The tragedy of Ron Weasley

[johnbowman19]

No: HPFGUIDX 91368

Chris <christophernuttall at h...> wrote:
 
> Ron Weasley is one of the most tragic figures in the Potterverse.  
He's very much inferior to almost anyone else in most categories and 
is perhaps unable or unwilling to change.  Ron is heading towards a 
massive crisis, even perhaps being tricked into betraying Harry, 
and, as such, is also one of the most misunderstood characters in 
the world of HP.

<snip>  

> To conclude: Harry is rich - Ron is poor.  Harry is a hero - Ron 
is a supporting character at best.  Harry has the girls (in Ron's 
eyes) - Ron is too shy to ask a girl out.  Harry has no family to 
look down on him - Ron's family are a weight around his neck.
>  
> Look at this and ask yourself; would you not be bitter too? >>>


Hey Chris,

	Ronald Weasley is one of the most understanding and special 
figures in the Potter verse. Ron is open to change, and should be 
considered an equal to Harry in all respects (except the idea that 
Harry and Harry alone has THE power to defeat the dark lord, meaning 
the power inside of Harry that makes him invulnerable to 
possession). Ron is one of the most grounded and is so loyal to 
Harry that he could not even imagine betraying Harry. Ron has common 
sense you know (how could someone possibly trick you into betraying 
your best friend? and causing them harm?). 

        Many may misunderstand Ron, but I feel I can offer a view of 
Ron that closely relates to how JKR intended Ron to be read. I am 
currently attending a college, where I am the 8th person in my immediate 
family to attend. I too was given hand me down things throughout my 
life, and in a capitalist society it is not easy. Plus now that I am in 
college I have to think about what to do with my life, and it's kind of 
hard when my family has already done everything to do. There are 
currently a PHD, a MD, 2 CPA's, 2 law degrees, and a teacher/nurse 
in my family. What is left for me to do? Plus they were all good at 
sports, but when one knows a big family, one can tell that the 
talent is spread around, everyone is equal. 7th out of 8 is no 
cakewalk either. But it does not mean I am tragic. I may not have 
all the advantages, but I do have one that most kids do not, and 
that is a big family. If you mess with one of us you mess with all 
of us. Can you imagine a Weasley Family united fighting in unison? 
The result could change the tide of any war.

	The quote you have of Ron is a very telling one. From how I 
read it Ron is humble, he does not expect much of himself, and 
neither do I, but do you know how that is an advantage? We have 
nothing to lose and everything to prove. I try my hardest to outdo 
my brothers and sisters, and I am sure Ron does too. He is the 
youngest boy and I am sure the toughest. The older brothers would 
have picked on him all his life. My little brother is just like 
that. Getting older things may be embarrassing, but it is not that 
bad. At least if you can't afford it, you have it already. It's 
better than not having it. An old rat is better than nothing. I have 
numerous old tee shirts that have just come back in style; they too 
are better than nothing.

	Being an old one out in a family is better then being alone. 
I am not really close with anyone but I still love my family, and 
are closer with them then any of my friends. Family means something. 
Ron has the one thing wants most of all: a family. The mirror of 
Erised showed this. And who says the other children had support? 
Gred and Forge were certainly not supported in their roles. I am 
sure Mr. and Mrs. Weasley have given support to each of their 
children equally, like all good parents. Ron knows he is at the 
bottom but he wants to be at the top. He can do it and he will. Why 
do you think Ron has low self-esteem? His two closest brothers are 
screw-ups and he has already surpassed them by being a prefect. I 
think he has already surpassed Percy in character because he is more 
loyal. Ron has more common sense and friends then Percy ever did. We 
do not know much about Charlie and Bill save their jobs and 
personalities. Charlie was a great chaser, but Ron is a great 
keeper. Bill is cool and so is Ron. Why should Ron feel inferior? 

	How is Ron the worst student? We do not even know how many 
OWLs he got, and I am sure he got more the Fred and George. Also you 
should remember that Ron had a hand me down wand, which could 
explain his poor magicianship, although I think he is just as good 
as Harry in classes (DADA excluded). And you are right about Ron's 
skill are bringing Wizard born information to the trio, but I 
sincerely doubt it is his best skill. Ron is great at chess, and 
those of us who are Muggles know that those who are good at chess are 
often very intelligent, and very strategy orientated (could Ron's 
future role being a strategist in the war?). In OotP I feel Ron 
excluded himself. Remember when you were 15 and had a crush on a 
girl? What did you do? Did you hide you feelings and try not to make 
it obvious? I did. This helps to explain your thought of the double 
in the trio. I however think Ron did not keep him out that much of 
the time. If is avoiding Hormone intentionally, shouldn't Hermione 
be the one who feels upset not Ron?

	Ron is poor. There are no two ways around it. But Harry is 
not rich. If you remember in PoA Harry does not buy the firebolt 
because he fears running out of money. Even if it were a very 
expensive broom, Harry would be able to buy it if he is as rich as 
Draco is. Ron may not have money now, but what will he have in the 
future? No one knows, he could turn out to be the Bill Gates 
equivalent of the magic world. He cannot earn money now, but he can 
in the future. Right now if he feels resentment about being poor, 
wouldn't Fred and George give him some money if their business is 
doing well? 

	Ron won the cup almost single-handedly. He was carried off 
the field on the shoulders of his peers. That maybe this would be a 
good patronus memory? And what are you referring to as H and H 
abandoning Ron on their own mission? I would like to know please. 
Also it is important to note that whenever Harry had to learn a 
spell for the TWT Ron was with him. This would mean he would learn 
the spell too. I do not think Harry has much of an advantage on Ron 
on in that aspect either. 

	Ron's brothers are gone from Hogwarts and that makes him top 
dog. I don't know if you have any older brothers, but I would never 
ever ever ever try and stop them from doing something they wanted to 
do even if I had authority on them. Authority does not mean squat 
when you are cornered in your bedroom and they are coming at you. Big 
whoop Hermione congratulated the wrong person. What about the rest 
of the year when Ron has the power and not Harry? Also there is the 
fact that Ron was chosen as prefect. Ron was chosen because Harry 
had too much on his plate, but Ron was chosen. How many boys are in 
Griffyndor in Harry and Ron's year? A lot. Ron is chosen because DD 
didn't want Harry to do it. This means in DD's eyes Ron's maybe second 
best, but second best in the eyes of the most powerful wizard in the 
world? That is not bad. Ron is chosen because DD thinks he is just 
as capable at being a prefect as Harry would have been. Ron is his 
replacement in DD's eyes. Wouldn't that fill you with confidence?

	Hermione appears not to return Ron's interest? What about in 
GoF when Hermione tells Ron to ask her first for the Yule ball? She 
would have rather gone with Ron than with Krum. She dates Krum? 
Where is that mentioned? They hang out in the library. A library I 
might add that is closely monitored by its librarian for talking too 
loud. How can this be misconstrued as dating? True, Hermione is who 
Krum likes best, but I think it is clear that while she may write 
Krum she talks to Ron a lot more then she does to Krum. You think 
Ron wants Ginny to date Harry as an attempt to stop a Harry and 
Hermione romance? I think you are wrong. Ron trusts his friends with 
all his heart. Plus he is with them almost all the time, he knows 
there is nothing going on between them. It can be interpreted as 
that, but I think Ron is bad at romance just like every other 15 yr 
old boy. He needs to work out his feelings before he can tell 
Hermione about them. Imagine a friend whom you have been friends 
with for 3 years suddenly becomes your romantic interest, how would 
you feel? Also I think your argument for how Voldemort can tempt Ron 
is flawed. Would Harry's death eliminate a competitor for Hermione's 
heart or be a loss of the best friend Ron has ever had? Do you think 
that Ron would want Harry dead? Think of how much they have been 
through together. All of Harry's accomplishments have been aided in 
some way by Ron. And have been through too much to not trust each 
other and to be jealous of each other. 

	Finally to how you see Ron as a possible Peter like 
character, I am upset. Peter is inept while Ron is at the very least 
capable, Peter is weak mentally while Ron is intelligent, Peter is 
not loyal while Ron is extremely loyal (think of all the times he 
stuck by Harry when everyone else in the castle hated him), Peter is 
afraid while Ron is brave enough in his first year to help Harry 
save the stone, Peter is a servant, why Ron is a friend. How is Ron 
weaker than Hermione? Hermione herself says she is all book smarts 
and cleverness and that there are more important things that make a 
wizard. Ron may not be able to get the spells on his first try but 
he can get them right when they count (like the troll incident). Ron 
is a hero every time Harry is because he helps Harry do things Harry 
cannot do. I didn't think I liked Ron this much, but this post about 
how he could be a traitor really made me realize how much I like him.

John, who is sorry that his post may seem angry, he is really not, 
he just does not want people to think of Ron as a Peter type 
character.