Violent Responses (Arthur Weasley) (WAS What Does It Mean To "Like" )

[elfundeb]

No: HPFGUIDX 34098

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "cindysphynx" <cindysphynx at h...> wrote:
> > While we are on the subject of violent responses, there is 
another 
> scene that really bothered me.  I didn't like it all in CoS when 
> Arthur Weasley and Lucius Malfoy fought each other with fists.  
Aside 
> from the fact that it didn't seem believable that two wizards would 
> use their fists to fight instead of wands, I wasn't plesed that 
> Arthur would lunge at Lucius over a petty insult.  

This scene really bothers me too.  It's one thing for Draco and Ron 
to engage in recurring sparring matches where (i) Draco insults Ron's 
poverty, (ii) then Draco insults Hermione, and (iii) Ron pulls his 
wand out.  After all, they're adolescents.  But for two adults to do 
that (and even worse, come to blows over it) seems ridiculous (read 
this scene: the sequence of events is exactly the same, except Lucius 
insults Arthur and Hermione's parents), and I don't think the 
Grangers were impressed.  I'd excuse it on the one-bite-at-the-apple 
theory, except that I can't help thinking that there's a much bigger 
Arthur/Lucius backstory that we haven't heard anything about yet.  
It's possible that they went to Hogwarts at the same time (I'm right 
there's no evidence to the contrary?); it doesn't appear that 
Arthur's positions at MOM had anything to do with chasing Death-
Eaters so I don't get the sense that they have crossed paths 
professionally.

Are there any adults in HP that model really appropriate behavior?  
The more I look at adult characters, even those I like, I find 
instances of inexcusable behavior.  Then again, one thing I like 
about HP characters is that they all have human weaknesses in 
abundance.

Debbie