Ambition in the Wizarding World (Ron, Percy and Bill)

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 38748

Debbie:
> <<<I believe that Ron is not lacking in ambition, talent or 
willingness to work hard, but that he suppresses it.  Accordingly, 
in the ordinary course of events, Ron masks his abilities and 
desires in a show of lackadaisical  unconcern. Ron's talents 
manifest themselves only in rare, stressful moments>>>>

Penny:
>>> I can definitely buy this.  I think Ron *has* ambition.  He 
clearly wants recognition & to "stand out" from his brothers. <<<

Dumbledore's exact words were "standing alone, the best of all 
of them." Ron doesn't want to stand out, exactly, he wants his 
family out of the picture entirely.  Yet he clearly loves them. I have 
some thoughts about this.

 In the Weasley family, all the children are loved, but it seems 
that new stuff goes to children only when they have distinguished 
themselves. Examples: Percy gets  new robes for being a 
prefect and an owl  for being made Head Boy, Ron gets his new 
wand (instead of another second-hand one) after winning his 
Award for Special Services to the School. This must be 
particularly hard on Ron, because being 6th in line, things are 
going to be very worn by the time he gets them.  Also because 
there are two twins who resemble Charlie, and only one Ron, 
who resembles Percy and Bill, Ron's clothes are going to have 
had two previous users, whereas the twins have 50/50 odds of 
not getting a brother's  hand-me-down at all.

 The  children have found different ways of playing the family 
game. Bill and Charlie  were Head Boy and Quidditch star but 
have now have opted out (interesting that they both relocated at a 
distance from the family).  Percy plays to win.The twins have 
turned the game upside down by distinguishing themselves at 
things Molly can't approve. Ginny starts with a leg up as the 
only girl, though she too is given hand me downs to start school. 
Ron has decided not to play,  but occasionally, when he has to 
do without a new broom or a nice set of dress robes, it gets on 
his nerves. I think if Ron can sort out his feelings so he can seek 
success without feeling manipulated by his mother, he'll be able 
to plan his future with as much enthusiasm as he tackles chess. 
Hermione, who certainly seems very self-directed, might set a 
good example there.

I think Ron might have the makings of an Auror, whatever 
Crouch!Moody didn't say. For one thing,  Ron has the most 
enthusiasm for investigating. I'm sure he'd be the most bored of 
the Trio if JKR were so unfeeling as to give them a year with no 
mystery to solve. Crouch's opinions on the matter are suspect: 
we know Harry is being taunted  and perhaps Hermione is too.
If pure-blood Arthur Weasley is held back at the Ministry by mere 
sympathy for Muggles, what obstacles would a Muggle born 
witch face? Ron is the one who presents an actual threat. 

Debbie:
> <<<<After all, there's a clear disconnect between Molly's 
pushing her children to academic success in order to start a 
career in the Ministry and Arthur's position.  Arthur's been 
working at the Ministry for many years and can barely support his 
family.>>>>

Penny: 
>>>> Yeah, I've noted that before.  I don't know why in the world 
Molly is so sold on the MOM as a career path under the 
circumstances, and it's a bit strange really to think that Percy, 
with his stand-out academic success, would choose that route. 
<<<<

I think she's not so much pro-MOM as anti-joke-shop. She'd be 
delighted to have the twins go into a profession but they 
apparently haven't got the O.W.L.s for that. We know there's a 
pretty strong class system in the wizarding world, judging by 
Draco's attitude toward servants, and what the twins say about 
old families and  manor houses. The Weasleys have no family 
fortune, but at least they aren't "in trade."  I think Molly might view 
owning a shop as an awful comedown for a Weasley, only 
slightly better than being an accountant. <g>


Penny:
>>>>> BTW, I wonder if the tall lanky build is a liability in 
Quidditch -- could this be one reason Ron hasn't attempted to try 
out for the Team as a reserve player as far as we know?  I'd not 
really correlated before, but Debbie's right that the Twins share 
the same build as Charlie, and it's the 3 of them who are the 
Quidditch players.  As far as we know, Bill didn't play Quidditch at 
Hogwarts, and we know Percy didn't and Ron hasn't so far.  
Interesting.<<<<

Long, lean Tom Riddle doesn't seem to have been a Quidditch 
player either. Maybe JKR has jockeys in mind.

Pippin