[HPforGrownups] Ron's Place (was Heirs of Houses)

[Patricia Bullington-McGuire]

No: HPFGUIDX 58497

On Thu, 22 May 2003, Ali wrote:

> Now the place where everyone calls him a coward is in the 
> second book. He's scared of spiders! It's plain as that! I am also 
> very scared of spiders, so I understand all his fears and what makes 
> him squirm. But he again is brave! He didn't let Harry face Aragog 
> alone. And he didn't run off at the sight of him either. (Though he 
> was a little shocked, but who wouldn't be!?) 

I personally think Ron's fear of spiders makes his decision to go with
Harry to see Aragog *more* brave, not less so.  Not fearing anything isn't
brave, it's foolish (or insane).  But being afraid of something and doing
it anyway because it's important -- that's real bravery.  I have no doubts
at all that Ron truly belongs in Gryffindor.

----
Patricia Bullington-McGuire	<patricia at obscure.org>

The brilliant Cerebron, attacking the problem analytically, discovered
three distinct kinds of dragon: the mythical, the chimerical, and the
purely hypothetical.  They were all, one might say, nonexistent, but each
nonexisted in an entirely different way ... 
                -- Stanislaw Lem, "Cyberiad"