Ravenclaw House Dichotomies: Ambition, Open-Minded, Opinionated
Potter fans around the globe take their Hogwarts Houses very seriously. How many times have you met a new friend or reader and the first question out of your mouth was, “What is your House?” Perhaps you’re like me and have arguments with friends about their House or your House or a mutual friend’s House, constantly disagreeing or debating the intricacies of each trait. I have a Hufflepuff friend who believes their secondary House is Gryffindor, but I vehemently believe it is Slytherin (yes, don’t come at me, I know “it is our choices” – just bear with me!), and we are constantly bickering over this. Our continued disagreement got me thinking about the dichotomies between Houses. Are Gryffindor and Slytherin essentially opposite sides of the same coin? Would this hold true for the other Houses?
After speaking to around 100 readers and friends, I have narrowed down each House pairing to what I believe to be the shared prominent trait. I am kicking off Part 1 of the series with my own primary House, Ravenclaw. Be sure to check out the other articles in the series for Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin.
Ravenclaw & Slytherin – Ambition
This was, by far, the most popular pairing among those I surveyed. Whether that is because most of MuggleNet staff are Ravenclaws or because the two Houses are closely related, I don’t know, but I am inclined to believe the latter. I chose ambition as the shared trait, and 80% of my respondents agreed. Let’s explore why this is.
Ravenclaws’ ambition expresses itself in the form of learning. They are excited about knowledge and seek to acquire as much as possible. The studious eagle is a good student and is always engaged in the craft of gathering information, knowledge they use to further their own abilities and skills. Ravenclaws are creative, and they seek new opportunities to expand their talents, whether that be art or literature or singing.
Slytherins’ ambition expresses itself in the form of resourcefulness. They are always looking for the next step, whether that be upward or onward – anything to advance them to their goal. The determined snake is fantastic at networking and making new friends, connections that they will use to further their station or status in the community. Slytherins are talented and they seek new acquaintances, always expanding their social circle.
Ravenclaw & Gryffindor – Opinionated
As far as Ravenclaw pairings go, this was the least popular. I was surprised by this given that most of the folks I know lean Ravenclaw or Gryffindor, and both are quite popular Houses on the whole. I chose opinionated as the shared trait, and most respondents agreed, although they used other words to express the same concept.
Ravenclaws’ opinionated nature comes from their arrogance. Because they are always reading and learning and soaking in information, they can come across as a know-it-all. The haughty eagle is always ready for a debate and can sometimes turn folks off with their strong – but always thought-out – opinions. Ravenclaws are thoughtful and very often stubborn, which can frustrate even their most patient friends and colleagues.
Gryffindors’ opinionated nature comes from their righteousness. Because they are devout believers in standing up for what is right, they can often come across as arrogant. The boastful lion will loudly proclaim that they are correct no matter what, simply because they have the law of the land on their side. Gryffindors are good with the witty comeback, and although they love a good debate, they often play with a slightly different set of rules.
Ravenclaw & Hufflepuff – Open-mindedness
Ravenclaw primary, Hufflepuff secondary is a fairly common combination, and it isn’t hard to see why. Both Houses share a lot of similarities and – at least through the lenses of Harry’s story – are both considered underdog Houses. I chose open-mindedness as the shared trait, a word I boiled down to based on the respondents’ selections.
Ravenclaws’ open-mindedness comes from their worldliness. Because they value knowledge and love to have their noses stuck in books, they are exposed to many different viewpoints. The accepting eagle will have a conversation with just about anyone, albeit in a quiet corner away from others, as they are not typically extroverts. Ravenclaws have a diverse friend group and love to bring new and interesting folk into the fold.
Hufflepuffs’ open-mindedness comes from their unbiased nature. Because they believe in fairness above all else, they are good listeners who enjoy hearing multiple perspectives. The gentle and kind badger is good in a debate since they usually have the knowledge from another’s point of view to help broaden and expand their conversation partner’s argument. Hufflepuffs are excellent advice givers and nearly always the perfect supportive shoulder.
