[HPFGU-Catalogue] Re: Hermione/Bill/The Weasleys

[Sean Dwyer]

> Carolyn:
> I was thinking of awarding you a medal, like Ginger, for tackling 
> this section; I can see a backlash is setting in already. Personally 
> I find her only a little less revolting than Molly, whom she closely 
> resembles - lucky for Ron then, he can fulfill the stereotype if the 
> inevitable pairing comes off. The more interesting question, IMO, is 
> what does this say about JKR's outlook on life.

Well the backlash doesn't end there. This stereotype of Arthur being the
hen-pecked husband for instance; it doesn't appear to occur to many posters
that he's well aware her anger stems from fear, not that he's at all hopeless.
It would be typical of Arthur that he'd see her expressed fears as a problem
the children couldn't deal with. Ref the scene in OotP, where Molly completely
goes to pieces, where I hope by the time we get to categorizing that part of
the List, some will have worked out that there's more of a partnership than
they realized. Real throat-lumpy stuff. Ahem.

As you say, the stereotype fulfilment would be apt for a R/H, because the
dynamic looks very similar. I believe JKR is making a big point about
projection, particularly where driven by fear, no matter how unimportant. It's
how Molly makes her children (and anyone else's within range) her life, and
even Hermione who is I guess the new generation's "career girl" needs to
balance her academic enthusiasm with her need to support her friends. 

Is it just coincidence that the majority of posters are female and seem to
approach Molly/Hermione as types they accept/reject? The debate for instance
about H's insensitivity towards Harry at the very time they meet about his
fame. Not one poster I've come across so far has put forward the idea that
might be the view of a child terribly excited about a world where she could
achieve something, unaware what a different challenge that would be for Harry,
and even further, unusually extrovert in even talking to boys her age. No,
they take that as the starting-point for the long list of ills they perceive
in her. Yes, she can be a brat. Yes, she barges in without first thinking, but
she's a KID. And she's positively diplomatic compared to Ron or Harry :) 

Gee, I must have needed to do that :) I want to finish Arthur tonight and then
I can get back to Her Ladyship. I do find her interesting, despite my mixed
feelings.

Sean

-- 
"You know your god is man-made when he hates all the same people you do."