On being pigeonholed.
"Everyone who was raised in a Hogwarts House sacrificed some part of themselves to make other parts strong, Potter, even you. Intellect at the expense of emotion, loyalty at the expense of ambition, valor at the expense of canniness. Slytherin House understands this, and we reach a point when we must choose with our eyes open."
- Snape, from 'The Shadow of His Wings' by Mirabella*
I continue to be cranky about one dimensional characterisation of Slytherin. As many people have said, better than me, why don't they just save everybody the hassle and send them off to Azkaban when they're eleven years old?
I had so much hope when McGonegall told Slughorn that it was time for his House to make a choice - and then in the next scene they were all pushed out of the airlock. (And for a final back-hand Harry tells his son that Slytherin would gain a fine student if he got sorted into that House - and then told him how to avoid it).
I was so annoyed when all the Slytherins left - surely not all them supported Voldemort, surely some of them would have wanted to join the fight? And then I put myself in their place. You've been in an institution for seven years where loyalty to your House, your peers, is everything. These are your friends, your family. Add to that, you are looked on with suspicion and dislike by outsiders. You hate Voldmort but you can't say so openly, and you're not sure who to trust. You decide that you want to fight if the opportunity comes. And then opportunity is upon you - and the whole school is on their feet, wands pointed at you. They hate you. Fear you.
I wouldn't have stayed. Would YOU?
And because I am not above wheedling, cajoling and outright bribery - anyone you missed my Hogwarts House poll you can still do it! I'm interested! Really!
*Which I've actually just given up on in chapter 9. It's all too OOC, and the characters are not engaging me enough to get past that.
- Snape, from 'The Shadow of His Wings' by Mirabella*
I continue to be cranky about one dimensional characterisation of Slytherin. As many people have said, better than me, why don't they just save everybody the hassle and send them off to Azkaban when they're eleven years old?
I had so much hope when McGonegall told Slughorn that it was time for his House to make a choice - and then in the next scene they were all pushed out of the airlock. (And for a final back-hand Harry tells his son that Slytherin would gain a fine student if he got sorted into that House - and then told him how to avoid it).
I was so annoyed when all the Slytherins left - surely not all them supported Voldemort, surely some of them would have wanted to join the fight? And then I put myself in their place. You've been in an institution for seven years where loyalty to your House, your peers, is everything. These are your friends, your family. Add to that, you are looked on with suspicion and dislike by outsiders. You hate Voldmort but you can't say so openly, and you're not sure who to trust. You decide that you want to fight if the opportunity comes. And then opportunity is upon you - and the whole school is on their feet, wands pointed at you. They hate you. Fear you.
I wouldn't have stayed. Would YOU?
And because I am not above wheedling, cajoling and outright bribery - anyone you missed my Hogwarts House poll you can still do it! I'm interested! Really!
*Which I've actually just given up on in chapter 9. It's all too OOC, and the characters are not engaging me enough to get past that.