Ron the Prefect

[Shaun Hately]

No: HPFGUIDX 74326

On 31 Jul 2003 at 0:30, Erika L. wrote:

>     Actually, that's not quite true. After Umbridge's speech when 
everyone
> is dismissed from the hall, the Prefects are expected to lead the 
first-year
> students. Hermione must remind Ron of this since he "had obviously
> forgotten". He proceeds to address the first-years as "Midgets" and 
when
> Hermione berated him, he protests "Well, they are, they're titchy" 
(Canadian
> ed 194). I'd say a
> lack of respect for younger students, particularly a group of already
> nervous eleven-year-olds qualifies as an example of Ron being less 
than
> exemplary as a Prefect.
> 
>     Assuming Ron is a good Prefect offstage is just that-- an 
assumption.
> In terms of canon I think we have more indication of Ron being an
> ineffective Prefect than of anything else. I can't recall an example 
of his
> doing anything useful as a Prefect. Since this is all we've seen of 
him, I
> assume he's doing the same thing off stage. I will have to see 
something in
> canon before I assume otherwise.

OK - I was a prefect at my school, and I think this is being unfair.

Ron calling the first-years midgets could very easily have been a way to 
try and get them laughing - an extremely good way to deal with nervous 
11 years olds who are likely to be fairly intimidated by you. It's not 
something everybody could do - I'd have mucked it up - but if you've got 
a good and obvious sense of humour, which I think Ron might, it really 
can work well.

In some senses, it is important for a prefect to respect younger 
students - but you also need to help these kids establish their place in 
the school heirarchy. They need to feel they belong to the school (and 
to their House) as quickly as possible. Ron, as a prefect, teasing them 
can help with that process. It's a fine line - it can backfire - but I 
think it's quite unfair to view Ron as disrespectful of the first years.

Now - I personally also think the absence of evidence is evidence itself 
in the case of Ron's effectiveness as a prefect. A good prefect should 
*not* be obvious. You shouldn't be able to easily point to the things 
that make somebody a good prefect.

But you will certainly know *very* rapidly if there's a bad one around. 
If Ron was a bad prefect, I would have expected to see real signs of 
that in the text, considering his close proximity to Harry. The fact we 
don't see any signs of him being a bad prefect really does indicate a 
high likelihood that he is at least competent. 

Expecting him to deal well with his older brothers isn't reasonable. And 
with (presumably) five other prefects in the House, four older than him, 
two of his brother's age, it is not a major failing. Indeed, if Ron 
*had* to deal with his brother's because nobody else was available, I'd 
consider that a major failing of the more senior prefects who should be 
looking out for their less experienced colleagues.

Yours Without Wax, Dreadnought
Shaun Hately | www.alphalink.com.au/~drednort/thelab.html
(ISTJ)       | drednort at alphalink.com.au | ICQ: 6898200 
"You know the very powerful and the very stupid have one
thing in common. They don't alter their views to fit the 
facts. They alter the facts to fit the views. Which can be 
uncomfortable if you happen to be one of the facts that 
need altering." The Doctor - Doctor Who: The Face of Evil
Where am I: Frankston, Victoria, Australia