Over thinking, a term used when someone gets nit-picky about the details. Often used when someone loses focus on the big picture when watching a movie, book, or TV show. Basically, they start getting a little too hung up on the fact that reality doesn't always hold a place in works of fiction.
This will be a series where I do just that.
Starting with Harry Potter's famous houses:
Gryffindor,
Hufflepuff,
Ravenclaw, and
Slytherin.
Here are some of the main traits associated with each house:
Gryffindor - individualistic, daring, desire for fame, adventurous.
Ex. Thor would probably be a Gryffindor.
Hufflepuff - practical, humble, loyal, risk averse.
Ex. Spiderman would probably be a Hufflepuff.
Ravenclaw - wise, curious, creative, fair.
Ex. Bruce Banner (not Hulk-Banner) would probably be a Ravenclaw.
Slytherin - cunning, confrontational, traditional, group-oriented.
Ex. Natasha (Black Widow) would probably be a Slytherin.
Now, what is my problem with the Houses? I actually have four problems with them.
1.) What's the point?
2.) More harm than good.
3.) Why isn't this setting off red flags?
4.) Stereotyping.
What's the point? It seems very clear that students are divided into houses based on their personality. But, what is the point of that? They still take all the same classes so it isn't like they are being divided to give them the best education. If they were divided and given different classes or at least classes in different styles to best address what they want to learn or how they learn then I would understand it.
However, this does not seem to be the case. So, dividing them by personality seems to serve no purpose.
More harm that good. Separating them into houses by personality means that they get very limited interaction with people who are different than them. Outside of classes, they never really had to work with people that were different. They are even separated for meals. Which means that they are not being properly prepared for when they leave school and have to work in an environment where they might be surrounded by people with different values, ideas, and personalities.
Red flags. I suppose this could be tied in with the first one. However, one thing that annoys me is something that came up in the first book/movie. Ron: "There wasn't a witch or wizard that went bad that wasn't in Slytherin". So, basically, everyone who has ever gone bad - was in one house. And no one stopped and said, 'hm, maybe we should do something about this?' (In the books, this isn't the case but seems to still be the case that like 90% of those who went bad were in Slytherin).
I'm not saying they should assume being in Slytherin makes a person bad, but perhaps they could have put in measures to prevent future Slytherins from going bad. Like maybe classes in tolerance or counselling. Maybe some sort of Muggle outreach. Because a lot of them have problems with Muggles, but really going to a school miles away from any and surrounding them with other people who think muggles are inferior isn't going to help them better accept them.
And I happened across Fanfiction that had a legitimate point about the problems that could come up in allowing Muggle-Born students into magic schools. And it was that because they have a stronger tie to the muggle world they are more likely to inadvertently expose magic. And, looking at Hogwarts curriculum, a lot of the things they are learning will only be helpful if they stay in the magical world.
How are potions or the historical wizards going to help them if they want to be a muggle lawyer?
So, there are some legitimate issues. But, at the same time, not teaching them how to control their magic is just as dangerous. But these are all issues that could be resolved if there were talks and discussions to help address these issues that some of the Slytherins have.
Stereotyping. There is a lot of stereotypes surrounding the houses. Especially in the idea that all Slytherins are villains and Gryffindors are heroes and Hufflepuffs are the "left overs" (even Harry didn't want to be a Hufflepuff).
Let us a take a moment to look at some of the horrible things Gryffindors have done: James' horrible bullying of Snape, the twins’ locking Montague in the Vanishing Cabinet (getting himself out almost proved fatal for him), Hermione hexing the DA parchment, Harry using a hex on Malfoy (without knowing what it would do, causing serious harm, and almost killing Malfoy).
Also, looking at the examples you may also see that separating people also means giving them an enemy. Gryffindors and Slytherins seem to hate each other. But does the school address this?
James bullied Snape. Hermione hit Malfoy. The twins tormented Montague. Harry hexed Malfoy.
A Gryffindor hurts a Slytherin: seems to be a re-occurring theme.
But they're obviously hero-types. So, it gets overlooked. After Harry hexed Malfoy he got detention. Detention! He almost killed him. Hogwarts is essentially a school where students are not only allowed to carry weapons but encouraged to use them. There should be more classes on how to resolve issues without violence or magic. Especially for Slytherins and Gryffindors whose first instinct appears to be wiping out a wand when ever someone upsets them.
On the other hand, when ever something bad happens everyone looks at the Slytherin house. When the final battle came Slytherins were put on the spot. Like someone from another house couldn't have possibly caved in to the fear of dying? Like maybe the Slytherins didn't want to fight because it would mean fighting family or friends?
At some point, you have to think that they just get to the point where they give in. After being treated like they are destined to turn bad, they start believing it to.
Conclusion: Hogwarts needs to start using these houses to better the school and its students or it needs to get rid of the way they are sorted. Because as it is, they seem to be doing nothing good for anyone.