[HPforGrownups] Re: The Purpose of the Weasleys (was; Saving every Sickle)

Sun Jun 8 19:33:07 UTC 2003

No: HPFGUIDX 59575

>--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Jesta Hijinx"
><jestahijinx at h...> wrote:
> >Ron, at least, appears to suffer from
> > something common to the modern "Muggle" world which I am just as
> > condemnatory about as some of the writing here about the Weasley
>family
> > values taken from different perspectives:  he shows signs of money
>addiction
> > and an obsession (and I don't use the word lightly, if you look at
>some of
> > my past postings).....
> > Ron is the
> > only Weasley we see fret openly or get weird about money - has
>anyone else
> > noticed this?  I'd like to think the others realize that their
>parents are
> > doing the best they can, they're really doing okay (they're all
>managing to
> > make it through Hogwarts, after all) and Charlie and Bill have
>independent
> > careers which they appear to enjoy and seem to be remarkably well-
>adjusted
> > human beings.
>
>Ouch!
>Obsessed....hmmm. Ok, this is a fourteen year old boy who is the
>youngest of six brothers and gets everything second (maybe 3rd, 4th
>or 5th) hand. Even his pet is hand-me-down. How do you know Bill and
>Charlie weren't as 'obsessed' at fourteen. And how do you know Ron
>will not grow up to be as well adjusted and self fullfilled at their
>age?
>
I don't.  :-)  We only know what JKR shows us.  And I see Bill and Charlie 
as well-adjusted - maybe birth order and not having to worry about hand me 
downs had something to do with it, although I *suspect* Molly was in second 
hand shops buying them second-hand stuff as well, with all those little 
siblings - and Ron as having an issue about being obsessed with money that 
might get worse as time goes on if it's not nipped in the bud now.  :-)

>If Ron is *obsessed* with money why did he give all the Leprechaun
>Gold from the QWC to Harry? That, surely, is not a sign of a greedy,
>money-obsessed person?
>
"Greedy" and "money-obsessed" are not the same things.  There can be a huge 
amount of overlap.  But actually, the incident you cited *is* evidence of 
the same:  the reason Ron gave Harry the leprechaun gold was to "pay" for 
the Omnioculars, because he felt that there must be exchange for them - he 
couldn't accept a gift.  Note that Hermione, who evidently comes from a 
fairly well-off background and is an only child, didn't have the same 
issues.

Money obsession has elements of feeling like there has to be a monetary 
value to *everything* - that if Ron accepts Harry's gift, he will be 
admitting weakness, creating a debt, who knows what?  I lived with a 
money-obsessive - I know what I'm talking about.  As an example, while most 
people in a particular situation in an organization we were both in took 
pride and were grateful when other people made things for them or thought of 
them when shopping and picked up a particular small gift that had a motif 
they were fond of, this same person made a big deal out of paying a 
craftsman for a particular job that normally they weren't paid for (an award 
scroll) - sorry to be vague, but the details really aren't worth the typing 
effort and the time you spend reading - and made a point of telling everyone 
because he really thought that he was the superior because he'd given her 
money and that she must've done extra special work for him.  In point of 
fact, she couldn't stand him, put some tiny hidden jokes into the work, and 
he was parading around looking like a colossal fool to the people who'd 
gotten better quality work simply because they were people of good character 
and merit and didn't *have* to pay for respect.  Ron isn't there yet, but 
he's headed that way from what's written.

>In PS we see how Harry hates going to school looking like a freak,
>dressed in Dudley's old clothes. Ron feels the same way about his too-
>short robes and lacey dress robes. We see him whining and complaining
>to Harry because Harry is his best friend. But AFAIR their first
>meeting on the train, far from complaining, Ron tried to cover up for
>his meagre lunch, and not having money for the candy cart.
>
But he so obviously looked disappointed and put out, and didn't even try to 
put a cheerful face on it in front of a complete stranger.

Yes, that may be a bit much to ask of an 11-year-old - but even though he 
said one thing, we as the readers can see (as we're meant to) that 
everything about him conveyed such an opposite message that Harry bought the 
entire cart out (and Ron didn't have a problem with that at the time).

>I think Ron is a normal 14 year-old who has courage, loyalty and
>strength of character far beyond his years. (Yes he is my favourite
>HP character, how did you guess?)
>
And you're entitled to that opinion.  :-)  I don't dislike Ron, but again, I 
differentiate between what this person would be like if they were *real*, as 
a person, and how they are as a character.  Ron is still kind of an enigma 
to me as a character - his main role so far seems to be "sidekick".

One of my favorite *people* that I wish were real would be Remus Lupin; one 
of my favorite *characters* owing to fascination and complexity is Snape.

>Infact the only member of the Weasely family with an unhealthy
>obsession (I am not counting Mr. Weasley's facination with plugs :)is
>IMO Percy.
>
>Percy is obsessed with his image, his position and power. He is even
>jealous of Harry for being on friendly terms with Fudge. Imagine if
>he had been in Ron's place - always in Harry's shadow. Do you think
>he would have shown Harry the loyalty that Ron does? I dont think.
>
>But that is just my opinion :)
>
>Shaggy
>
And you're entitled to it.  :-)  i don't think Percy's direction or ambition 
is healthy at all in the grand scheme of things, but he is, to quote Judd 
Nelson from "The Breakfast Club", "every parent's wet dream".  I'm not 
championing Percy - but he does manage to succeed and do quite well in 
school despite any obstacles of poverty.  Maybe it makes him strive harder 
to prove himself.

Felinia

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