Much Ado About Money (concerning the Weasleys)

[jenny_ravenclaw]

No: HPFGUIDX 59529

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "taylorlynzie" <leperockon at a...> 
wrote:

>The Weasleys obviously don't have a lot of money (though this does 
make them wallowing in poverty) and he has grown up with this all of 
his life, Molly probably just wanted to use this to help him grow up a 
little as we all know without arguement that Ron is a *little* 
immature. This could be a way for her to held nudge him up the 
maturity ladder. If she constantly was fixing his robes everytime they 
needed to be fixed he would become spoiled and stay immature. Another 
valid point is that Molly was prehaps just not thinking about it. She 
is a very busy woman and fixing her sons "inadequate" dress robes may 
not be her number one priority.>

I see both Ron's side and Molly's side so clearly, I can't quite take 
a side myself.  Ron is justifiably embarrassed about receiving robes 
that are simply ugly, while watching Harry receive robes that are very 
nice.  Molly *does* brush him off in a way that isn't too 
understanding.  Are those really the only robes that she felt were 
appropriate for her 14 year old son?  

However busy Molly appears to be, she can certainly sit down with her 
son privately and discuss their situation.  She can also offer to 
teach Ron how to fix the robes himself so he can deal with second-hand 
clothing in the future and so she doesn't have to add Ron to her list 
of worries.  He could have used some guidance from Molly here.

However, Ron is rude here.  He complains about his mother's purchase 
in front of guests.  If I had ever done that, my mom would have taken 
my robes away from me and then I really wouldn't have had anything to 
wear to the Yule Ball (then again, I'd go naked to the Yule Ball if it 
meant going to Hogwarts)  Ron knows damned well that the Weasleys 
don't have the money to buy the kind of robes Harry receives.  Don't 
you think Molly is tired of hearing about it?  Her response makes me 
wonder if he has complained to her one time too often.  She seems 
exasperated in an "I am sick and tired of hearing about this!" way.  
Molly doesn't offer to remedy the situation, but it is true, as many 
have pointed out, Ron doesn't ask for help either.  He could have 
asked his mother to show him how to fix his robes, so he wouldn't have 
to keep complaining.  Instead, he expects her to do what she cannot.

There seems to be an issue of communication here.  I really don't care 
if Molly is busy; she can make time to talk to her children.  In fact, 
I am not sure how she can be so busy when she knows magic well enough 
to always do several things at once.  Her children are all old enough 
to help more around the house as well, yet I see no evidence that any 
Weasley other than Molly does much to help, aside from setting the 
table and chasing gnomes out of the yard.  Teach your kids some 
responsibility, woman!

Ron, though, is focused more on his family's monetary status itself 
than why they are in that situation.  People in the WW go out into the 
work force younger than we do - most people I know did not look for 
full-time employment at 18, straight out of high school.  Ron can 
spend more time thinking about and planning his future if he hates his 
family's situation so much.

See?  I really see both sides here.  Molly and Ron both handled things 
badly.

--jenny from ravenclaw *****