Is it all Percy's fault? NOT!!!

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 87132

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Kathryn Cawte" <kcawte at n...> wrote:
> > greatlit2003
> > ... He (Arthur) didn't insult Percy by telling him that Fudge 
> > promoted him to be a spy. Arthur was trying to save his son from 
> > an awkward situation. Percy, always ambitious, took his advice the
> > wrong way.>
> 
> 
> K
> 
> Arthur may not have *meant* to be insulting - but the insinuation 
> that Percy only got the job because Fudge wants to manipulate him is
> insulting. I suspect Arthur wasn't terribly tactful about it either.
>
> Percy is *very* ambitious... and would have been really pleased to 
> get a promotion. ... told by his father that he didn't get it on 
> merit ... - ... I suspect Percy would have found it quite hurtful. 
> 
> Arthur should have waited a while and then suggested that since 
> Fudge doesn't like Arthur or Dumbledore he might now take advantage 
> of Percy's promotion to try and spy on them and suggested Percy is 
> very careful about what he says.
> 
> K

bboy_mn:

I don't see how so many people can mis-read and misunderstand Percy.
Percy's driving force in not Ambition, it's Approval. Percy is the
'Good Son', obeys the rules, does everything right, strives for
success and achievement, doesn't cause trouble; he is indeed the 'Good
Son' and desperate for everyone to recognise him as such.

Percy is desperately to the point of disfunction seeking the approval
and acknowledgement of his family. Certainly, he wants Molly's
approval, but that seems to come easily. I think he wants the approval
of his Father and his Brother. He wants them to acknowledge that he
did it right, he followed the rules, he didn't make trouble, he didn't
have fun and raise hell, ...no he made the noble sacrifice, he set
aside the specific interest unlike Bill and Charlie, he set aside the
playful nature of Fred and George, he refused to be the baby that
Molly watched and fussed over like Ron. No... no... not for Percy, he
wasn't going to cause any trouble, he was going to be the 'Good Son'.

Unfortunately, the 'Good Son' is one of the many disfunctional roles
that a person can play in their family dynamic. Like all disfunctional
personalities, it is self-defeating. The more Percy tries to be the
'Good Son', the more Fred and George tease him, and to stop the
teasing, Percy is bound and determined to prove that they are doing it
wrong and that doing what is right, obeying the rule, achieving
success is what a proper gentleman does. Of course, the more determine
Percy is to be Percy, the more determined Fred and George are to act
out their roles in the family dynamic, and round and round it goes,
spiraling every deeper into more disfunctional behavior. 

Percy did the right thing, despite the rocky aspects of his first job
with Crouch, Percy comes out of it. He stuck to his guns, he obeyed
the rule, he cooperated with authroities, and ultimately being the
"Good Son" paid off, as he knew it would. His name was clear (in his
mind), his skill, knowledge, dedication, perseverance, all round
'good' behavior, and trust in the system were acknowledged.

Now Percy has the Crowning Achievement of the Percy 'Good Son' school
of correct and proper behavior; he has been promoted to the position
of PERSONAL ASSISTANT to the most powerful and influential person in
the wizard world; the MINISTER OF MAGIC himself. (The all caps reflect
how Percy see this in his mind.) 

Certainly there can be no denying him the recognition he craves now.
Given this stunning success, certainly even Fred and George will have
to acknowledge that indeed being the 'Good Son' paid off big time.
They will all have to see that after all these year, Percy knew what
he was doing. Finally, that respect and recognition that he so
desperately carves. How could they possible deny him now? How?

And what does Percy get after a lifetime of sacrifice and hard work?
What does he get for his stunning achievement? What does he get for so
masterfully pulling victory from the jaws of defeat? NOTHING! Not a
single, 'Well done Percy', 'Good work', 'congradulations'. Ooooohhh
Nooooo... not a drop of recognition ...not a shred of respect ...not
so much as the slightest hint that these idiot see how much he has
sacrificed and how hard he has work ...how long, hard, and selflessly
Percy has worked for the good of his family.

Damn, why didn'they just knee him in the groin? Could they have
possible made his heart ache more? Could his own family possble have
betrayed him more deeply? 

So what does Percy do? He dives hopelessly deeper into his role as the
'Good Son', absolutely bound and determine to prove that being good,
obeying the rules, following the duly elected leaders of their world,
standing by his government, not making trouble is the right way for a
proper gentleman, a successful man, and 'Good Son' to behave. 

He's doing what is right, he is doing the proper thing, how could this
plan possibly not work? How could his family have abondon him? How
could they not recognise what he had done? How could he ever get rid
of this dispare that is crushing him? How could doing the right thing
possbily have gone so bad? These are the question Percy runs over and
over in his mind, during those desperate and lonely nights in his dank
London flat. Why does being good, always turn out so bad?

Poor, poor Percy... a boy to be pitied not scorned.

This is how I see the inner workings of Percy's mostly subconscious mind.

As far as Percy earning his Gryffindor 'wings', please stand by, the
story is not over yet, and I have no doubt that before it is over, we
will see great things from Percy. 

That IS my story and I AM sticking to it.

bboy_mn