[HPforGrownups] Re: Mrs. Weasley

[Megan Carlin]

No: HPFGUIDX 44962


Susanne wrote:

>>With all the wizards out there, I can't really believe that
>>a maroon dress like thing with moldy looking frilly lace was
>>the only choice.

>>I get the feeling, Molly is somehow stuck on maroon, and
>>won't even consider any other color for Ron, no matter how
>>much nicer the other choices may have been.

As one who absolutely adores Molly, and will defend her to the death, let me weigh in on the topic. And to do so I need to give you all an example of my grandmother (who, bless her, is as much like Molly as any of us could ever dare to be).

Somehow, over the length of my 23 years, my grandmother has decided that I like candy corn. I ate it once in front of her when I was little and said I liked it, and now it's almost as if the first thing she thinks of when she sees me is candy corn. I like candy corn *alright*, but not to the degree we're talking about. Yet there it is, every time I go to see her. Now, I don't get mad, I don't get upset with her for not knowing me well enough to know that's not what I like. No, that's just part of her eccentric personality and I completely love her for this. She is *trying* to please me, and somehow she got it in her head that this is what I like. So instead of upsetting me by getting me stuff I "don't like", she goes with what she think is safe and I'll really like. She's like this with *lots* of things, including the color purple. [lol] 

This is the same woman who once bought me a dress...with pink bears on it. And I was 19. I haven't worn a dress since I was 5 willingly, much less one pink...with bears. She means well, and never, ever in my life have I thought less of her for it. She's trying to make me happy. 

And I think that's why Molly does the things she does. She's trying to make Ron happy while satisfying the requirements of his school on their modest budget. The sandwiches, the dress robes are examples of that. As for the maroon, well it might be like my Grandmother's candy corn. She may *think* Ron loves maroon. He could hate it, but she probably believes she's doing good by him. And never once do we see Ron tell his mother that he doesn't like maroon. She may have bad fashion taste, trust me...it happens with mothers. Think of your mother. Would she know what the most popular fashions are in your age group?

>>And why does she have to say things like: "I thought it would
>>bring out the color of your eyes, dear." in the light of Ron's
>>obvious distress.
>>It's like rubbing salt into the wound, and I find it
>>supremely insensitive.

I also think that she's irritated at Ron in this scene, and letting him know. Parents do this all the time, especially mothers and sons, when the mothers don't feel comfortable discussing their feelings with their children. And you have to admit, Ron is being a pain right there (as much as I love Ron). Molly is not stupid. It's not as if she doesn't *know* they're poor and hearing Ron carrying on like that has got to hurt her feelings and make her feel inadequate. So maybe she's not great at expressing that, so she's snappish at Ron and nice to Harry on purpose. Parents are human, they get irritated with people just the same as anyone else.

Oh and I agree that Ron doesn't ever comment on her treating Harry better, because he doesn't care. Harry is his best friend, and Ron knows Harry needs special attention because of his homelife. It's my firm opinion that *none* of the Weasley children suffer for attention or parental affection.


Weighingly,
Megan


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