The tragedy of Ron Weasley

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 91399

Arya:
> Did you miss the introduction of the Imperius Curse in GoF?  I 
think  it's quite clear how a chracter weakness such as a 
tenfdency to feel  inferior, resent his family's poverty ("Why is 
everything I owe  rubbish?!") and to see his best friend as a rival 
who appears to be chramed to have everything Ron has not 
might lead to this weakness of  Ron's to be used against him.  <


Yes, someone could put Ron under Imperius. But  Imperius 
overcomes your will--it's not like hypnosis is said to be, where 
you can't be made to do anything you wouldn't willingly do 
anyway. So I'm not sure how Ron's supposed weakness of 
character would contribute to this. Part of growing up is learning 
what your weaknesses are and how to compensate for them. 
Ron had to do that in Book 4, Harry did it in Book 5, and  I'll wager 
Hermione will do it in Book 6.
 

Arya:
>>Er, but he does NOT try very hard at all.  Percy obviously had 
ambtion  in spades.  Even Fred and George had an 
unquenchable entrepreneurial  spirit.  Ron, however, doesn't 
want to take notes in class, he doesn't  want to do his own 
homework (he'd rather copy from Hermione) and he'd 
 much rather play a game than study.  <<

Ron made quite an effort to get on the Quidditch team and then 
to be worthy of his spot. It took him along time to get over his 
psychological hangups, but he didn't give up although he 
became very discouraged. 

He does work pretty hard at persuading Hermione to take notes 
for him--that's efficient, since she's better at it than he is. And 
Hermione is stronger at magical theory and is a walking 
encyclopedia of spells . But that can be a handicap in a fight 
--like the centipede who couldn't decide which foot to move first. 

 When they're actually in combat Ron does  better than 
Hermione, who tends become unnerved in a crisis. 
OOtP is the first time she managed to keep her head. They both 
blew one obstacle in Lupin's DADA exam.

Arya:
>>and I personally  threw my book across the room when I read 
Ron was the Prefect--it was  not earned IMHO.<<

I take it you don't like Ron <g> But what makes you think, 
that Harry would have been a better prefect? 

Arya:
>> Ron didn't help Harry learn Occlumency as he should have 
and Ron was  busy spouting off how he liked 'Uranus' and 
Accio'ing brains to help when Harry went after Bellatrix to avenge 
Sirius and ended up facing  Voldemort--yet again<<

 Harry's dilatory attempts to learn Occlumency are Ron's fault? 
Can you explain? --and I think you missed something in the 
battle at the MoM. Ron was hit with some sort of curse (or 
perhaps a close encounter with Jupiter, the planet of mirth) 
--he's not clowning around for fun. 

Arya:
> just wanted to refute some overly selective arguments that 
were trying  to support Ron as the equal hero to Harry.<

I'm not sure what you mean by equal. Ron is certainly as brave, 
though he isn't as powerful. And Harry's dream of Ron and 
Hermione wearing crowns would  indicate that Ron is destined 
for great things. JKR likes to put him in ridiculous situations...but 
that's not *his* fault.


Pippin.