Luke's spiel, FL.I.N.T.? & the neglected Ron

[Tabouli]

No: HPFGUIDX 28718

Luke:
> Feel free to hit me back with question, comments, complaints and all 
the usual.  I apologize for the scanty job this does of really 
discussing this topic, rather than getting into the nitty-gritty 
technical specifics, but ultimately it would only make this 
*longer*.  (And we wouldn't want that.)  But maybe this post, despite 
its fairly cursory musings, will serve as the springboard for someone 
else to make some superior observations.  That would probably be the 
ideal result of anything I could write.<

Fine stuff, as always, Luke.  In fact, I'm almost tempted to ask the mods whether they can collect Luke's intelligent and fascinating analyses together and put them in the essay collection somewhere on the website (how's that for an outcome?).  Or has this been done already?

My only worry with this sort of analysis is that I've got to keep it firmly out of mind when doing my own writing, otherwise I'll get self-conscious (oops, I shouldn't use spelling to suggest a dialect, that's now politically incorrect and passe, and what idioms can I give this character?), and my characterisation will start to get contrived and clunky.

Eric:
> A friend of mine on the Lois Bujold list did this, and she was kind enough
(see below) to allow me to share it with you...

Ahaa!  A confession at last!  Being tucked away in Australia means my opportunities for real life/mailing list crossover is more limited than some, so I was entertained when a good RL friend of mine (the one who recently bought a house at an infuriatingly tender age) asked me if I had an Eric on my HP mailing list who writes limericks.  She's urged me several times to read the Bujold books (you'd like them, they're very you! she tells me), but I haven't as yet.  My reading tastes go through cycles and that sort of book hasn't come round yet.  Don't know what name she uses on the Bujold list, but I'll ask her.


Pippin:
> I don't think there is an official Flint list. The authoritative HP 
lexicon refers to  this term  only in the Neville Longbottom FAQ.  
BTW, it's not an acronym and doesn't merit all caps (though I 
suppose we could ask Tabouli to make one up for us).<

Ooo, is this a request?  Errr, OK, let me see.

- Flint-Like Inconsistencies Nitpicked Triumphantly

- File Lamenting Illogic, Niggles and Troubles

- The rules of JKR's world: Fanciful?  Laudably!  Infallible?  Not Totally.

(on the subjects of the eye-gouging Fawkes Flint, I'm pretty sure I mentioned this a few months ago, and at the time someone had a plausible theory.  Can't remember what it was, but the archives might yield fruit...)

Mecki:
> As much as I like Molly, I think this shows she does not love Ron as 
much as the others. Choosing this colour has nothing to do with being 
poor. The other Weasleys get their hand-knitted jumpers in bright 
colours, only Ron's is always as gloomy as he feels within his family.<

Yes, I've mused myself that this seems a bit harsh.  Perhaps JKR is using the maroon bit to illustrate how Ron feels about being constantly upstaged and overlooked, but realistically you'd think a mother like Molly would remember that he hates corned beef and maroon after 14 years, even with the antics of F&G to dominate her maternal attention.  This does seem to suggest that she neglects him a bit, even if she doesn't go so far as to "love his less".  Doesn't Ron whinge and shriek 'unfair' enough to stick in her mind, or is he too self-conscious and insecure to do this?  This reminds me of something I once posted... this 7 child family with one female child born last looks suspicious to me.  Did Molly and Arthur just keep on churning 'em out until they got a girl, making Ron the last and least wanted boy on the list?  What a depressing thought for Ron.

I've never had a particularly strong reaction to Ron (quite like him without any great devotion, some concerns but nothing serious), but when I think about this and about Molly giving Harry nicer robes and jumpers than her younger son, and the apparent success and confidence of the two oldest Weasley brothers, Percy's Head Boy distinction and prestigious job, and the popularity and twinnish companionship of Fred and George, not to mention the achievements and attention given to his two best friends, I feel almost sorry enough for him to join C.R.A.B.  Poor Ron.

Tabouli (feeling a sudden surge of sympathy for the youngest Weasley brother)


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