[HPforGrownups] Second Daugther Theory

[Rita]

No: HPFGUIDX 45527



Dave:
Your idea of Mr. and Mrs. Weasley continuing to have children until
they have a girl reminds me a bit of _Pride and Prejudice_... In which,
The Bennett family's estate, Longbourn, is "entailed in default of
heirs male on a distant relation". In other words, some
male-chauvanist ancestor of Mr. Bennett stipulated in his will that
inhertitence of Longbourn estate could only pass through *male* heirs,
and the Bennetts, despite their best and most valient efforts
(especially considering that there's no real sexual passion between
them), have all female children. So therefore the estate on Mr. B.'s
decease will go to their nearest male relative, his distant cousin,
Mr. Collins, and the surviving family will be left out in the cold,
unless the two oldest and most sensible of the daughters are so
fortunate as to fall in love and marry rich men, which is what
in fact happens. :)


Me: 
I can't believe that the task to make things clear about the Bennett's
estate is left to me with so many Brits and a few Austen's lovers out
there!!
There's no male-chauvinist ancestor but a whole male-chauvinist society
involved. Till I can't remember when in the late 19th century (if not early
20th) females could not inherit from their family ( be it 'original' or
formed with marriage), that said the law and you could do nothing about it;
you see that in 'Wuthering Heights' too, Heathcliff gets both Wuthering
Heights and Trushcross Grange because he married Isabella Linton, who
brought him TG, and had his son marry Cathy, who brought WH. It's the
husband who gets the property, you would just 'bring' it to him.

Something more on topic now. It's nothing very strange to keep making kids
till you get the desired 'sex', but isn't it kind of sad? It's like thinking
of children like object made to please you. I think that  the Weasley as a
couple who loves a big family and welcome every new 'addition' as a gift is
more in keeping with the positive image that has been established for them .

And now, something I've kept wondering since PS. How can they be so poor? By
GoF they should be getting quite comfortable, 3 of their sons have a job and
I guess that are now quite selfsufficient, what's more 2 of those sons haven
t been living at home for years, even in Ps (it was already 6 years the
Charlie had gone to Romania), so there are no 'food and lodging' expenses
for them. They may not send money home to help the family but still it's not
Arthur's salary that has to pay for all they need. Having 4 (and for 1 year,
5) kids at Hogwarts may be very expensive but still it strikes me that
things seem never to get better.
R.