If I had to choose between Ron and Draco...(was: Draco & broomsticks & lines)

[Penny Linsenmayer]

No: HPFGUIDX 38209

Hi --

Heidi: > I also think, in degrees, that Ron's been mean and destructive and 
> certainly prejudiced ("Get away from me, werewolf!"; house elves 
> like work; giants are "not very nice".) . 

Barb responded: 

<<<And when Ron was saying that giants are "not very nice," he was 
soft-pedalling it for Harry; he could have put this in much more 
graphic terms, as giants had evidently done some truly horrific 
things.  He's Hagrid's friend also, and he quickly says that he 
doesn't think Hagrid is that way.  Ron is not bad-mouthing giants--
he's being truthful, so Harry knows exactly how bad it will be if 
anyone finds out about Hagrid.  Ron is very realistic about these 
things, IMHO.>>>

Eh......weeelll, but don't forget this passage:

**************

"Well, I thought he must be," she [Hermione] said, shrugging, "I knew he couldn't be pure giant, because they're about twenty feet tall.  But honestly, all this hysteria about giants.  They can't all be horrible...it's the same sort of prejudice that people have towards werewolves...it's just bigotry, isn't it?"

Ron looked as though he would have liked to reply scathingly, but perhaps he didn't want another row, because he contented himself with shaking his head disbelievingly while Hermione wasn't looking.

***********************

This suggests to me that: (a) Ron still has some lingering prejudice against werewolves, Lupin notwithstanding (and don't forget Ron doesn't get another opportunity to interact with Lupin after the Shrieking Shack scene.... and so we don't *know* that Ron does or will do fine with interacting with Lupin after it's confirmed that he is a werewolf), and (b) he doesn't think much of Hermione's thoughts about giants *or* werewolves *or* bigotry.  

<<< (Snip) Afterward he was fine with Lupin.>>>

See above.  I'm not so sure we can say this as yet.

<<<And Hagrid and the twins say exactly the same things 
about house elves that Ron does, but we don't think less of THEM for 
it.>>>

Actually, *I* do think less of them for it.  I don't think it *materially* affects how I feel about the Twins or Hagrid ... but I sure wouldn't say that I let them off scot-free mentally while thinking Ron is prejudiced.   

Penny


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