I'm not sure she was my *favorite*. I liked all the characters very much. Fred and George are two of my favorites, for as little screen time as they get. I guess Harry is probably my favorite and Hermoine is my second favorite. Ron I don't like so much. She seem to be working towards setting those two up (just a guess) and I have to say, I'm not sure how thrilled I am about it.
An antagonistic-protagonist who's intelligence, cunning, and dark nature are all products of his internal insecurity, conflicting views, and the ever potent NEED to appear confident, capable, and competant. Just as mixed as my own thinking is opinion for me, which is most generally negative.
Lord Voldemort
Rux
;[
*mother of many
*financially poor
*unorganized and scatter-brained
*over-protective
*bossy
*devoted to her family
*loyal
The only things missing are that I don't knit, and I'm not a red-head.
Here's another question: What house would the Sorting Hat put YOU in?
I'm sorry to say, I'm quite a Hufflepuff girl. (Though my DH would be in Ravenclaw...)
~L.L.
"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 Hufflepuffs 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."
I'd be a cross between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor - I think the hat might put me in Ravenclaw. Actually, that is how I think of myself NOW. When I was 11, I'd probably have fit in Gryffindor better (seem to remember having trouble and staying up all night to do homework).
I was thinking that I'm probably somewhat of a Hermione. Actually, come to think of it, seems like the hat should have put her in Ravenclaw, given her smarts - but maybe the hat knows she will change and be daring and help her friends even though she breaks rules eventually... guess the hat is smarter than I (uh oh!).
[This message has been edited by punahougirl84 (edited April 30, 2004).]
Thesis: I believe the sorting hat is senile.
Argument: Clearly half the members of each house don't really belong there and are only there for the sake of JK Rowling's story and not because the functions of the school actually function. Example: Hermione isn't in Ravenclaw?
Oh and the premise for Gryphandor is stupidity. Bold stupidity, the house that should be the jock house, I think. lol and while I'm at it, Hufflepuff's name just sucks, the end.
In a later book Hermoine mentions that the sorting hat seriously considered putting her in Ravenclaw. In fact, it was in response to someone from Ravenclaw asking her why she wasn't in that house.
**end incredibly insignificant spoiler**
I think, Alias, that your understanding of the houses is very strange. I can sort of see the jocularity in Gryphendor, it comes out of the brave and perhaps competitive nature of the house. But in this light, it makes sense that someone with the intelligence for Ravenclaw might end up in Gryphendor, because competition comes in the form of acemadia as well as sports. I see Hufflepuffs as the flipside of Slitherin, to be honest. (I nkow I'm misspelling thins, I'm sorry, I listen to these books on tape so bear with me.) Hufflepuffs are presented in the books as the leftovers, but also as a bunch who value friendship above all else. Slitherins value cunning and, to a certain extent, dark magic. To those who don't belong in Rvaenclaw of Gryphendor, either of the other two houses will be a leftover house, depending upon their darkness/cheating orientation.
Neville was the only character whose sorting I seriously questioned. But I think he might have been better places than most of us knew...all but the sorting hat, anyway. I think that kid's got something deep inside that he hasn't quite found yet.
Also, keep in mind that the sorting hat will sway to the desire of the kid. It wanted to put Harry in Slitherin, aftera ll, but he asked not to go there. It is possible that it chose "incorrectly" at the will of a student.
As for me...I think either Ravenclaw or Slytherin, since I am a bit ambitious, and like to learn. I'll leave the courage up to those who want it. 
I don't know what character I would be, maybe Dumbledoor when younger, but I don't really relate to any of the male characters in the books.
LDS
Gryphandor:
The heroic, reactionary, brave, impulsive, and slower people.
Ravenclaw:
Ambitous, sharp, academic, socially-defecit
Hufflepuff:
Aside from sounding like drug-snorting dirtbags, as the name connotes, the lazier, less ambitious, slower, but round-faced jovial friendly, easy going bunch
Slytherin:
Cunning, witty, brilliant, devious, ulteriorly motivated, self-interested type
Gryphandor:
The heroic, reactionary, brave, impulsive but never got the impression they were slow...found the intelligence level to vary wildly and have little at all to do with the house...they run the gammet fromNeville to Hermoine.
Ravenclaw:
sharp, academic but not socially-deficit or necessarily ambitous. I think this house is all about intelligence, you might even find your stereotypical man scientist in here, although we do not necessarily meet many in this house. Some might be socially deficit, but no more so than any other house
Hufflepuff:
the lazier, less ambitious, slower, but round-faced jovial friendly, easy going bunch
I agree with all but the drugs here. Basically, these are the leftovers.
Slytherin:
Cunning, witty, devious, ulteriorly motivated, self-interested type...not brilliant. Crab and Goyle attest to that. They are all the others though.
1. They characters in each house are there because the Author and readers want them to be there only, but that's it, as near as I can see.
But, looking a bit deeper my descriptions meet how things, based on other knowledge, should operate. Of course that's my opinion, but I stick to it.
But seriously...there are not just 4 personality types out there, not just 4 strengths. There has to be gray area, there has to be wiggle room. Who's to say that Hermoine isn't both smart and brave? She does seem to be, when it comes down to it. So the sorting hat let her have her choice. Why she chose Gryphendor is still unknown, but she's never a POV character so it's ok.
If there were only 4 personality types in the world, I might agree with you, but there aren't, and characters are dynamic. Look at Neville, he doesn't show much courage until book 5, but he does have it in him, as it turns out. Possibly, he also wanted to make his parents proud by getting into that house.
quote:
Why she chose Gryphendor is still unknown, but she's never a POV character so it's ok.
The End.
quote:
If there were only 4 personality types in the world, I might agree with you, but there aren't
I agree that the personality is infinetely dynamic, however, according to your method of thinking, categorization would be impossible. I think branching the personalities of teenagers, believe me I am one (19), into four main cliques pivoting around common traits, interestes, and behaviors is perfectly believable.
I think we both agree that far. The only difference is that I don't agree with the lines the author has drawn, I don't think they fit, and I don't think they are consistant. The only reason this is neglected is because she dodged flak by her "did I end up in the wrong house" sublot which I suspect was created for that very reason.
quote:
and characters are dynamic. Look at Neville, he doesn't show much courage until book 5, but he does have it in him, as it turns out.
Neville? Come on, that's not how I define dynamic. If someone doesn't seem to have something and it eventually comes out, that's not dynamic. Dynamic is the Jock who breaks his stereotype to go to a musical because he has some inner sensitive side that actually gets him "in touch" with more people. Other sides, other aspects, other qualities, that's being dynamic.
For the record, Neville did show courage in book 1 even. Standing up to his friends, recall?
Christine, I enjoy debating and reading your opinion, so please don't think I'm simply devil's advocating or being rude.
[This message has been edited by Alias (edited May 14, 2004).]