More Than What Meets the Eye

[Will]

I was having a conversation with my friends the other day about sorting each of us into a house. There were five of us and of the five, three of us, including me, decided that we are indeed Slytherins. One flat out said she is a Gryffindor and one, even though she wanted to be in Slytherin, admitted that she was more of a Ravenclaw.

After that, they turned on me! How could anyone doubt my Slytherin-ness? It’s unthinkable… Well, no, it’s not. However, I told them that I had a distinct view of what makes a Slytherin. I said that I had my own philosophy about us, a whole explanation of what makes a true Slytherin. And then one of my friends asked me what this is… and I tried to enlighten them, but it didn’t quite come out they way I wanted it to. I had this whole idea in my head, but I couldn’t convert those thoughts into the extravagant oral speech that I had planned.

So as I stuttered and explained that explaining my views is hard to explain ((wow, three ‘explains’ in one sentence)), the Gryffindor told me to write it all down instead if that would be easier. So I agreed and here I am sitting in front of my computer, trying to figure out where to start… but I don’t know how.

Slytherins are such complicated people… and there are the different kinds.

Let me get to the point now. I know we have the Slytherin Code of Conduct and the Gallery, both displaying what we Slytherins are, but how do we take all of that and turn it into an essay type thing?

What makes a true Slytherin in your mind? Go deep within this question and pull out an in depth answer. What do we strive for? What are our intentions? Why do we act the way we do? How do we interact with a fellow Slytherin? Why do we behave the way we do with other houses? ((I realize that the TD Slytherins are far more different compared to the ones in the books, so I’m asking you to not refer to TD at all when you answer the questions. However, the book version of Slytherin is too… one dimensional. Build up on them instead. Or perhaps, since the books are leaning toward a Gryffindor’s point of view, there are most likely a few misconceptions and over exaggeration concerning the Slytherin house? Surely the Slytherins of the books are more than death-eaters-in-training. ))

I know there have been many discussions on this subject at hand everywhere on this board, but this will be the official place. What is discussed here will be final.

If you are in a house other than Slytherin, feel free to join in as well. We would love to hear the other point of views.

[KoNeko]

(Will, I hope you don't mind me posting here before the Slyths get to it)

I agree with you that the Slytherian point of view in the HP books is very... lacking in some way. They're open to interpretation, but it just seems that, based on what I've seen on TD, I think that there have been several interpretations and reinterpretations of what a Slytherin is. I mean, sure, you're an ambitious lot, but how does that translate? You work together towards common goals (like house comping and the common room decking game) but I suspect that somewhere in each of your individual Slytherin minds you may be looking for ways to outdo your housemates, if it came down to an individual competition or something. I think that's where you can distinguish all the houses. There's a certain degree of strength in how you interact within your house as one entity and then how you interact as individuals, and with Slytherins, the two thresholds I think are quite closely aligned. You're all strong team players, but if the opportunity arose then you could also be strong individual players as well. I think that is the method you go through for the "getting what you want" thing- you all work together really well if you share a common goal.

Another thing I've noticed about you is that you have a very strong sense of house loyalty. Well, it's obvious it stems from your house pride. I suppose it almost exudes some sort of extroversion amongst your house members (sidenote: I just thought that maybe generally speaking there were two extroverted houses- Gryffs and Slythies - and two introverted ones -Ravens and Huffs - based on what we perceive as their house values...) which promotes your close group identity. I don't know how to explain it, but that's just the impression that I get.

Anyway, I'll write more later. Hope this helps so far. This is a tricky one to actually word out!

[S.S Tigress]

I think that Slytherins.........................

Damn, this is hard to put into words.

I agree with Ko, Slyths will work together with a common goal. They also like to be in control of the situation. Whenever there is a game-plan, it's kind of hard to see who's the leader, because no one wants to be the follower. We all like to express our idea, our strategy and when it all goes down, we like to take credit and shine it wherever we did help on it. It's like a safe-area for us, when we're the one in charge. That's how we differ from the Gryffindors. They enjoy working together for a common goal, but they'll say the all worked together to do it, not taking credit for each piece they did. Slytherins just like to be known for what they've done as an individual. that's how we become more of independant people than the other people in houses.

That's how we're more seseptable to being evil. Control and power can corrupt.

I'd elaborate even more but that alone was hard work. I need more time to word everything else. Man this was difficult. Hope that helped others.

[Jon]

I agree with everyone.When theres a game plan, Theres probobly a bunch of slythys mixing up trouble.We take charge of the situation.Destroy our enemy.Take our prize...and gloat about it...Thats what we do it just...our thing.

[S.S Tigress]

I don't think we gloat about our prize. Maybe enjoy it, celebrate it with other slytherins but...do we really show it in front of the losers? I don't think we're all poor winners like that.

[Sphi]

Yeah, I agree with you, Ti. I suppose it may depend on the exact personality of the Slytherin in question, but most of us here on TD don't gloat. The way Jake puts it makes us sound awfully like the book Slythies.

[Lianne]

yeah im not one to gloat about winning, i may have a big grin on my face, but its not full of gloat


As a slytherin, i agree with determination (even though i cant spell), i think we are a friendly bunch, and we come up with a few good schemes when we are all around and feel a little ambitious. We like to play little pranks, and steal the ravenclaw;s cheese. We also get a good use out of banana sacks :Pi dont know what else to say really. GREEN!!

[Jon]

Ok this has just been floating around in my head and i just thought id ask....ok....Ravens have their cheese..Gryffs have their Chocolate....Huffs have their.....umm...insanity..and we have?What exactly? So help me decide....is it our sexyness (thank you) or our brains, our extremely good posture and behavior or what?

[Lucius]

I dare say it is a combination of all of those characteristics...I mean c'mon...are the Ravenclaws Sexy? Do the hufflepuffs stand tall and proud? NO the slytherins are far superior......we are also way funnier than them

[KoNeko]

Pfft. Tall and proud. Heh. Your distinguishing feature is your sexiness, if you ask me. Oh hey, that reminds me. We had this discussion about house food. Like, Slyths have green apples, Gryffs have chocolate and Ravens have cheese. But Huffs don't have a food... Is there any food you could pick that was like, I don't know, sexier than green apples?

[Will]

Hmmm... come to think of it, cherries and strawberries are rather sexy as well. Pears could be sexy... But really, Slytherins could probably make most fruits sexy.

[Benjamin Kingsley]

just put it in the hand of a slytherin and by golly you have a sexy fruit right there...even a pineapple..natures ugliest fruit...call it a slytherapple and all of a sudden its a damn fine fruit...and tastier too!

Meanwhile I think the slytherins boast a sort of upper-class elegance that people only have to look at you to say
"oohh I bet their up to no good!...sexy though.."
sort of like any evil tycoon from movies..eg victor von doom from fantastic four