would not want to get harsher punishment. Same way as fifty points for the House became fifty points each when somebody opened their mouth. Of course we do not know if it was supposed to be fifty points for the house, but in my opinion it was.

Shaun:
<SNIP>
In my view, all the evidence is that Professor McGonagall is a fair teacher
who follows the rules. Harry describes her as extremely strict but not as
being unfair <SNIP>

Alla:

I agree that McGonagall is often fair and I agree that she is **always** fair and favorable to Harry, which I do not mind in the slightest. But I think she has her lapses too.

Shaun:
<SNIP>
Secondly, I think the fact that in literally dozens of descriptions of
students hair that JKR gives us throughout seven books, I can't see a single
description of a student with any sort of 'extreme' hairstyle. To the best
of my knowledge and recollection (I'm not going to go through all of those
again) I can't even recall a reference to a boy having long hair, 
 <SNIP>

Alla:
"His hair was lank and greasy and was flopping onto the table, his hooked nose barely half an inch from the surface of the parchment as he scribbled" - p.641, OOP

"He was very good-looking; his dark hair fell into his eyes with a sort of casual elegance neither Kames, nor Harry could ever have achieved" - p.642, OOP

I think hair flopping onto the table means that it was long enough, I cannot be hundred percent sure of course that Sirius' hair are that long however his hair certainly goes against another rule that you quoted – it is in his face and nobody is saying anything.

Alla:
> Here is an example which flatly goes against the rule that you quoted
> and you are saying that it is just one rule and maybe there are still
> others. Maybe, but where exactly?

Shaun:

Plenty of places. <HUGE SNIP>

Alla:

Sorry, I meant in canon.

Shaun:

The only regulation I'm fairly certain Hogwarts has is the only one we've
seen enforced - that there are limitations on what type of ornamentation
students can wear in their hair.

Alla:

So the one she is scolding her about is the only regulation they have?

I have to agree to disagree then.

Alla