Ron's Phobias

[Andrea]

No: HPFGUIDX 16384

--- Penny & Bryce Linsenmayer <pennylin at swbell.net>
wrote:
> I was really just arguing that I'm not sure he's
> truly *overcome* his
> fears of spiders.  He's still apprehensive around
> them [snip snip] But, I guess I interpret >
"confronting &
> overcoming* a fear
> more narrowly than others.  That's all.

Confronted, yes.  Overcame, no.  You gotta give poor
Ron credit where credit is due.  He has an absolute
phobia of spiders, and yet he follows a line of them
into the Forbidden Forest, where he *knows* a ton of
them are likely congregating, all to help Harry and
Hermione. (Remember, it's looking at Hermione's empty
seat in class that pursuades him to go.)  

Just because he didn't overcome the fear for all time
doesn't detract from his incredible courage in this
circumstance.  I've got a phobia of snakes as strong
as Ron's of spiders, and I can honestly say that I
don't think I would follow even one snake *anywhere*,
even to help my friends.  Hopefully, I would rise
above my fear like Ron did.  But even if I did the
once, my fear wouldn't necessarily be *gone*.  But
doesn't that make the courage required even greater?


Andrea II 

=====
"Reality is for people who lack imagination."

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