I caught the SNITCH
The Introduction
1. What is your name, and what do you prefer to be called? Joanna; some friends call me Jo. Either one is fine.
2. How old are you? 18
3. How did you come across our community? (If you were referred by a member, please mention them so we can give them credit!) I just found the community searching through live journal for sorting communities that were good AND friendly. Sometimes they don’t seem too friendly.
The Canon
4. Choose a character not from Harry Potter (ie: from Lord of the Rings, House, etc) and explain what house (Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw or Slytherin) you think they would have been in and why. The character I chose is Tessa from the book, The Constant Gardener by John Le Carre. I would place Tessa in Gryffindor, without a doubt. She is highly intelligent, brave, selfless, and slightly impulsive. Gryffindors have a passion for life, they have a drive to live fully, which she definitely did. She went to Africa with a man she loved on impulse, half for adventure, half for activist work. I think a Gryffindor wouldn’t be afraid of putting their life on the line, like she did. She was eventually murdered due to her activism in Africa. Gryffindors can be a bit rash, which she definitely was. However, she was also intelligent, as Gryffindors are. She was a lawyer. Gryffindors are also open-minded, which Tessa clearly was. It didn’t matter where you came from or what color you were, as long as you were a good person. Like Gryffindors, sometimes she was a bit stubborn, opinionated, outspoken, and a risk taker. However, at the end of the day, she had a heart of gold, and everyone knew that. She put herself on the line for her work. In a sense, she played the hero part a bit, like Harry.
5. What character do you most relate to? I would say Hermione and Snape. Hermione, because I’ve always been known as the “smart” girl. I do like to read, write, paint, etc. I tend to be more introspective and keep to myself more. I definitely have good friends, but I would never consider myself popular. Like Hermione, I have good close friends, instead of a lot of random friends. Hermione and I differ when it comes to learning, however. She tends to memorize, while I tend to read books, magazines, and go to museums. I’m not into pure memorization. Hermione is brave at times, and very loyal to her friends, which I feel reflects me. I would do almost anything for my best friends. I feel I am like Snape, because he tends to be isolated and viewed as different. I definitely am different, and was always so. People know me for being original. During grammar school, I was made fun of, and I can sympathize with his experience at Hogwarts. While I do not have that problem anymore, I will never forget what it felt like when I was 12 years old and practically everyone teased me because of my interests and appearance. Due to this, it takes me awhile to trust people at first, but when I do, I trust them unconditionally. There are certainly differences between Snape and I. I am not nearly as bitter as Snape. Actually, I’m really not bitter at all, and tend to be very optimistic. I feel I have reacted differently than he has, but I tend to question people’s motives. Where Snape can be cruel at times, I am more compassionate. I’m the kind of person who would stay up at 4am with my best friend on the phone to cheer her up, which I think Hermione would definitely do. So in a sense, I am a mixture between the two of them.
6. Choose one aspect of the story as told by Rowling that you dislike, and tell us how you would change it. (Please avoid the subjects of romance and shipping.) I would change the way the 6th book was written at times. Frankly, I didn't appreciate the way she wrote about Voldemort's past. I was let down, because it wasn't anything the fans couldn't have figured out by now. It was all very juvenile in a sense; he was the weird baby, he was powerful even as a child, sadistic by the age of eleven, all the markings of a sociopath. It debunks her famous theme of "it isn't what you are born into, it's what you make of yourself." Because if you look into it that way, Voldemort never had a proper chance. Of course, it can be argued that it was the lack of motherly love, but it still shows a lack of choice. I wish she added more depth to his character, and made the readers sympathize with Voldemort, making it harder for us to easily hate him so, but she didn't. Which is unrealistic. Other than that, I cannot argue with the events of the books. I have no bone to pick, except for the fact that there are numerous questions left unanswered, although I am hoping she left those for the last book. Even though I feel inclined to say she should have developed Ron and Hermione more as characters, I don't think it is crucial to the overall series.
The Person
7. If you could put a memory in a pensieve for the specific purpose of viewing it later, what would it be and why? I would definitely put a happy memory, because I like to stay positive. I try not to dwell on the past too much. (Although, I do believe that the past does mold you.) I think I would probably choose when I got accepted into the Creative Writing Program at the college I’m going to. I love to write, and it is one of my career aspirations, as I want to publish books of poetry and short stories. Being accepted into the program meant so much to me (as only 20-30 people get in), and it also made my college decision easier. I would have been devastated if I didn’t. I remember feeling relief and happiness all in one.
8. What are three traits that define you? How has each trait had positive impact and negative impact on your life? 1. Creativity: I live life through trying to be as creative as possible. Whether I am expressing myself through fashion, art, writing, photography, etc, I am always trying to do something. I do something creative each day, just to keep my mind active. I associate creativity with growth, which is why it is so important to me. Also, it’s something you do for yourself. Moreover, writing is essential to my life, and I hope one day to be successful in that. I am very motivated with my creativeness. 2.Compassionate I would say I am a pretty compassionate person. I care a great deal about other people, and I hate to see other people hurt. I try my best to make others happy, and to help others when they need it. I try to be as good of a friend as possible and just simply treat other people the way I would like to be treated. I think my compassion also lies coincide with my loyalty. Because I have compassion, I am loyal to others. 3. Intelligence I would consider myself smart. I do care about my grades academically, and do get good grades, but the kind of intelligence I’m talking about has more to do with being cultured. I try to learn as much about different places, cultures, artwork, literature, etc, as possible. These are the things that will make a difference in the world. I like to keep myself active, and always simulate myself. If anything else, what else is there to do in the world, but learn? Each trait has had a positive and negative impact on my life. First of all, while my creativity obviously enhances my life and the way I perceive events and people, sometimes it can isolate me. Instead of socializing, sometimes I’m at home creating something. While this might not be a horrible thing, I miss events and people because of this. Also, with my compassion, sometimes I can be too nice and put other before myself. This makes it easier for me to get hurt. Even though having compassion can be a great thing, it can also hurt you when others are hurt or take advantage of you. Lastly, having a thirst for learning is great, as like creativity, it makes life more interesting. But sometimes the process of learning can be time consuming, or difficult.
9. What is one specific thing that you have never done but strongly wish to do sometime in your life? I want to travel. I’ve never really honestly traveled in my life. I want to see other parts of the world, starting from my own country (US). I want to see how other people live, not just me. It is amazing to me to think there are so many places in the world, and I’ve only seen a tiny portion of it. I probably will travel after I graduate from college and work on my career. I am a very driven person. I want to eventually get published and become a professor, which does require getting PH.D. I want to be successful, but in my own terms. So most likely, after I have a decent job, get married, even raise a family, I will travel.
The World
10. What is your biggest pet peeve and why? My biggest pet peeve is cruelty and racism. I can’t stand when other people have prejudices for reasons based on race. The sad thing is, there is racism everywhere, about everyone, which is utterly ridiculous. Cruelty in general bothers me, whether it is to animals or people. It isn’t also obvious either, people are cruel everyday. Whether it’s words or just a glance, everyone knows it. I also dislike when people gossip, which again, a form of cruelty. It is plain rude to gossip about others, and I don’t see what makes that person so great that they can talk about other people.
11. Describe the people you admire most. What do they have in common with each other? How are they different? This is a rough question, actually. I admire the author Francesca Lia Block, who is a writer whose books reflect themes of feminism, rejection, women empowerment, transformation, and love. She writes in a lyrical way, which is simply beautiful. While I do not necessarily think she is the best writer out there, I like her messages, I love the way she writes, and her writing is clean and simple. They were the types of books I can read in a day, which I love. I don’t always want complication (I have enough of it elsewhere). Plus, I think she sends out good messages to women everywhere, whether they are 12, 17, 23, or 35. While her targeted audience is mainly teens to twenties, her books have timeless messages. All her characters are unique, which I look up to. She allows me to be okay with embracing who I am.
Another person I admire is Coco Chanel. She remains one of the most substantial designers in history. What I admire about her is simple; she changed the conventions of the female form. Instead of women having to wear corsets, she designed the “little black dress.” Her clothes were less form fitting, shorter, and more daring. She also designed pants for women, a very new thing. I cannot say I honestly admire Chanel for who she was, but I admire her for what she did. While fashion may only be face value, it molds us, and allows us to feel good about ourselves.
They are similar in the sense that they both have empowered women, and made women the focus of their careers. Both have embraced being a woman, whether is it physically or emotionally. However, they are both different, as Block as a writer, and focuses on the emotional growth of a character. Whereas, Chanel was simply a fashion designer, who made clothes for the person’s exterior personality.
12. How do you think people see you? Does the person you show to the public differ from the person you are on the inside? Explain. I think people see me as a very creative, nice (maybe too nice), reliable, interesting, smart, and well roundedness. (I just asked one of my friends to describe me, and that’s what he said. So I had a little help here.) But I agree with all of that. People do see me as being someone they can count on, someone that is there for them. I’m a bit of a leader, and am very polite. People usually don’t see angry. I feel I am pretty much the same person inside, as well. I’m a fairly open person. I’m both analytical and logical, as well as emotional. I can be slightly more stubborn than people realize, but I think you see is what you get. I’m studious, yet I like to have a good time. I think I’m a nice mixture of a lot of things. I’m responsible, but I don’t act 80 years old.
The Community
13. Which hybrid house do you believe you are the most like? Make a case for and a case against your placement there. I would say Slytherpuff. Why?
Because I am very motivated and ambitious. I’m determined to succeed at what I want to do, although I am not manipulative. I do play fair, but I also do make sure I get what I want done; and done well. I would say I’m an intelligent person who is very active, with school and with hobbies. I try to be well rounded, even if I’m not great at everything I do. I’m also very loyal, very compassionate, very helpful. I work hard. So I think I’m a good mixture of the two. However, I do have morals. I am not cruel or selfish. I think a lot of people associate Slytherin with one with little morals, but I don’t think that is particularly true of the house in general. I won’t do anything to get somewhere, I do have my limits.
14. Which hybrid house do you believe you are the least like? Make a case for and a case against your placement there. Gryffinpuff.
While I am definitely brave at times, I am not particularly impulsive or risk taking. I am much more cautious and logical. I think things out before I do something, which I don’t see being a big Gryffindor trait. Of course, I am a very loyal person, I can be a team worker, but I do like some alone time. I feel I have a lot of traits from all the houses, but I feel I have the least in this combination.
1. What is your name, and what do you prefer to be called? Joanna; some friends call me Jo. Either one is fine.
2. How old are you? 18
3. How did you come across our community? (If you were referred by a member, please mention them so we can give them credit!) I just found the community searching through live journal for sorting communities that were good AND friendly. Sometimes they don’t seem too friendly.
The Canon
4. Choose a character not from Harry Potter (ie: from Lord of the Rings, House, etc) and explain what house (Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw or Slytherin) you think they would have been in and why. The character I chose is Tessa from the book, The Constant Gardener by John Le Carre. I would place Tessa in Gryffindor, without a doubt. She is highly intelligent, brave, selfless, and slightly impulsive. Gryffindors have a passion for life, they have a drive to live fully, which she definitely did. She went to Africa with a man she loved on impulse, half for adventure, half for activist work. I think a Gryffindor wouldn’t be afraid of putting their life on the line, like she did. She was eventually murdered due to her activism in Africa. Gryffindors can be a bit rash, which she definitely was. However, she was also intelligent, as Gryffindors are. She was a lawyer. Gryffindors are also open-minded, which Tessa clearly was. It didn’t matter where you came from or what color you were, as long as you were a good person. Like Gryffindors, sometimes she was a bit stubborn, opinionated, outspoken, and a risk taker. However, at the end of the day, she had a heart of gold, and everyone knew that. She put herself on the line for her work. In a sense, she played the hero part a bit, like Harry.
5. What character do you most relate to? I would say Hermione and Snape. Hermione, because I’ve always been known as the “smart” girl. I do like to read, write, paint, etc. I tend to be more introspective and keep to myself more. I definitely have good friends, but I would never consider myself popular. Like Hermione, I have good close friends, instead of a lot of random friends. Hermione and I differ when it comes to learning, however. She tends to memorize, while I tend to read books, magazines, and go to museums. I’m not into pure memorization. Hermione is brave at times, and very loyal to her friends, which I feel reflects me. I would do almost anything for my best friends. I feel I am like Snape, because he tends to be isolated and viewed as different. I definitely am different, and was always so. People know me for being original. During grammar school, I was made fun of, and I can sympathize with his experience at Hogwarts. While I do not have that problem anymore, I will never forget what it felt like when I was 12 years old and practically everyone teased me because of my interests and appearance. Due to this, it takes me awhile to trust people at first, but when I do, I trust them unconditionally. There are certainly differences between Snape and I. I am not nearly as bitter as Snape. Actually, I’m really not bitter at all, and tend to be very optimistic. I feel I have reacted differently than he has, but I tend to question people’s motives. Where Snape can be cruel at times, I am more compassionate. I’m the kind of person who would stay up at 4am with my best friend on the phone to cheer her up, which I think Hermione would definitely do. So in a sense, I am a mixture between the two of them.
6. Choose one aspect of the story as told by Rowling that you dislike, and tell us how you would change it. (Please avoid the subjects of romance and shipping.) I would change the way the 6th book was written at times. Frankly, I didn't appreciate the way she wrote about Voldemort's past. I was let down, because it wasn't anything the fans couldn't have figured out by now. It was all very juvenile in a sense; he was the weird baby, he was powerful even as a child, sadistic by the age of eleven, all the markings of a sociopath. It debunks her famous theme of "it isn't what you are born into, it's what you make of yourself." Because if you look into it that way, Voldemort never had a proper chance. Of course, it can be argued that it was the lack of motherly love, but it still shows a lack of choice. I wish she added more depth to his character, and made the readers sympathize with Voldemort, making it harder for us to easily hate him so, but she didn't. Which is unrealistic. Other than that, I cannot argue with the events of the books. I have no bone to pick, except for the fact that there are numerous questions left unanswered, although I am hoping she left those for the last book. Even though I feel inclined to say she should have developed Ron and Hermione more as characters, I don't think it is crucial to the overall series.
The Person
7. If you could put a memory in a pensieve for the specific purpose of viewing it later, what would it be and why? I would definitely put a happy memory, because I like to stay positive. I try not to dwell on the past too much. (Although, I do believe that the past does mold you.) I think I would probably choose when I got accepted into the Creative Writing Program at the college I’m going to. I love to write, and it is one of my career aspirations, as I want to publish books of poetry and short stories. Being accepted into the program meant so much to me (as only 20-30 people get in), and it also made my college decision easier. I would have been devastated if I didn’t. I remember feeling relief and happiness all in one.
8. What are three traits that define you? How has each trait had positive impact and negative impact on your life? 1. Creativity: I live life through trying to be as creative as possible. Whether I am expressing myself through fashion, art, writing, photography, etc, I am always trying to do something. I do something creative each day, just to keep my mind active. I associate creativity with growth, which is why it is so important to me. Also, it’s something you do for yourself. Moreover, writing is essential to my life, and I hope one day to be successful in that. I am very motivated with my creativeness. 2.Compassionate I would say I am a pretty compassionate person. I care a great deal about other people, and I hate to see other people hurt. I try my best to make others happy, and to help others when they need it. I try to be as good of a friend as possible and just simply treat other people the way I would like to be treated. I think my compassion also lies coincide with my loyalty. Because I have compassion, I am loyal to others. 3. Intelligence I would consider myself smart. I do care about my grades academically, and do get good grades, but the kind of intelligence I’m talking about has more to do with being cultured. I try to learn as much about different places, cultures, artwork, literature, etc, as possible. These are the things that will make a difference in the world. I like to keep myself active, and always simulate myself. If anything else, what else is there to do in the world, but learn? Each trait has had a positive and negative impact on my life. First of all, while my creativity obviously enhances my life and the way I perceive events and people, sometimes it can isolate me. Instead of socializing, sometimes I’m at home creating something. While this might not be a horrible thing, I miss events and people because of this. Also, with my compassion, sometimes I can be too nice and put other before myself. This makes it easier for me to get hurt. Even though having compassion can be a great thing, it can also hurt you when others are hurt or take advantage of you. Lastly, having a thirst for learning is great, as like creativity, it makes life more interesting. But sometimes the process of learning can be time consuming, or difficult.
9. What is one specific thing that you have never done but strongly wish to do sometime in your life? I want to travel. I’ve never really honestly traveled in my life. I want to see other parts of the world, starting from my own country (US). I want to see how other people live, not just me. It is amazing to me to think there are so many places in the world, and I’ve only seen a tiny portion of it. I probably will travel after I graduate from college and work on my career. I am a very driven person. I want to eventually get published and become a professor, which does require getting PH.D. I want to be successful, but in my own terms. So most likely, after I have a decent job, get married, even raise a family, I will travel.
The World
10. What is your biggest pet peeve and why? My biggest pet peeve is cruelty and racism. I can’t stand when other people have prejudices for reasons based on race. The sad thing is, there is racism everywhere, about everyone, which is utterly ridiculous. Cruelty in general bothers me, whether it is to animals or people. It isn’t also obvious either, people are cruel everyday. Whether it’s words or just a glance, everyone knows it. I also dislike when people gossip, which again, a form of cruelty. It is plain rude to gossip about others, and I don’t see what makes that person so great that they can talk about other people.
11. Describe the people you admire most. What do they have in common with each other? How are they different? This is a rough question, actually. I admire the author Francesca Lia Block, who is a writer whose books reflect themes of feminism, rejection, women empowerment, transformation, and love. She writes in a lyrical way, which is simply beautiful. While I do not necessarily think she is the best writer out there, I like her messages, I love the way she writes, and her writing is clean and simple. They were the types of books I can read in a day, which I love. I don’t always want complication (I have enough of it elsewhere). Plus, I think she sends out good messages to women everywhere, whether they are 12, 17, 23, or 35. While her targeted audience is mainly teens to twenties, her books have timeless messages. All her characters are unique, which I look up to. She allows me to be okay with embracing who I am.
Another person I admire is Coco Chanel. She remains one of the most substantial designers in history. What I admire about her is simple; she changed the conventions of the female form. Instead of women having to wear corsets, she designed the “little black dress.” Her clothes were less form fitting, shorter, and more daring. She also designed pants for women, a very new thing. I cannot say I honestly admire Chanel for who she was, but I admire her for what she did. While fashion may only be face value, it molds us, and allows us to feel good about ourselves.
They are similar in the sense that they both have empowered women, and made women the focus of their careers. Both have embraced being a woman, whether is it physically or emotionally. However, they are both different, as Block as a writer, and focuses on the emotional growth of a character. Whereas, Chanel was simply a fashion designer, who made clothes for the person’s exterior personality.
12. How do you think people see you? Does the person you show to the public differ from the person you are on the inside? Explain. I think people see me as a very creative, nice (maybe too nice), reliable, interesting, smart, and well roundedness. (I just asked one of my friends to describe me, and that’s what he said. So I had a little help here.) But I agree with all of that. People do see me as being someone they can count on, someone that is there for them. I’m a bit of a leader, and am very polite. People usually don’t see angry. I feel I am pretty much the same person inside, as well. I’m a fairly open person. I’m both analytical and logical, as well as emotional. I can be slightly more stubborn than people realize, but I think you see is what you get. I’m studious, yet I like to have a good time. I think I’m a nice mixture of a lot of things. I’m responsible, but I don’t act 80 years old.
The Community
13. Which hybrid house do you believe you are the most like? Make a case for and a case against your placement there. I would say Slytherpuff. Why?
Because I am very motivated and ambitious. I’m determined to succeed at what I want to do, although I am not manipulative. I do play fair, but I also do make sure I get what I want done; and done well. I would say I’m an intelligent person who is very active, with school and with hobbies. I try to be well rounded, even if I’m not great at everything I do. I’m also very loyal, very compassionate, very helpful. I work hard. So I think I’m a good mixture of the two. However, I do have morals. I am not cruel or selfish. I think a lot of people associate Slytherin with one with little morals, but I don’t think that is particularly true of the house in general. I won’t do anything to get somewhere, I do have my limits.
14. Which hybrid house do you believe you are the least like? Make a case for and a case against your placement there. Gryffinpuff.
While I am definitely brave at times, I am not particularly impulsive or risk taking. I am much more cautious and logical. I think things out before I do something, which I don’t see being a big Gryffindor trait. Of course, I am a very loyal person, I can be a team worker, but I do like some alone time. I feel I have a lot of traits from all the houses, but I feel I have the least in this combination.