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

[Jesta Hijinx]

No: HPFGUIDX 59651

Good morning, Rhianyn:

My kitty, Ashley, greets you.  :-)

>In a message dated 6/8/2003 12:16:19 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
>jestahijinx at hotmail.com writes:
>
> > Fred and George do have solid, concrete plans for what they're going to 
>do
> > for a living once they leave Hogwarts
>
>RhianynTheCat stretches luxuirously 'pon her velvet chair and says:
>
>Fred and George are certainly concerned enough about money and the lack
>thereof to have plans and schemes to try to get their hands on some.  They 
>wager
>all they've managed to save on the Quidditch World Cup in an attempt to 
>parlay
>their earning.  They have a real cottage industry going at Hogwarts with 
>their
>sweets.  P'raps that's why we don't catch them whining 'bout their robes 
>...
>they're busy trying to do something to remedy the situation.
>
Yes, my underlying thought exactly, but you put it much better.  :-)  
they've caught on that they're going to have to make it on their own if they 
don't want to be stuck at home under Mum's thumb, perhaps with Dad 
"helpfully" getting them some sort of low level MoM job (since their grades 
probably won't cut a more advanced entry - just theorizing here that that 
matters).  Plus, these are their interests - and maybe another part of it is 
that they don't want to be separated as twins; they want to keep their evil 
geniuses together.  So it so happens that their interests lead them to 
tinker and experiment - much as in our world computer geeks might band 
together and tinker with spare CPUs and parts and invent a new application 
package or OS - and it's evolved into a plan.  They had a somewhat 
hare-brained scheme for coming up with the starting cash, but they knew they 
couldnt' ask Mom and Dad for it.  They're much more risk takers than most of 
their siblings seem to be.  They'll probably make outstanding entrepreneurs; 
they know their market and have been basically beta-testing for seven years 
now.  :-)

><<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>>
>
>You make an interesting point (well, p'raps the point I read is not exactly
>the one you intended, if so, apols :) that each of the Weasleys deals
>differently with the money situations, but it does affect them all to the 
>point that it
>shapes their characters in significant ways.  George and Fred become
>entrepenurial.  Percy strives to excel first in school, then in beurocracy 
>(I think,
>for example, that what drives Hermione to excel is different that what 
>drives
>Percy ... same result, very different motivation and p'raps very big
>differences in what they would do to excel).  Molly obviously takes pride 
>in her
>handiness and craftiness in making things.  P'raps the reason Arthur has 
>such a
>fascination wit Muggles is that he identifies with them as "underdogs".  I 
>think
>the care that JKR puts into the motivation of her characters is a big part 
>of
>her brilliance.  And I think the fact that she is taking such care with the
>whole money angle supports my current pet theory that before the series is 
>done
>Ron will inadvertently sell Harry out for some time of monetary gain 
>(either
>actual or promised).  Now, it obviously wouldn't be as straightforward as 
>"I'll
>give you 13 Galleons to betray Harry" but might be something as insiduous 
>as a
>hair from Harry's head for a supposedly smitten girl who is actually one of
>Voldemorts agents trying to make a polyjuice potion.  He will, of course, 
>repent
>but I'm wondering if he doesn't bring about the death that's so darkly
>forewarned.
>
No, you've got the point - that's my point exactly.  There are different 
ways of dealing with it.

And I think your theory is a good one; I think the reason that Ron's 
unhappiness with the familial monetary situation is being played up is that 
there will be a pivotal plot point based on that - maybe Ron accepts a dicey 
part-time job or something like that in his final year from a shady 
character in Hogsmeade.

Felinia

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