Why you should be proud to be a Slytherin…
Cruelty, entitlement, and moral perversion have plagued Slytherin’s reputation for years. The representation of Slytherin house in the Harry Potter books and films has not been diverse. The few characters represented do not encompass the entirety of Slytherin. We are not all evil. Even Ron Weasley states in the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone film, “There’s not a single witch or wizard who went bad who wasn’t in Slytherin.”, furthering the narrative that all Slytherin’s are villainous.
Being a Slytherin does not necessarily equate to darkness. Unfortunately, many dark wizards were produced from Slytherin such as Lord Voldermort, the darkest wizard of all time, and the Bloody Baron, an elitist muggle-hating wizard. These two are not the most ideal representations of Slytherin. Professor Umbridge also contributes to the poor image of Slytherin with her medieval methods, extreme desire for authoritarian positions, and a delight for tyranny. Bellatrix Lestrange should also be an addition to the ever-growing list of “Characters that make the rest of Slytherin look terrible”. Bellatrix is a murderer and devout follower of Lord Voldermort, not exactly a well-rounded individual. Though she was critical in Voldermort’s uprising, her character flaws uphold Slytherin’s image to this day.
Being a Slytherin means to be proud of your drive to succeed. It means to take pride in the intense desire we Slytherin’s have to reach our goals. Our cleverness and ability to be cunning are put to use when it comes to getting what we want or need. Both are not shameful qualities and neither is being selfish, as long as it does no harm to others unless the harm is deserved. Selfishness is always perceived as negative. It’s time to start viewing selfishness in a positive light. In my mind, selfishness means placing a high value on oneself and one’s life. After all, we don’t live for anyone else. We make choices that align with our interests and our lives. That’s not to say we don’t care for others, it’s that our goals and interests are placed higher in what matters to us. Putting yourself first allows you to value yourself. Once you take care of yourself, you are then able to care for and help others you care about. If you don’t put yourself first, you won’t be able to achieve your goals and be there for the ones you love.
Slytherins are complex. They can be vindictive yet compassionate. Just because you are a Slytherin, does not automatically make you a terrible person. Slytherin may have its flaws but so does any other house. It is often forgotten that Slytherin has produced extremely talented witches and wizards, however, that fact is often overlooked. Your house does not define whether you are virtuous or corrupt, your actions do.
Slytherin house may have generated a few bad apples but there are some good ones. Merlin, one of the greatest wizards of all time was a Slytherin. He stood apart from Slytherin due to his advocacy of Muggle rights, a stance not often taken by Slytherin house. The most apt representation of Slytherin, in my opinion, is Professor Slughorn. He is intelligent, brave, and values success. He created the Slug Club because his philosophy is to value and surround himself with people he finds fascinating and worthy. He admires those who are exceptional. Slughorn also carries a great deal of regret concerning his perceived abetting of Voldermort. Young Tom Riddle comes to Slughorn for advice regarding the Dark Arts. Slughorn, unaware of Riddle’s commitment to creating Horcruxes, answers his concerns.
From that moment, Slughorn was anxious about Riddle, alarmed that a student would be so intrigued by the Dark Arts. He never forgave himself and harbors an immense amount of guilt that he doesn’t deserve. He was crucial to the defeat of Voldermort whether people admit it or not. The courage to push through his shame and regret and willingly give Harry his memory of Tom Riddle propelled Harry and Dumbeldore in their plan to find and destroy the Horcruxes. Slughorn is quite the opposite of any villainous Slytherin character. He also stayed to defend Hogwarts and fight against Voldermort, which is exceptionally brave because Slytherin was almost expected to fight alongside Voldermort. Slughorn brings a distinct element to the Slytherin house. His amusing and humorous personality brings light to the Slytherin house that wasn’t there before.
Slytherin can also be courageous. Draco, while many may have hated him in the first few books and films, deserves more recognition for battling with the light and dark inside of him. When Voldermort assigns Draco to kill Dumbledore, he is terrified. He has no desire to kill his headmaster, but his cleverness allows him to repeat the attempt multiple times with the cursed necklace and liquor bottle. Draco is forced to set aside his fear of Voldermort and even though he is a frightened boy, he tries his luck in the most depressing of situations. His compliance with the Dark Lord’s wishes demonstrates his love for his family. He agrees to go along with the plan because if he didn’t, his mother and father would be killed. Another honorable mention is Snape. Playing both sides, he bravely helps to take down Voldermort from the inside. No other character would’ve been able to achieve that. Professor Snape committed his life to undermine Voldermort’s power. He gave up any sense of normalcy and accepted his fate. Snape was an integral link in the defeat of Lord Voldermort.
Slytherin qualities can be useful in reality. Pride is a motivator for success and helps one value accomplishments. Being proud is not something to be ashamed of. Having pride also helps to recognize it in other people. The quality of ambition relates to confidence and manifestation for the future. Those who have ambition place a high value on their goals and work hard to obtain their goals. The connotation of the word cunning is debatable. It depends on whose moral code is the one in question. Being cunning is another avenue to attain one’s goal. From my perspective, it’s okay to act cunningly as long as the consequences don’t harm someone else. If I want something, I aim to find a method to get what I want as long as no negative or mild consequences come from my choices.
A leadership skill almost all Slytheirn’s have is resourcefulness. One who adapts quickly to fit ever-changing situations is resourceful. Problem-solving is also a relevant skill Slytherins have in their arsenal of character traits. Determination demonstrates persistence and strength in times of hardship and in times of deep desire. Determination is a noteworthy quality to have because it focuses on the ability to continue to work at something, even though it is difficult. Slytherin always has the determination to succeed.
In summary, there are multiple reasons to be proud of being a Slytherin. Slytherin has produced some famous wizards such as Professor Snape, Merlin, and Professor Slughorn. Slytherin is complicated and nearly impossible to label. Be proud of the characteristics Slytherin house exhibits. We don’t accept defeat and we continue to persevere.
