That's one of the things I actually don't about Harry Potter - the established "fact" that all Slytherins are EVOL. Granted, JK Rowling has said that's not her intention, but that's still how she writes it.
I don't think she does write it like that. At least, not that they're evil. Slytherins seem to be people who don't hide their contempt for others if they feel it, but they are not written under the blanket tag of evil. It's Harry's POV/perception which makes them look like that - not JKR. I really don't think she does write them as all evil, at all. There's a difference. And in fact, Draco is an excellent example of Slytherins NOT being under the blanket tag of evil. Yes, he's a nasty brat, but, as JKR herself put it, (roughly paraphrased) he's talked the talk and now he's got to walk the walk. And he doesn't like it. That doesn't argue him as pure evil now, does it? And Slughorn - no one could call him particularly lovely, but I defy anyone to call him evil.
Granted, the evil people in the books all seem to be Slytherins. People from that House do have more of a propensity to turn bad. But I think this is in great part because they're rejected by the other three Houses. They don't intermingle, they spend their seven years of their lives fighting the other houses, and in fighting them automatically growing a dislike of their general qualities (bravery/intelligence/loyalty) and a love of their own (cunning). People aren't just born evil - at least, very very few people. Made, not born. Nurture, not nature.
... That was longer than I thought it would be. :D
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I don't think she does write it like that. At least, not that they're evil. Slytherins seem to be people who don't hide their contempt for others if they feel it, but they are not written under the blanket tag of evil. It's Harry's POV/perception which makes them look like that - not JKR. I really don't think she does write them as all evil, at all. There's a difference. And in fact, Draco is an excellent example of Slytherins NOT being under the blanket tag of evil. Yes, he's a nasty brat, but, as JKR herself put it, (roughly paraphrased) he's talked the talk and now he's got to walk the walk. And he doesn't like it. That doesn't argue him as pure evil now, does it? And Slughorn - no one could call him particularly lovely, but I defy anyone to call him evil.
Granted, the evil people in the books all seem to be Slytherins. People from that House do have more of a propensity to turn bad. But I think this is in great part because they're rejected by the other three Houses. They don't intermingle, they spend their seven years of their lives fighting the other houses, and in fighting them automatically growing a dislike of their general qualities (bravery/intelligence/loyalty) and a love of their own (cunning). People aren't just born evil - at least, very very few people. Made, not born. Nurture, not nature.
... That was longer than I thought it would be. :D
I like the rest of your list, btw. :)