Featured in the June 2019 issue of The Rowling Library Magazine.

The Casual Vacancy characters under the Sorting Hat

770 words.
By Parta Canna.

We can say that Jo Rowling didn’t create characters; she created people. The characters of The Casual Vacancy are by no means superficial. They are deep, human, and different among themselves. We have the serious Sukhvinder; the cheerful Barry; the confident Krystal; and the nervous Colin.

Characters are diverse, and together they are the colors of an extraordinary story, where the majority of characters are main characters. Here I want to try sorting the characters of The Casual Vacancy into the four Hogwarts Houses: Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin.

Barry Fairbrother: The most discussed character seems to be quite a Hufflepuff. Some characters are hard to sort, but this humanitarian, understanding, kind, character, is definitely one hell of a Hufflepuff.

Mary Fairbrother: We don’t know much about Mary.(She is not a main character!) From what I’ve noticed she seems to be smart and brave. I think she is a Ravenclaw.

Krystal Weedon: She is a Gryffindor. I’m sure of it. No house can describe her confidence, courage and straight-forward nature. She also likes sports, and is adventurous.
Howard Mollison: Howard seems to a Slytherin. He’s ambitious, driven, and diplomatic.

Shirley Mollison: Shirley loves peace, and she seems quite an active and energetic woman. She doesn’t seem to see her husband who whom he is, and seems a type of person who avoids conflicts. But, in her there seems to be a desire to learn. I sort her as a Ravenclaw for these reasons.

Miles Mollison: I’m not sure about this one, but he seems more of a Gryffindor. I really don’t understand his character that much, but his character seems to be quite close to his mother’s. I’ll decide on Ravenclaw, as a temporary Sorting Hat I’ve become.

Samantha Mollison: She seems like a Gryffindor to me. Her desire for adventure and adrenaline didn’t cease after so many years.

Maureen: I don’t know much about her, but if I had to choose one, it’d be Slytherin.

Terri Weedon: Terri Weedon seems like a Ravenclaw to me. She doesn’t have the courage and dare of her daughter, so she can’t be a Gryffindor. Her avoidance of conflict seem like a Ravenclawish thing to me.

Nana Cath: J.K.Rowling said that all racists are in Slytherin, so Nana Cath is a Slytherin.

Stuart Wall (Fats): This character is quite complex, and despite his courage, and daring nature, Fats seems a lot more like a Slytherin to me. He knows others well, and can understand their nature well. Also, his character seems quite complex to be a Gryffindor. But, he could also be like Dumbledore. My guess is Slytherin.

Collin Wall: His idealistic nature seem to me like quite a Hufflepuff one. Despite that he is not a leader by personality, Collin wants to do what he feel it’s the right thing to do.

Tessa Wall: Tessa is a kind woman, and according to Kay, she seems not to be someone who tends to prejudge people. She loves to help people, and my rough guess is that she is a Hufflepuff like her husband.

Gavin: He’s immature, and he seems to be a little out of touch with his true feelings. He’s not a Gryffindor or Hufflepuff, so my rough guess is Slytherin.

Kay Bawden: Kay seem like a Gryffindor to me. I think she is courageous, and a protective person. She has also a daring and nonconformist personality.

Gaia Bawden: Gaia is quite an outspoken one, and her personality seems more similar to her mother’s. Gaia seems to do whatever she wants to do, without a care about reputation that much. She speaks whatever she thinks, and she is brave. Gaia is definitely a Gryffindor.

Parminder Jawanda: She is serious and brave and sometimes quite temperamental. I think she is quite similar to Professor McGonnagal from Harry Potter series. She is a Gryffindor. I like how passionate she is, but I didn’t like the way she treated her daughter Sukhvindor.

Vikram Jawanda: He’s very kind to his wife, and seems to be a thoughtful, straight-forward person. I think he’s a Hufflepuff.

Sukhvindor Jawanda: Sukhvindor is a brave teenager. She risked her life to save Robbie, and if I have to guess, I’d say that she is a Gryffindor.

Simon Price: He made me cringe. Well, I think that Simon is a Slytherin. He thinks that rules and people are all beneath him.
Ruth Price: I think that she’s a Hufflepuff. Generally speaking, she doesn’t seem like a bad person, but that’s my best guess.

Andrew Price: He’s a simple character. Andrew has an affinity for adventures, and I believe that he’s a Gryffindor.