THEORY DEBUNKED: You Need to ASK to be in Gryffindor?
I have been watching the Harry Potter theories for about three months now. But the most interesting theory that hit me was The Only Way to be Sorted into Gryffindor is to Ask. Most interestingly this theory has been proven to be right by many fans. Well I am a Gryffindor after being very much SORTED INTO the House by the Sorting Hat in Pottermore from J. K. Rowling and not ASK for it. This theory is undermining our House. So today I am going to DEBUNK this theory. The following post contains some excerpt from the Harry Potter Books so if you have not read the books there might be SPOILERS AHEAD.
The Sorting Hat:
Once you are sorted into the houses you belong to that particular house. And you always have to be sorted into the Houses by a magical sorting hat who when placed on your head is able to analyze your true potential and it sorts you in that particular house which your qualities closely relates to.
But the real question that comes to mind is whether one only can ask to be in Gryffindor and NOT be SORTED?
We are mostly well versed with the fact that the Sorting Hat claims that Harry would be a perfect fit for Slytherin whereas, merely Harry asking to be in Gryffindor the Sorting Hat sorts Harry in the house.
Well to prove our theory let's look into the main qualities that A True Gryffindor possesses that were valued mostly by Godric Gryffindor, these are courage, chivalry, and determination. But whether you need to be already possessing those characteristics before being sorted into the House or develop later on has not particularly been mentioned.
To clear the doubt we shall take a look into the song the Sorting Hat sang:
"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuff are true
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
if you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folk use any means
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"
The Explanation:
'There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.'
So these lines cleary states that the Sorting Hat can see what is hidden in our head and after trying it on, it will be able to tell us were we ought to be. So it is crystal clear that one needs to already possess the characteristics before being sorted into the houses and not any acts in the future as the Sorting Hat would be judging on what is in the head of the person wearing it and the head doesn't tell what a person would be in future but rather how he has been in past and how he is in his present days.
Not only that but Professor McGonagall also seems to be making things more clear by saying "I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours." The underlying meaning of this statement is it is not mandatory that one needs to be possessing the qualities till the end of schooling.
So when you wear the Sorting Hat if you have the qualities of Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw or Gryffindor you shall be sorted accordingly and even if you have developed some of the qualities of a Slyterin, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw or Gryffindor, your qualities when you were wearing the Sorting Hat is your true identity. As one can develop certain qualities with the efflux of time and what circumstances were they in.
But did the persons in Gryffindor possess the traits of a Gryffindor to be choosen into it at all, is to be proven.
' "You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;" '
We shall take only Harry as an example to prove our part of the theory as his part of the story has been well explained.
As we are now aware that COURAGE, CHIVALRY and DETERMINATION are the basic qualities that a Gryffindor needs to possess to be in Gryffindor House we can proceed with our theory.
So did Harry ever showed any acts of Courage, Chivalry and/or Determination before he put on the Sorting Hat?
To prove our point let's take a look at what the Sorting Hat had to say about Harry not wanting to be in Slyterin.
' "Hmm," said a small voice in his ear. "Difficult. Very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind either. There's talent, A my goodness, yes -- and a nice thirst to prove yourself, now that's interesting.... So where shall I put you?"
Harry gripped the edges of the stool and thought, Not Slytherin, not Slytherin.
"Not Slytherin, eh?" said the small voice. "Are you sure? You could be great, you know, it's all here in your head, and Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness, no doubt about that -- no? Well, if you're sure -- better be GRYFFINDOR!" '
It is already seen that the Sorting Hat admits he has "Plenty of courage". So he is courageous, no doubt in that. But does he have any other qualities of a Gryffindor.
Let's analyse the emphasised words "Well, if you're sure -- better be Gryffindor! "
When Harry kept on thinking "Not Slytherin, not Slytherin." he was not only hoping to be not in Slytherin but rather he was determined not to be sorted into the House were not a single witch or wizard who went bad wasn't in. As Hagrid already had informed him that "Better Hufflepuff than Slytherin," he kept on thinking that in his head.
We can clearly see that he was determined to be not in Slytherin. This act of Harry right before being sorted in the Houses made the Sorting Hat realise he had the potential to be in Gryffindor than to be in Slytherin.
So he never ASKED to be in Gryffindor but rather he was SORTED into it.
So is my theory to prove that you are to be sorted into the House of Gryffindor and not just ask to be in it.
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