Re: Sorting Hat Songsjana_chNovember 2 2014, 04:09:28 UTC
Yes, JKR is big on her heroes being tremendously successful without actually striving for it. All the Weasleys end up being highly successful, but the only one condemned for it is Percy, because he's entirely up-front about wanting success, and doing what he can to achieve it. Apparently you're just suppposed to "follow your bliss" out of your great love of jokes, dragons, quidditch, police work, or muggle do-dads, and success will shower upon you. As long as you wear red and gold, of course.
The bit about Slytherins "using any means to achieve their ends" is obviously supposed to indicate lack of morality: "My ambition is so important I'll do anything to achieve it, and devil take the hindmost." But it can also be interpreted to mean, "I will do whatever it takes to get the job done, no matter how difficult or painful, or what it costs me." That's the motto of Severus Snape.
In my story "Girls' Night at the Hog's Head," I have a Slytherin explain, "Everyone is suspicious of us, but they come to us to do the dirty work that really has to be done and no one else will touch. We do it, no matter what it takes, and no one thanks us for it, or thinks to repay the favor when we're the ones who need help."
The bit about Slytherins "using any means to achieve their ends" is obviously supposed to indicate lack of morality: "My ambition is so important I'll do anything to achieve it, and devil take the hindmost." But it can also be interpreted to mean, "I will do whatever it takes to get the job done, no matter how difficult or painful, or what it costs me." That's the motto of Severus Snape.
In my story "Girls' Night at the Hog's Head," I have a Slytherin explain, "Everyone is suspicious of us, but they come to us to do the dirty work that really has to be done and no one else will touch. We do it, no matter what it takes, and no one thanks us for it, or thinks to repay the favor when we're the ones who need help."
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