CHAPTER DISCUSSION PS/SS 10, THE HALLOWEEN LONG

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 188414

Potioncat:
<SNIP>
I think among all the houses there might have been students brave enough. I
don't know. I just wouldn't say something along the line of "All Gryffindors
would be brave enough to do this but no one else would be."

Alla:

No, I would not say that either. But I certainly would say that Gryffindors supposed to show the highest courage IMO, same as Slytherins highest ambition and disdain for Muggles and Muggleborns, Ravenclaws highest intelligence. IMO of course.


Potioncat:
I think among all the houses there might have been students brave enough. I
don't know. I just wouldn't say something along the line of "All Gryffindors
would be brave enough to do this but no one else would be."

Alla:

Tell me this. When you think about Gryffindor, would you call it a House of Peter Pettigrew?

Because I never ever would. Not because I forget that Peter was in that House, but because in general she makes me *sort of forget* based on how House in general conducts itself, but she can never make me forget that Slytherin is the house of Draco Malfoy for some reason, even though Peter's conduct was so much more horrible on so many levels.

We are back to the problem I described earlier. All those good brave Slytherins (which I still do not think did anything close to Troll rescue) are not the students of our days.


Potioncat:
I think we are not communicating; it sounds as if we read the Sorting Hat
differently but I'm not sure if we agree or disagree.

Yes, students are chosen for Houses based on four main traits. That doesn't mean
each student arrives with only one trait. So a student would not go into
Gryffindor if he were *not* brave.

Alla:

Well, of course not, but to me it does mean that each student arrives with one (or two I guess like Slytherins) predominant traits which yes, it sounds like to me will determine their life for the next seven years.


Potioncat:
Yes, they are all brave. I don't mean it doesn't describe them. We agree, it is
not realistic to define or describe the students by only one trait. I'm just
saying that while one trait is used to sort them, it does not define or limit
them at Hogwarts or in the WW. They may have a good amount of the other houses
traits as well.

Alla:

Right, but while real person will show a different array of the traits depending on the situation one finds themselves in life, it seems to me that your house in WW does define who you are but for very few exceptions. 


Potioncat:
Got it.
Here's where I think it's important to identify when we're having a literary
discussion and when we're discussing the story from within. I've been talking
about the houses as I see them in this WW where brooms can fly and women can
turn into cats.

I would take a different stand if we're talking about the houses as symbols, and
how JKR considers the traits or how she treats them in this body of work.


Alla:

Well, but that's the thing, I totally agree with you – it is important to qualify the different mode of discussions we are having. But my point is that I am unable to talk about houses as I see them in WW, to me they can only be symbols, because if I look at them as something realistic, from inside of WW,  it just does not look good to me, you know?

I think the idea of sorting people per personalities' traits is not a good one, stereotyping one, does not do those students any good, etc, etc.

So if we are talking about Houses as symbols, sure I think it all fits, otherwise it just does not play well for me.

JMO,

Alla