[HPforGrownups] Re: Hurt-Comfort and reader crushes

[Penny Linsenmayer]

No: HPFGUIDX 39239

Hi --

Pippin:
> I can't help but feel, you know, that Ron appeals to a more mature 
> taste (assuming he grows out of the jealousy thing), as he's a 
> character that can give comfort as well as receive it. 

I've been meaning to comment on this...but didn't know how (or whether I should) and Laura here has given me the perfect opportunity:

Laura said:

<<<Mature taste?  Alright...I'll admit that, being a teenager, I probably am not the best authority on what is "mature", but well..jeez.  Ron seems very unhealthy and immature right now when it comes to *coughs* matters of the heart...

And I very rarely see him giving comfort.  His idea of comforting/defending/supporting someone is to *fight* for them...>>>>

Hmmm.  Yes ...er...."mature taste"?  I admit that my first reaction was :::snorts of derisive laughter::::  But, then again, I'm not the biggest Ron fan on the planet.  <g>

But, seriously ... when does Ron show instances that he can *give* comfort?  I've thought hard about this, and I can't really honestly come up with anything that falls into what I would subjectively rate as "giving comfort."  We see him being comforted by Ginny after the Asking Fleur to the Ball debacle.  We know Hermione encourages him not to take Malfoy seriously in a few instances, and I suppose that counts as receiving comfort to some extent.  But, giving comfort?  He says things like "You don't know you'll make a fool of yourself" when Harry is worried about taking flying lessons with the Slytherins in PS/SS.  He offers to make tea for Hagrid when Hagrid is inconsolable.  He seems worried about Harry's reaction to the dementors on the train.  He's not a complete clod when it comes to perception & warmth toward his friends ... but I definitely can't think of instances where he shows aptitude for giving and receiving comfort in an emotionally stable manner at some point in the future.  Sorry ....but I'm missing that I'm afraid.  It's probably me just with my usual wary-if-not-outright-hostile-to-Ron attitude.  <g> 

Strangely enough, even with the deficiencies in his own emotional background and even with the Growing Up Weasley working in Ron's favor, I think at this point in the canon, Harry is head & shoulders above Ron in the department of being in touch with his feelings and being capable of having and responding to his own emotions as well as those of others.  That might or might not continue.  Ron could actually Grow Up.  Stranger things have happened.  <g>  Harry might respond to some crisis (say, oh the death of someone important to him in Book 5) by closing off emotionally.  But, at the end of GoF, I'd say that Harry is in better shape overall on that front.  Hermione, of course, is a girl ..... and while she has moments of insensitivity or obtuseness, she is general in touch with her emotions & completely capable of offering comfort and help to those in need (and is perceptive enough to recognize the need for it ... as in intuiting that Harry might not want to go to the Great Hall for breakfast the morning after the Goblet chose the champions and as in her observance of the effects of Moody's class on the Unforgivable Curses on Neville).

Penny    


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