Within the first novel of the Harry Potter series, the
sorting process that places students in various houses plays a key role in the
plot. Not only is it the first experience Harry has at Hogwarts, but it
determines Harry’s friends for the remainder of the story.
Professor McGonagall welcomes the students to their new
school, and in the same breath, informs them of the sorting. On page 114, she narrates
“’Welcome to Hogwarts. The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before
you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into you houses.” She
then continues to explain that the Sorting is so important because “your house
will be something like your family within Hogwarts,” (114). Professor
McGonagall finally explains the scoring of the houses and the pride that will
come from winning the house cup. Without the incentive of winning points for
your house, students could be tempted to misbehave and easily get out of hand.
Explaining the rules upon arrival encourages the young wizards to strive to
behave in order to bring glory to their house, an important aspect of student life
throughout the story.
In addition, the Sorting provides students with their
long-term friends. While Rowling introduces Harry’s lasting friends on the train
ride, this would become irrelevant if Ron had been sorted into a house other
than Gryffindor. The remainder of the novel rarely, if ever, mentions students
such as Hannah Abbott, Susan Bones, or Justin Finch-Fletchley (119), sorted
Hufflepuffs. Instead, characters that are mentioned are either fellow
Gryffindors, or rival Slytherins. Draco Malfoy, was sorted into the same house
as his friend Crabbe and Goyle
(121), belonged to the Slytherin house and took it upon
themselves to bully and trick their fellow first-years in Gryffindor. The rivalry
between the two houses incites healthy competition throughout the school year,
especially during Quidditch. Had Draco and Harry been sorted into the same
house, the tricks and pranks might not have been so long lasting between the
two boys.
The Sorting is a major event at Hogwarts that unties students,
but also induces pride. The students strive to earn points for their house throughout
the year by avoiding bad behavior, keeping peace within the school. It is no
wonder the Sorting is the first event that happens upon the arrival to
Hogwarts.
I would agree with you that the sorting creates both a sense of pride and friendship within the new students. Rowling states, “Malfoy went to join his friends Crabbe and Goyle, looking pleased with himself” (Rowling 131). This quotation happens immediately after Malfoy is sorted into Slytherin, and it shows the sense of pride that is accompanied by the sorting. Further, the reader can see how different personalities fit into the different houses. For example, Harry felt a sense of pride and relief when he was not placed into Slytherin. This is a stark contrast from Malfoy’s reaction, however it makes sense, since Malfoy and Harry had very different personalities. Besides just creating a sense of pride, sorting also sets the framework for friendship. In the novel, the reader follows a couple of sets of characters, including the group of Harry, Ron, and Hermione, as well as the group of Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle, among others. However, Harry, Ron, and Hermione are all in Gryfindor, and Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle are all in Slytherin. The reader is never introduced to friend groups within multiple houses. This is because the sorting process creates friendships almost immediately. The sorting process serves to create these strong friendships, as well as instill pride in the characters.
ReplyDeleteHouse pride is extremely important to the Hogwarts students, especially in regards to the House Cup competition. The students become engrossed in winning the cup. Any threat to their success in the competition is considered gravely serious. For example, when Harry, Hermione, and Neville lose 150 points for Gryffindor after sneaking out at night, the rest of the Gryffindor students are shocked. Harry, Neville, and Hermione are ashamed of what they have done; Neville "sob[s] into his pillow for what seem[s] like hours" (244) and Harry cannot sleep. The Gryffindor students then begin insulting Harry. He begins to feel so disliked that he offers to step down from the Quidditch team. Harry, Neville, and Hermione's reactions to their punishment are focused on how their actions will affect Gryffindor. They clearly place a great deal of value on their house, as they are more concerned about the good of Gryffindor than suffering through their detention. The other students show a similar sentiment in their reactions. The House Cup is a sense of pride for the Hogwarts houses. The students value Gryffindor and want to prove how great it is above all. The fact that Harry is famous and well-liked does not make up for the actions he took to "harm" Gryffindor.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the houses are meant to create lasting friendships and discourage bad behavior. Professor McGonagall explains this when telling the new students how they will be sorted. She says, “While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule breaking will lose house points” (114). This supports that the idea of houses is to promote healthy competition and encourage good behavior, though the houses also create problems.
ReplyDeleteWhile each house is supposed to be recognized for their positive attributes as the sorting hat song (117-118) suggests, the houses actually result in stereotypes. Even those who work at Hogwarts subscribe to these stereotypes, with Hagrid commenting, “Better Hufflepuff than Slytherin. There’s not a single witch or wizard who went bad who wasn’t in Slytherin.” The house stereotypes, while maybe untrue, may influence how students learn to act at Hogwarts and definitely influence student relationships.
Perhaps only because they are first-years they bond with their houses first, but no inter-house friendships are introduced in the novel, even though they spend time in classes together. This seems odd as most young kids make friends with those that are with them in class, and so the houses could also be seen as unnecessary division.
The healthy competition that should be created by the houses also results in some contention, as all the houses are just trying to not let Slytherin win again. Slytherin won so many times in a row, that students just want Slytherin to lose, surely resulting in animosity between at least Slytherin and the other houses. This further separates the students and contributes to the opposition of other houses to Slytherin.
Rowling’s use of separating houses at Hogwarts is interesting in a book which focuses so much on friendship and inclusion. One might expect that a sorting system based on character traits would reinforce boundaries between those who think and act differently. However, as discussed in class, the sorting guidelines are so general that not much separates the “cunning folk” of Slytherin and “those of wit” (94) in Ravenclaw. Since many can make claim to common values like bravery, wit, cunning, loyalty, and intelligence, a great deal of diversity persists within each individual house. Harry Potter, “the boy who lived” (13), and Neville Longbottom, “the boy who kept losing his toad” (88), are by no means identical. Thus, Rowling’s protagonist has ample opportunities to build a diverse group of friends: boy or girl, Muggle or wizard, redhead from a long line of students or only child. Thus, Hogwarts houses are created by a pseudo-sorting system which makes them no less diverse than the recreational sports teams and public-school classrooms that young readers find themselves in daily. The author obtains high levels of team pride for the house colors and emblem without sacrificing the organic nature of schoolchildren interactions.
ReplyDeleteThe growth of Ron, Harry, and Hermione’s friendship may be the first instance of children overcoming their differences. When Hermione is first placed in Gryffindor, Ron “groaned” (96) at having a girl he thought snobbish and annoying in his likely house. Later he states, “It’s no wonder no one can stand her…she’s a nightmare, honestly” (137), causing her to cry. However, just a few moments later, after taking on the troll together, “Hermione Granger became their friend” (143). Even though Ron was jealous or irritated by Hermione’s actions, he gladly assisted a Gryffindor (or better yet, another human being) in need. Rowling uses the houses in this way to build unlikely friendships while striving for the greater good.
I agree with you that sorting the new students into houses from the very beginning creates a competitive atmosphere and, therefore, encourages the new wizards and witches to have pride in their house and do all they can to help lead it to greatness. Professor McGonagall tells the new students that “the Sorting Ceremony will take place…in front of the rest of the school” (Rowling 114). Each house is eager to meet their new members and, by having them all there cheering as the new students are placed into their house, shows the new house members how excited and prideful they are to have them. I also agree that by sorting the students into houses, they are “forcing” them into friendships, which is something I did not think about. I figured that meeting on the train would be enough to create the friendships between our three main characters, or at the very least between Ron and Harry. It is interesting that a book, which puts so much emphasis on the importance of friendship, begins by dividing the school up and forming cliques form the beginning. It would definitely be interesting to read the book if the Harry, Ron, and Hermione had ended up in different houses - I’m sure Hermione would have nothing to do with some of Harry’s shenanigans if it weren’t for them both being in Gryffindor.
ReplyDeleteTo me, the creation of the different houses by J.K. Rowling is one of the most important aspects of the book and plays a large role in the development of the characters throughout not only the first novel, but as the series progresses as well.
ReplyDeleteThe houses very clearly each have their own stereotype, as the Sorting Hat says of Slytherin for example: "Or perhaps in Slytherin you'll make your real friends, those cunning folk use any means to achieve their ends" (118). Rowling uses the houses to help the reader identify who is inherently good (Gryffindor), and who is inherently evil (Slytherin). Placing Malfoy in Slytherin reinforces the fact that he's evil and slippery, as opposed to Harry Potter, Ron, or Hermione, the heroes of the story, who are in Gryffindor, where all of the "brave at heart" are.
There was lots of discussion in class about whether or not sorting students into houses this way was good for them, but I believe it is a great way for the students to gain a sense of community in their new surroundings, especially with the competition for the House Cup. Professor McGonagall says: "At the end of the year, the House with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honor" (114). The House Cup is a great way for the students to work together towards a common goal, while developing relationships around them. As a freshman, I was constantly told that if I went to a large university like IU, I would need to get involved in clubs so that I could develop smaller communities of people who I knew well, which I believe is what the Houses bring to the students at Hogwarts.