OOP: Weasley vs. Black and families in general

[Milz]

No: HPFGUIDX 62176

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "ronin_economist" 
<donotexist at a...> wrote:
> Hello from Tokyo, where only 4 people showed up to get the coveted 
> book!
> 
> It was nice to read more about how wizarding families work so early 
> in the book, and see pure-blood relationships and politics. 
> 
> Something struck me as odd, however: Sirius explains how pure-
blooded 
> wizards are in short supply, and they pretty much have to marry 
their 
> cousins if they want to keep the bloodlines "pure." He then 
mentions 
> his being related to the Weasleys as an example. I thought it was 
odd 
> that Arthur and Molly, both pure-bloods, ended up with each other, 
> considering the rarity of their ancestries and the fact that 
neither 
> of them harbor blood prejudices. Sure, the Weasleys are in the 
story 
> as an example of not-wealthy, not-bigoted pure blood wizards, but 
> with this new information, we know that it takes a special effort 
for 
> families to *stay* pure-blooded. Just odd.
> 
> I also suspect that JKR was setting up a parallel between the 
Weasley 
> and Black clans, in those first few chapters at Headquarters. We 
find 
> out about Percy's estrangement from the other Weasleys, and it's no 
> coincidence that Sirius tells Harry about disowning *his* family in 
> the very next chapter. However, we're meant to be horrified by 
> Percy's lack of family loyalty while supporting Sirius' actions. 
It's 
> easy to sympathize with Sirius: we are given evidence in the 
> tapestry, as well as his mother's own words, that his family is a 
> bunch of bigoted dark wizards and witches. Those Blacks who go 
agaist 
> their family's wishes are disowned.
> 
> Percy is harder to understand: the Weasleys are so very likable. 
It's 
> only reasonable for Molly to disapprove of and actively sabotage 
Fred 
> and George's chosen careers -- after all, running a joke shop is 
> unsuitable for Weasleys! And Arthur is just looking out for the 
> family's best interest when he gets into a shouting match with 
Percy 
> after his promotion -- just because he and Molly always supported 
> Percy's ambition doesn't mean that their son could go and take any 
> old high-ranking position! Percy is quite an unpleasant, snotty 
> sycophant all through OoP (and Gof before that,) and everyone had 
> seen his betrayal coming. But if we were to hear it from Percy, the 
> situation would probably sound much like that of Sirius: he was 
part 
> of a close-knit, but stifling clan, he disagreed with his parents' 
> and siblings beliefs and priorities, and in order to live as he 
> wished, he had no choice but leave the family.
> 
> If it was all right for Black to leave his family, then it must be 
> all right for Percy -- family disloyalty is clearly not a crime, so 
> the worst he is guilty of is poor judgement. And his judgement is 
> indeed poor, as being blinded by ambition, Percy can't see the 
> bureaucratic and banal evils of Fudge's office. Percy is not a 
> likeable character, and I would not even say his actions are 
> defensible, as he is clearly old and intelligent enough to see 
> through Fudge and co. But they are understandable. Percy was 
immature 
> to be embarassed by his unambitious father, but let's take his 
> perspective again: his whole life, he was the Weasley golden boy, 
> praised by his parents and set as an example before his siblings. 
His 
> parents just about worshipped his ambition and success -- until he 
> achieved real success, a position in the Minister's cabinet -- at 
> which point his parents suddenly, and to him incomprehensibly, 
turned 
> agaist him. For doing exactly what they encouraged him to do all 
> along! Enough for anyone to want to move out and stop speaking to 
> their parents! 
> 
> Of course, Percy doesn't just do that, he also supports and aids a 
> morally objectionable organization, and harms people in the 
process. 
> So he's not blameless. But considering that Sirius also joined a 
> group that directly (and violently) opposed that of his relatives, 
we 
> would be hypocrites to point fingers and say: "Tsk, tsk, that 
Weasley 
> boy should have stuck with his family!"
> 
> There is a lot more discussion of family in OOP, complicating the 
> issues that seemed so clear-cut before. Harry finds out that his 
> father, whom he idolized, was not as perfect as he imagined him. 
> What's more, his Aunt Petunia, who treated him badly all his life, 
> actually made a compassionate choice to take him in and protect 
him --
>  out of family loyalty. Family, it turns out, is a messy business. 
> Being loyal to one's family is admirable only when the family is 
> doing the right thing, and even grudging loyalty is better that 
none. 
> On the other hand, being a loving relative doesn't make someone a 
> great person, not does being an uncaring caretaker make someone 
> completely bad.
> 
> I'm not sure what this means for the theme, or the future: I would 
> wager Percy is set up for redemption since Sirius acted similarly 
and 
> was a good guy. On the other hand, does that mean Petunia won't 
> become more tolerable, since her contract with Dumbledore was made 
> only out of loyalty and not genuine beliefs? I'm sure I missed 
stuff, 
> but the meaning of family is clearly a major theme in OOP and I'd 
> like to get a discussion started.
> 
> Reene

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I think the MAIN difference between Percy's stituation and Sirius' is 
that the Weasley's didn't disown Percy. Percy disowned them, 
unilateral disownment. Molly made an attempt to talk to Percy, but 
what did Percy do? He slammed the door in Molly's face. 
Sirus and his family seemed to have disowned each other. 

Compare Mrs. Black to Molly. Mrs. Black's portrait calls 
Sirius "Blood Traitor abomination, shame of my flesh". Molly, on the 
other hand, is tormented with the a dead Boggart-Percy. Molly cries 
when Percy returns the Weasley sweater. Molly clearly doesn't like 
that estrangement. Mrs. Black, on the other hand, doesn't seem to 
care about Sirius one bit.

Furthermore, Percy's letter to Ron is indicative of his philosophy. 
Percy urges Ron to sever ties with Harry because "it could be very 
damaging to your future prospects, and I am talking here about life 
after school too". Loyalty to your loved ones should not get in the 
way of your career. Another quote "a student who shows himself 
willing to help Professor Umbridge now may be very well placed for 
Head Boyship in a couple of years". This time he urges Ron to kiss 
Umbridge's ass in order to get ahead. Percy's letter implies to me 
that he is more concerned that the Weasley's association with 
Dumbledore is damaging to Percy's reputation.

If your family is going down the wrong path, you don't have to follow 
them or agree with them. However, your disagreement should not for 
the sake of your reputation, imo.

~Milz