More on Molly

[moorequests]

No: HPFGUIDX 84347

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "artcase" <artcase at y...> wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "jjpandy" <jjpandy at y...> 
wrote:

> > I have read the recent postings about Molly's role and the 
debates 
> of 
> > her as a homemaker.  Molly's character fills the role of the anti-
> > Aunt Petunia. This privides balance to the universe of evil vs. 
> good, 
> > but it also furthers the contrast between the two worlds that 
Harry 
> > lives in.  Molly is the caring mother-figure that Harry never had 
> in 
> > his life before finding out he was a wizard.  Molly worries and 
> looks 
> > after Harry's well-being from the moment she hears from her sons 
> that 
> > he is on the Hogwarts Express. She includes him with family 
members 
> > on gift-giving occasions.  She makes sure he is well-fed 
> ("encourages 
> > him to eat fourth helpings")and fusses over him in a motherly 
> fashion 
> > ("fussed about the state of his socks").  Plump, warm, nurturing 
> > Molly is the opposite of bony, cold, prison-warden Aunt Petunia.
> Art here: 
> 
> If Molly is the "anti-Aunt Petunia" then why does Aunt Petunia 
> represent a stay at home mom as well? And please don't tell me that 
> Aunt Petunia isn't guilty of the same vicarious-give-her-all-for-
her-
> children (in this case, Duddykins) Poof that Molly does.


   Art.... there is one major difference between them, and it is a 
big one.

   Molly is happy and fufilled in her roll as housemaker, mother, and 
queen of the castle, and Aunt Petunia is not. This is why Molly is an 
anti-Petunia... it's the attitude. Molly chose her role. With such a 
large family, it is often much more financially wise to have a parent 
stay home to care for the children than to have both work and hire 
someone to take care of the children. Since childcare providers get 
upwards of $10-12 dollars an hour now, it can really take a full 
day's wages to pay for childcare. 

  I agree that many women, like Petunia, step into roles simply 
because they feel they must, that it is expected, and it makes them 
miserable. However, Molly is NOT miserable. She still may assume some 
stereotypes and take on female duties willingly, but so long as she 
is happy in those roles, I don't see a problem with it. It is when we 
cannot step back and see how stereotypes and sexism affect us that we 
become chained to those stereotypes. 

 -M.M.


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