[HPforGrownups] Re: Much Ado About Money (concerning the Weasleys)

[Jesta Hijinx]

No: HPFGUIDX 59603

>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?
>
maybe there wasn't a large selection - and has been postulated by others, 
she probably simply did not have time to sit down with him privately and 
discuss the situation - maybe also she somewhat in a "tough love" vein 
figured there was nothing to be done, and he could just cope once he reached 
Hogwarts - maybe she even figured he'd alter them to suit himself.

>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.
>
He could have, and maybe she intended to - but maybe it slipped her mind 
with everything else going on.

>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.
>
YES.  Thank you.  This would have been exactly my mom's response:  "Don't 
like your prom dress?  Well, you can do without."  And i agree with the 
"he's probably complained once too often" theory.  It doesn't really matter 
how many times we see him complain in the book - we can't assume that's the 
only time it comes up.  Yes, it's the only canonical evidence; but 
everything in their body language and the frequent Weasley discussions 
suggests that this is well-covered territory and there's really nothing to 
be done but soldier on.

>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!
>
I, also, would like to see the kids doing more around the house.

>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 *****
>
I agree.  Molly's not perfect, but I have about 60% of the sympathy for her 
and 40% for Ron in this situation.

Felinia

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