Ron & Authority (was Re: Attitudes toward authority, Ron's complex...)

[moongirlk]

No: HPFGUIDX 37635

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Tabouli" <tabouli at u...> wrote:
> However, it's interesting that *Ron* is so willing to believe the 
>worst of authority figures like Percy the Prefect and Snape and 
>Lockhart.  After all, his parents seem to be kind and caring, as far 
>as well can see.  Something to do with the losing fight for 
>attention with his older brothers and baby sister?  Perhaps knowing 
>that adults are fallible and not always trustworthy through watching 
>the foibles of adult older brothers?

I guess I always assumed that (although this might make Percy seem 
even stranger) his parents taught him that authority is not to be 
trusted without question.  I would think that Arthur and Molly, 
having lived through Voldemort's reign of terror and knowing the 
people who were sucked into his web and the respected positions they 
had held, would consider it wise to prepare their children to try to 
discern for themselves.  

They're the types of people who find it only fair to tell Harry when 
Black is after him, and who clearly talk enough about the situation 
for Ron to know that the Malfoys are not trustworthy even though the 
wizarding world in general seems to hold them in high esteem.  

>From the ways that the other Weasley siblings behave, only Percy 
would seem to contradict this, and he is at odds with the rest of the 
family in so many other areas that I don't think it discounts the 
possibility entirely.  Look at Ginny - when she finally decided to 
try to get outside help with the Riddle situation in CoS, she didn't 
go to an authority figure, she went to her brothers.  Fred and George 
clearly aren't in awe of those in authority, and from Bill's and 
Charlie's career choices, they don't strike me as the most 
heirarchically-minded people either.

kimberly