More on Ginny

[Penny & Bryce]

No: HPFGUIDX 33114

Hi --

pippin_999 wrote:


>   Home schooling doesn't have to mean total isolation with
> parents who ward off visitors with a shotgun and spend their free
> time ranting about the IRS. I don't know what it's like in Houston,
> but the homeschoolers around here are  conscientious about
> giving their kids  lots of opportunities to socialize: playdates,
> Scouts, church, etc. Surely there are wizard equivalents.

Yes, but as I mentioned, if there aren't enough wizarding families in 
the general vicinity to support a wizarding primary school, then it's 
doubtful there would be loads of opportunities for home-schooled wizard 
social outings, field trips, etc.  BTW, I was in no way denigrating 
home-schooling; I was merely stating that if the Weasley children were 
home-schooled, it might well be that they were more isolated than they 
would have been if they'd attended an actual primary school (wizard or 
muggle).

In any case, we have zero evidence that Ginny has any friends, before 
Hogwarts or while she's at Hogwarts.  There's no mention of any friends 
whatsoever.  The twins have Lee Jordan.  Percy has girlfriend Penelope. 
Ron has Harry & Hermione.  Ginny has ....????  [I do *assume* the poor 
girl must have some friends, but there's definitely no canon evidence of 
this].  This leads to...

Cindy said:

> Primarily, though, I have to decline membership in any Ginny fan club
> because Ginny is very wooden and underdeveloped.  Really, if I had to
> describe her character in a few words, I couldn't do it.  She shines
> for a few sentences in GoF, but that's about it.  Tragically, her big
> turn in the spotlight was in CoS, and the scenes in Dumbledore's
> office didn't do much for me, quite frankly.  Maybe it was the
> stammer, but her lines seemed a little forced.

I too must decline membership in whatever Ginny fan club gets going 
(gasp!  surprise all around, I know, I know).  I completely agree with 
Cindy that Ginny is just very ...flat.  There's no substance IMO.  I too 
couldn't possibly come up with a phrase or two describing who Ginny is. 
  I've no idea who she is other than Ron's younger sister.

<snip excellent analysis of how Ron doesn't seem to care much for Ginny>
Exactly.  They aren't particularly close from all appearances.  And, as 
I've said before, for being only one year apart in age, they receive 
drastically different characterization.  Thanks for the back-up on the 
"Ginny seems more like 6 than 10 in the Platform scene."  Her 
development, book by book, is consistently that of a younger child than 
just one year younger than Ron.  I assume there's a reason besides her 
surname that she was sorted into Gryffindor, but darn if I can see what 
it might be at this juncture.  No, I don't think the events of CoS 
qualify.  As her father told her in Dumbledore's office, she clearly 
should have told someone something, instead of continuing to write in a 
talking diary, esp. once she knew something was terribly wrong.  Not 
bravery or independence in my book.  But, then again, I'm not Ginny's 
biggest fan by any stretch.  <g>

Not trusting adults enough to go to them for guidance works well enough 
for Harry, and we can excuse this in him because of his background. 
Ginny?  Nah ... this doesn't work for her I'm afraid.

Penny
(who would also offer up Ginny in return for Sirius or Lupin or 
McGonagall or well....lots of other more beloved characters)