The Sorting Hat decides which Hogwarts house a student joins in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series.
At the start of each school year, new Hogwarts students take part in the Sorting ceremony. The enchanted hat is placed on each student’s head and announces Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw or Slytherin. The ceremony helps establish the school’s four-house structure.
The hat is not merely a random selector. It considers a student’s qualities and, in some cases, appears to take the student’s wishes into account. Harry’s desire not to join Slytherin is important during his own sorting, making the scene significant to his identity and later choices.
The Sorting Hat is also associated with Godric Gryffindor, one of Hogwarts’ founders. Rowling uses the ceremony to introduce major characters, create rivalries and explore whether people are defined by labels or by their decisions.