Percy

[Trina]

No: HPFGUIDX 17336

Catherine wrote:
 
I agree with you totally.  I have always felt sorry for Percy.  The 
major problem with him is that he is perfectionist, and, I believe, 
basically insecure, which means he has to over achieve in order to 
live up to his own standards.  He is very proud of his achievements, 
and puts as much energy into his report on cauldron thicknesses as 
his exams and his roles as Prefect/Headboy. 

My take on Percy is that he is walking the fine line between Big 
Brother and Younger Brother.   Bill and Charlie were both "famous" in 
their own right at Hogwarts.  Bill was a Headboy and Charlie was a 
great Quidditch player, so Percy also has a lot to live up to in the 
Weasley household.  Depending on the ages of the oldest Weasley boys, 
Percy was an early Hogwarts student when Bill and Charlie were in 
their last years at Hogwarts.  I think he, like the other boys (F, G, 
&  R) wants to carve out his own niche in the student body.  And, 
after the B&C left school he was the Big Brother to the fun-loving, 
trouble-making twins.  I can just hear Molly Weasley telling 
Percy "to make sure that the twins don't cause too much trouble" as 
they get aboard the train.  He feels responsible for his younger 
siblings, who tend to ignore his Cassandra-like croakings and do what 
they like.  

"In return, he is ridiculed by everyone in his family barr Mrs 
Weasley (and perhaps, less than the others, Ginny) and his boss can't 
even get his name right.  I have always felt that his pomposity has 
always stemmed from this insecurity and perfectionism, with a dash of 
lack of sense of humour for good measure - and this latter element 
again is probably due to wanting to be looked up to, and not made fun 
of, and he has been made fun of all his life."

I agree, although I think "ridiculed" is a bit strong.  The others do 
love to tease him due to his serious nature.  He is also very like 
Molly Weasley, in the whole rule-abiding behavior.  Arthur seems a 
little more laid-back as do the others.  

"Because of the perfectionist in him, and his regard for his family 
(which I believe in very strongly) I think that part of the reason he 
shut himself away during CoS is because of self-loathing (he failed 
his family and did not live up to his own exacting standards) and 
because he probably thinks that George, Fred and Ron think the same 
thing."

Perhaps he was afraid to break down in front of the others and show 
how worried he is about his baby sister.  I think Precy could have a 
tendecy to brood over things (much like our dear Harry) and this 
would be a prime brooding time.

Trina
President of "Percy Lovers Unite"