I know Molly.....

[slgazit]

No: HPFGUIDX 84129

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "artcase" <artcase at y...> wrote:
> I agree with Laura's assessment/questioning of JKR's intentions 
with 
> Molly. Going out on a limb, perhaps JKR is portraying Molly as 
> the "mother" she wishes she could have been. What I'm getting at 
here 
> is the transition of the author from out of work and poor to the 
> millions of dollars, nice husband, new child thing she has now. If 
> that assesment sounds a bit harsh, consider my situation. By my 
> moniker, some of you may think I'm male. Sorry to disappoint, but 
I'm 
> a single USA mom of two.

I too am a working single mother of two but I disagree with the above 
disparagement of Molly's character. She is not overprotective of her 
children, even if she may not always be ready to admit that they are 
ready to be up on their own. Her children - and especially Harry - 
are at a very real risk for their life from an evil wizard and his 
crew. She is trying to provide them as close to a normal childhood 
(okay, teenhood) as she can. She was completely right in stopping 
Sirius from telling Harry everything at the beginning of OoP. Not 
only was Harry not quite ready for that, but he was a security risk, 
with Voldemort's ability to invade his mind. And she was extremely 
wise in getting him and the rest of the kids into the house cleaning 
(if you can call it that) business. Nothing like hard work and a good 
social environment to help one relax over their troubles.

I also disagree with those calling her "non-working" mother. Raising 
7 children is more than a full time job. And let's not forget that 
before going to Hogwarts her kids were at home full time and were 
almost certainly homeschooled (as I assume all children born to 
magical parents are). Kind of hard to go out and work at some obscure 
MoM position while running a household of 9 with no house elves to do 
the work for you. So until Ginny went to school, she had to still be 
a full time mom. After that - who can blame her for taking it a bit 
easy for a few years. In OoP she has a central role in the order as 
both responsible for cooking, cleaning, etc. for meetings as well as 
participating in the order's daily tasks (such as guarding the 
prophecy).

I think Molly is a great female role model alongside many others who 
have not chosen the traditional role (Minerva McGonagall, Hermione, 
just to name a few). The key is not whether you get paid for what you 
do, but how well you do the job you selected - and Molly is certainly 
top-notch in the profession she chose. Choosing to focus your career 
on your family is nothing to be ashamed of - and I say this as one 
who has never been a stay at home mother, but who knows many who are.

> Children need to be taught that both men and women need to work 
hard 
> to accomplish their goals.

And you think Molly does not???

Salit