You make very good points on both planes, that there is an intention to both unite and divide present in the series. Still, I remain kind of disenchanted with the story for exactly the reason that Slytherin was left out of most of the proceedings. I felt like Harry's perspective demanded a crusader's approach to the house methods, and either you were in full agreement and those with opposing or different values ought to be crushed. Which I didn't think was altogether fair. I'm glad, though, that people in the fandom have been fighting for Slytherin pride and having a kinder attitude towards the house that is intentionally demonized in the books. It's a nice change to be made!

Loved this post, Leah!

I must admit your point about the quizzes is true! I like a sense of belonging and when I went to the HP Studio Tour and they asked us what houses we were in I was proud enough to shout mine even though it isn't entirely a reality. Also hey to you, fellow Ravenclaw! Have you been sorted into your Ilvermorny house yet?

Although there was unity and division on both counts I always remember nineteen years later and the way that Draco nods at Harry. I would like to think that at that point Albus and Scorpius get on regardless of their house (they may even defy their parents houses though I'm going to have to wait until 2017 to find out when I see Cursed Child!)

Also that fan theory about Warrington was mind-blowing!

I hope you get to see it all soon :) it was so worth it! I would definitely go again too, I think it is worth a couple of visits anyway so you can truly see everything.

No way, I got sorted into Thunderbird too. It's apparently the house of adventurers though I tend to live mine through books!

HP fans are great. I love that still after all this time I hear people always talking about it. I may have just referenced HP without meaning to then!

This is such a wonderful post! I really do think that Rowling could have done better when it came to presenting a more well-rounded look at each house. This is probably because most of her focus was on Harry and friends, who are mostly Gryffindors. We learn so much more about that house throughout the series. Yes, they are known for their bravery and sometimes that bravery is expressed differently (Neville), but we also learn that this bravery can make them jump first without looking (Harry). I wish Harry had had more friends outside his own house and maybe this is a criticism of having different houses, you end up spending time with only one group of people. Slytherin definitely got a bad rep in the books and I think that was entirely unfortunate. While I would agree that at Hogwarts, there are some series division in the books because of these houses, we as fans are much better at accepting everyone and being more appreciative of certain characteristics represented in each. As a Ravenclaw (who needs to know your sign when you can just share your Hogwart's house?), I don't feel inclined to only befriend fellow Ravenclaws because I know every person, no matter which house they belong in, has something wonderful to offer. And at the end of the day, I agree, we have more in common with all of the houses instead of one. Loved reading your post!

I love how you contrasted how they create unity AND division. SO TRUE. I love the whole "sorting" aspect (of this series and others, like you listed!) because it does create that sort of "family" feeling right??! Like going to Hogwarts was Harry's first encounter of having a family and AFJDASKLD THAT'S ALL THE WONDERFULNESS. But also it is sad how the stereotypes arise and just the little wars, basically.
Actually I think it's a huge failing on the HP books' behalf that they didn't have ANY "good" Slytherins. Like whyyyyyy??!?!? I can't believe all Slytherins were supporters of Voldemort. And it would've balanced things out to show how good and brave and amazing Slytherins can be too. (Um, yes, I am a Slytherin. xD) So eternally disappointed about that basically. Hmm.

Loved the post! :D

Thanks for stopping by @ Paper Fury!

I wrote out this whole long comment, and then I lost it before it posted. Sigh... Let me try to hit the main points I made again.

After taking adolescent psychology this past semester, I realized that the houses artificially divide the students into crowds, which are groups that all teenagers naturally divide into anyway. But it's interesting to me that at Hogwarts these crowds are almost created for the students and are also so rigidly enforced.

I'm not anti-Hogwarts houses because I'm a proud Ravenclaw myself, but it's interesting to me.

Really, I'd say that I'm all for houses, but I do with that the professors of Hogwarts were shown as promoting school unity more in the books. They never really seem concerned about whether students from each house are befriending each other or not (as long as they're not outright fighting), and it would have been nice to see some encouragement of inter-house friendships from the teachers.

Actually, even more than that, it seems like there's not only a lack of encouragement but obstacles in the way of inter-house friendships. As far as I can tell, the only good place for friendships made up of multiple house members to hang out is the grounds, which isn't always the greatest option in the middle of the winter that makes up a good bulk of the school year. Other than that, the only good options for hanging out at Hogwarts are the divided common rooms and the Great Hall that's divided into house tables. Of course, you can form friendships despite all of this, but it does perform natural barriers that are going to make such friendships less likely. I have to wonder why the school hasn't somehow tried to make it easier for students to befriend students form other houses by at least giving them a convenient place to interact with other houses outside of class.

i'd never heard of the slytherin in the triwizard tournament theory before, whoa! i'm so happy to see a post about house unity/division, because that's never anything i've really considered.

Beautiful post, Leah, I am glad you chose this topic and you elaborated so well. I thought that Slytherin got the short end of stick as far as house unity went, it was quite disappointing to see how the book rallies against them even though one of the main themes of HP was acceptance (esp for Muggleborn witches and wizards). I think it's quite understandable that a lot of YA novels tend to segregate people into groups - it at once addresses that need to belong in your adolescent, and the yearning to assert your individuality.

Thanks for joining Potterhead July and for your insightful post!

Aentee at Read at Midnight

I remember in the books often being disappointed by the way Slytherins were always separated. It felt like all the houses could learn to unify except for them. I would have love loved to see a Slytherin in Dumbledore's Amry too! I always felt like the unity bit felt a bit like a sham because one house was always 'evil' with a few select exceptions. But maybe The Cursed Child will change that. I'm hoping beyond hope that Albus Potter is sorted into Slytherin!

Liselle @ Lunch-Time Librarian

Love the post!! The view we got of all Slytherins as nonredeemable (or in need of redeeming) jerks was definitely unrealistic. I feel the whole Harry-Albus scene in the epilogue was probably JKR's way of addressing that (?)
I wonder what would have happened if Harry ended up travelling in a compartment coach full of Slytherins on his train ride in the first book.

I think that you make very strong points on both of these very different views. I think that both are definitely a big part of the books and part of why the series is so interesting.