[HPforGrownups] Re: How many Rons per Hermione - numerical analysis of Ron's alleged decline

[Iggy McSnurd]

No: HPFGUIDX 81996


 Iggy (me):

> > 2 - Hermione was more appropriate to have more active in OotP than
> Ron was.
> > Rather than strain to try and make Ron a stronger presence in the
> books, she
> > went with the person who was more appropriate... Hermione.

Golly:

> I wouldn't agree.  Harry was miserable in this book.  It was
> traditionally Ron's role to take Harry's mind off his troubles and
> ease his pain with humour and friendliness.  I think the fact that
> Ron was either not around to do that or unable do this is
> significant.  It means their relationship is changing and so will
> Ron's role in the series.  Rowling will have to over the next book
> redefine why and how Harry and Ron are friends (if they are at all).
>
> Hermione was traditionally horrible at making Harry feel better and
> entertaining him.  That is changing too.
>
> Ron's absence in this book is not a fluke.
>

I think you misunderstand me here.  I didn't say that Hermione was the most
apropriate to cheer Harry up.  I said that she was the more appropriate of
the two to be involved in the events that were happening.

1:  Hermione giving advice about how to deal with Cho is a lot more
appropriate.  Hermione is a girl only slightly younger than Cho.  Ron is a
boy slightly younger than Cho... and is also clueless about girls.
(Something which has been illustrated in the books a number of times.)

2:  Many of the events needed Harry to learn to look at things more
objectively... or, at least, try to... Hermione is MUCH better than Ron in
helping with this.  (Think of Hermione as Harry's intellectual counterpart,
and Ron as Harry's emotional one.)

3:  We've seen Hermione pursuing her own goals away from the trio in earlier
books.  (SPEW being an example... as are her more intense studies...), so
it's about time Ron was shown to start pursuing goals outside of the trio as
well.  (We even saw in SS/PS how much he wants to be in the Quidditch
team... and have had some other illustrations as to how much he loves the
game.)

4:  OotP is a book where it was important for Harry to experience that pain,
angst, and loneliness in order for him to grow and his eyes to open to the
realities of both the WW, and life itself.  Having Ron there to lean on all
the time, comfort him, and cheer him up would have defeated this purpose.
"Into every life, rain must fall."


I hope this clarifies some things.

Iggy McSnurd
the Prankster


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