Saving every Sickle (Was: Percy and the Weasleys' finances)

[greatlit2003]

No: HPFGUIDX 59135

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, jodel at a... wrote:
> 
> And the kid isn't even 20 yet and has no experience in managing 
money (when 
> has he ever had any?), he's probably barely keeping his head above 
water.
> 
This is long, so I apologize in advance :)

I agree that Percy is still young and learning to manage money, and 
perhaps should not yet be expected to contribute to his family. But 
I still believe that the elder Weasleys' concept of money is 
distorted and that has led to problems with all of their children. 

The parents have barely enough money to clothe their kids, and they 
squander hundreds of Galleons on a trip to Egypt?! Childhood should 
be a fun and enriching time, and perhaps the parents were trying to 
give their kids something that they never had, but a whole month in 
a foreign country? (PoA p.8) That was a bit excessive. That lottery 
winning would have been an excellent time to save up, but they 
squandered. 

I am frustrated with this family's values. They are good people, but 
the parents seem to be living in their own little world. All Arthur 
cares about is Muggle welfare, even if it means a lack of promotion. 
I applaud his nobility, but not when he sacrifices his children's 
interests. If anyone disagrees with me here, I would like to ask, 
how would you feel if you were a child and your parent worked hard 
to ensure other people's welfare (such as donating to charities, 
etc.) but neglected your needs? You might grudgingly respect them, 
but you would still be unhappy. I feel sorry for Ron in this aspect. 
He's got wonderful, loving parents who have chosen not to make him 
their priority. That is hard for any child.

All five of the younger Weasleys have responded to their poverty. 
Percy is ambitious, and I think that his desire to be Minister is at 
least partly due to his humble origins. He wants to prove himself. 
There is nothing wrong with this, but his desires have led him to 
thus far alienate himself from his family, placing his job above 
them. Can you imagine a rich kid being so motivated to work? Maybe. 
But I have a hunch that Percy, like everyone else, is struggling to 
get out. 

The twins, as we all know, have lashed out against their poverty by 
trying to earn money via the joke business. Ron is a passive 
protestor, while poor Ginny's initial insecurities about attending 
Hogwarts were partly because of her poverty: " 'The diary,' said 
Riddle...'Little Ginny's been writing in it for months and months, 
telling me all her pitiful worries...how she had to come to school 
with secondhand robes and books...' " (CoS p.309) The parents should 
recognize that their family is in trouble, and they should do 
something about it. Why not swallow some pride and ask Bill and 
Charlie for some help? Both have steady jobs, and have been working 
for at least 10 years (assuming that they did not go to grad school, 
since Charlie graduated Hogwarts 7 years before Harry entered), so 
they should have some money (even a few sickles) to offer. 

Perhaps the Weasleys expect their children to intuitively understand 
that they don't value money. But kids should not be expected to just 
understand that their parents are acting in their best interest. Ron 
certainly doesn't understand. All he knows is that he has to wear 
girly dress robes. After all this babbling, my final point is that 
the Weasley parents should wake up and understand that while they 
might be perfectly content wearing rags while saving the world, they 
should not expect their children to do the same. 

greatlit2003, who does care a bit for Molly and Arthur, but thinks 
Sirius is a better role model for Harry