The Weasleys: Dysfunctional or Completely Normal?

[makemeatree]

No: HPFGUIDX 89485

> Del wrote:

> Don't get me wrong : I'm not saying that there's something wrong 
> with the Weasleys for sure. I'm just saying that they show quite a 
> few signs of dysfunction. 

me, joi:

Every family is dysfunctional. Period. There's no argument for that. 
It's been shown that there is no standard for families, and that most 
completely normal, functioning families are actually dysfunctional 
when measured to the idea of 'dysfunction'. 'Dysfunctional' 
doesn't 'Terrible' or 'Totally the worst family ever'. IMO, it's 
always stood to mean 'Not like others think it should be'. 

> Sophierom said :
> 
> > Besides, in a WW where one can apparate or travel through a quick 
> > floo network, I don't think moving to Romania or Egypt is nearly 
> > as a big a deal as it would be in our world.
> 
> Del answers :
> 
> But Bill and Charlie don't seem too keen to come and visit their 
> family. We rarely hear of them coming over.

joi:

We don't know what Bill or Charlie are 'keen' to do. They're not 
there. And just because they're not there doesn't mean they don't 
want to be. From what I gather from the books, Bill and Charlie's 
jobs are really important ones, and they don't have time to go home. 
Not that they don't want to, but that they are unable to do so. This 
is why the Weasleys' take the prize money and go to Egypt in PoA.

Besides that, both boys do come home. And, when they're home, we 
don't see them acting like they don't want to be there. The only 
trouble either seems to have is when Mrs. Weasley comments on Bill's 
hair, but even then, there aren't any arguments. Just a Mother's love 
and a Son's respect. 

> Sophierom said :
> 
> > Location issues aside, I'd argue that Arthur and Molly have done 
> > a great job raising their sons, and all in all, their family 
> > dynamic is a pretty healthy one.
> 
> Del answers :
> 
> I'm not sure I agree. The interactions we've seen between Percy, 
> Fred, George, Ron and Ginny can't always be described as very 
> healthy IMO. To me, the simple fact that Ron seems so overwhelmed 
> by his five big brothers at the beginning of PS/SS is a sign that 
> things aren't going that well between them. I understand that 
> there's always a bit of competition between siblings, but this 
> seems like way too much for me.

joi:

On the subj of Ron at the beginning of PS/SS, is he overwhelmed by 
them, or by his first year at Hogwarts? For 11 years, he's been 
watching his older brothers go off to some place he's never seen, and 
now it's his turn. I would think that a lot of things would be 
overwhelming then. 

And I honestly don't see any competition between them. Sure, there's 
some harsh play, usually from the Twins onto Percy, but that's 1.) 
the Twins nature, and 2.) Something Percy gets for being 'no fun' (as 
has been dicussed). 

If you can quote me parts of the books that show direct competition 
between all the Weasley kids, I'd be really interested to see it. 

> Del said:
> Ron apparently doesn't receive that kind of moral support from his 
> parents. And also, the way Molly keeps giving Percy as an example 
> to the twins always strikes me as exactly the wrong thing to do. 
> Those things are not healthy, not at all, and they do create rifts 
> between the brothers.

joi:

You say 'apparently', but I myself have not seen a mention in the 
books of Ron NOT receiving moral support from his parents. I see the 
Weasley parents as being quite loving and sweet. Mrs. Weasley plays 
the role of the typical stay-at-home-mother. She has a lot to do, and 
in order to do everything properly, she has to run a tight ship. In 
order to keep the peace in her home, she has to be stern. 'Not giving 
moral support' and being a stern parent are different. Mrs. Weasley 
cares wholeheartedly for her family (and even for those she has 
accepted into her family), as we see in the boggart scene in OotP.

As for Percy, I'm going to quote the Lexicon on this one: "Molly is 
particularly fond of her son Percy, who is serious and follows rules 
to the letter--in other words, he causes her no grief."

That's all there is to her treatment of Percy. Most of the time, when 
we see that particular dynamic, it's because the Twins are being 
troublemakers, and Mrs. Weasley would prefer it if they weren't 
beause it makes her job as mother and head of the home harder. 

Also, I'd like to point out that, in your opinion, this treatment 
causes rifts, but I have yet to see any between the Weasley brothers. 
They have their moments, but they never say they hate, are jealous 
of, or resent each other.
 
> Del answers :
> 
> But being self-centered and self-serving, as Percy 
> and even the twins have become, is not one of those tools. 

joi: 

The Twins are not self-centered or self-serving. They do things they 
enjoy that others may not find so funny, but they never threaten 
anyone's life for their own enjoyment. Their final moment in 
Hogwarts, I think, was a sign that they were very far from being self-
centered. They rocked the system not so they would be forever 
remembered, but because Umbridge and her goons were getting out of 
hand. Umbridge was terrible, and there needed to be a revolution. For 
the sake of the school, the students, the Order, and their good 
friend Harry, the Twins used their wonderful skills to shake things 
up. I see that as neither self-centered or self-serving. I see that 
as noble, courageous, and intelligent.

I stand firmly behind the idea that the Weasleys are a wonderful, 
loving family. If they weren't a good example of family in JKR's 
eyes, Harry wouldn't be so close with them. I will admit that Percy 
is a problem, but I believe he will come around very soon, all 
because of his strong tries to his family. He- like the others, like 
every kid from a big family, like Harry- is just trying to find out 
where he belongs. That would then point to the Weasley's being a 
normal family, having raised a normal son.

Thanks,

joi.