Ron's Alleged Jealousy and Authorial Intention

[Steve <bboy_mn@yahoo.com>]

No: HPFGUIDX 52759

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "aurigae_prime <ZaraLyon at a...>"
<ZaraLyon at a...> wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "dicentra63 <dicentra at x>" 
> <dicentra at x> wrote:

Dicentra:
>  
> > Can you (or anyone else) build a case for it?  REAL jealousy? ...
> > 


Rhiannon:
> 
> ...edited...
> 
> GoF, US paperback edition, p.389, The Unexpected Task:
> "'Listen, you're not going to have any trouble. You're a champion. 
> You've just beaten a Hungarian Horntail. I bet they'll be queuing up 
> to go with you.' In tribute to their recently repaired friendship, 
> Ron had kept the bitterness in his voice to a bare minimum."
> 
> Now, is that really Harry judging Ron's tone? Is that Harry who's 
> explaining exactly why Ron's trying not to be bitter? Or is it JKR? 
> 

bboy_mn:

I always read that as Harry's impression of what Ron was saying, or
more accurately, how he was saying it. The voice I hear speaking is
Harry's voice. Remember Harry is basing his conclusions on the
assumption that Hermione was right, but when Harry and Ron spoke that
first time, Harry's judgement was just as clouded as Ron's. So Harry
didn't see or understand Ron's position any better that Ron understood
his.

Keep in mind that the arguement has never been 'Does jealousy exist?'.
As I pointed out, even I'm jealous of Harry. I'm sure a lot of the
other guys in Gryffindor are jealous of Harry including Ron. But
that's not the question at hand. The question is, 'Is the emotion at
the root of the rift between Ron and Harry stemming from jealousy or
Ron's sense of betrayal? Regardless of what Hermione says, Ron's own
words indicate that his problem is that he feels betrayed because
Harry didn't include him. I'll take Ron's word over Hermione's in this
case. And, we must weigh these emotions from the perspective of a
relatively unsophisticated slightly immature 14 year old boy.
-end this part-


> ...edited quote from PS/SS...
> So, I believe that JKR has simply endorsed Hermione's interpretation 
> of Ron's behaviour.... he's jealous. And I can't recall the 
> narrative being wrong before. HRH's interpretation of narrative 
> events, yes-- but not the narration itself.
> 
> 
> Cheers,
> Rhiannon the RavenSlyth

bboy_mn:
Hermione's conclusions are the reasonable and obvious conclusions of
someone on the outside looking in. But Ron's own words betray that
conclusion. I'm sticking with the conclusion based on Ron's own words.

Just my opinion.

bboy_mn