Weasley Economics

[ginger_peachy130 <ginger_peachy130@hotmail.com>]

No: HPFGUIDX 51961

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Meg Demeranville" 
<mdemeran at h...> wrote:
> 
> Click (Conclusions) "Ron does present a picture of the Weasleys as 
very
> poor. However, the situation just doesn't exist. Instead, Ron is 
seen as
> a whiner. JKR is setting him to have temptations of money. Even out 
on
> the bay, there are several ships that believe Ron will turn on 
Harry for
> money. But I propose that although Ron whines about money, he has 
enough
> to where it would take major economic shifts in the current 
situation
> for him to be able to turn on Harry. He is being set up for a big 
fall.
> That's why I entitled my theory POOR BABY NAPTIME for Pity Over 
Ownings,
> Ron Becomes Awful Bratty Youngster. Now Arises Problems, 
Temptations In
> Major Economics."
> 
>  


I tend to take JKR's depiction of the Weasley's poverty at face 
value, even when their actual spending habits don't quite bear it out 
(such as in the examples you mentioned...buying omnioculars, staying 
at the Leaky Cauldron, etc.). IMHO, their situation has been written 
that way for romantic/poetic reasons...to set up the Weasleys in 
opposition to the Malfoys, to contrast the situations of Ron/Harry 
(and sorry to bring a SHIP-point into it, but the irony in Krum 
failing to recognise that his [IMHO] true competition for Hermione 
lies in someone who is not only an insignificant blip in the WW, but 
dirt-poor as well, is satisfying, don't you think?), to make their 
eventual restoration to preeminence more gratifying, or whatever.

Like how In "Little Women", we are supposed to believe that the 
Marches are poor, and the same goes for the families in "Sense and 
Sensibility" and "Pride and Prejudice"- even thought you just *know* 
they're probably all eating quail off the finest of bone china, it's 
thematically important that they be considered poor- doesn't it just 
serve that snob Mr Darcy right to fall for someone from such a poor, 
coarse family? Never mind the holiday they're going to take in Bath.

I believe we are supposed to accept that when it is written:
---------------------
"Harry couldn't think of anyone who deserved to win a large pile of 
gold more than the Weasleys, who were very nice and extremely poor." 
(PoA p12, UK edition) 
---------------------

Alexis (who believes there's 1000 students at Hogwarts, but only one 
campus, and JKR doesn't think about the specifics very much)