Prefects and points

[serenadust]

No: HPFGUIDX 106027

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Arya" <dequardo at w...> wrote:
 

> {SNIPPAGE} 
> > Shaun wrote:
> > That still means there's a discrepancy with JKRs FAQ answer - 
but 
> > as it seems clear she was relying on a faulty memory of what she 
> > wrote, I don't think that's that surprising.
> > 
> > Maybe Ron (in her mind) hasn't been authoritarian, and hasn't 
taken 
> > any points - so to her, when asked this question, she 
thinks "Why 
> > did I write that - it must be because I thought he might not 
know 
> > this."


 Arya now:  I do think there is something to be said for the fact 
that
> JKR answered this question with Ron looking like the one in the 
wrong.  
> If it was a reader, like you or I who made this comment, it would 
be
> our posibly biased view or image of him leading us to this 
conclusion;
> but it's JKR answering a frequently asked question in a situation
> where she isn't rushed to answer or put on the spot--she has time 
to
> check things over, think things over and to just perfectly word her
> answers and upload to her own site (and correct if she is wrong).  
So,
> the notion that JKR (as I think Cathy said) is "wrong" and giving 
Ron
> a bad rap is possibly a bit presumptuous of us readers. 

Why?  Because JKR has never been "wrong" before?  Er...no.  In fact, 
the "Mark Evans" debacle was most disturbing because it revealed 
that there is a lot less attention to detail in the Potterverse than 
previously imagined.  Up until now, most of us have pretty much come 
to accept that our beloved author is a bit challenged in the maths 
department, so we take things like ages, dates, numbers of students 
at Hogwarts, class schedules, and the order of spells coming from 
wands with a very large grain of salt.  What else can we do until 
she finishes the series and then goes back to rewrite the 
inconsistencies, as she's said she'd like to. 

But forgetting Lily's maiden name and giving it to a meaningless 
character?  Even JKR has conceded that this was a very embarrassing 
mistake and was quite properly contrite.  Under the circumstances, 
it's not "presumptuous" to call her wrong when she clearly is.  I do 
hope she addresses this when she updates the site.

Arya:
 I've always
> seen Ron as the comic relief of the trio (not a burgeoning general
> who's ought to be Head Boy and a Quidditch Captain) and the 
constant
> defense and insistance to build him up as an equal or even higher
> character than Harry is baffling to me.  So when JKR answers her
> question, whether it's off the cuff or long-thought out, and blames
> Ron's ignorance on something that seems quite basic, I think JKR 
has
> also inadvertanly confirmed (at least for those like me who've 
always
> thought it) that Ron is the type of person who would be ignorant on
> these sorts of things (usually through his own lack of effort). 


There's no denying that Ron tends to lackadasical about schoolwork, 
but apart from the (entirely unreasonable, IMO) expectation that he 
should be able to control the twins, I think that his reaction to 
being chosen as Prefect would indicate that he takes the job quite 
seriously.  I think that analysing JKR's inner motivations is always 
dangerous, and ought to be avoided because it always seems to end up 
revealing more about the one doing the analysis than providing any 
real insight <g>.

Arya: 
 
> Oh there are all sorts of legions of Ron-o-philes out there who 
will
> come out now and protest his worth and wit but, IMO, that's a lot 
of
> speculation on what he *could* be and not on what he is.  And I
> personally see JKR's comment fingering Ron and only Ron as "not a 
very
> authoritarian" prefect who knew the rules as a confirmation that 
JKR
> intends Ron to be not the brightest prefect in the bunch--which 
just
> happens to fit the view I've had of him all along.  If she changes 
her
> answer on the site, then I'm wrong, but I think some Ron-defenders
> need to just posibly conceive of the notion that he really is just
> meant to be the sidekick/comic relief/best mate/support to Harry
> the-books-are-titled-after-me Potter.  

Oh dear, I'm now a member of a "legion" LOL! That's ok though since 
I'm pretty sure that JKR is a member of the legion, too.  No, I'm 
afraid that OOP has removed the issue of Ron's worth from the realm 
of speculation.  Of course he's not the brightest prefect in the 
bunch.  Hermione is always going to be the brightest of *any* bunch 
she's part of; even a bunch which includes Harry.  So what?

If Ron's intended to be merely "sidekick/comic relief/best 
mate/support to Harry, then JKR's gone rather badly astray in having 
him chosen as prefect and having him finally overcome his Quidditch 
demons without any help from either Harry or Hermione. If Ron is 
simply meant to be a clown, then she's wasted a lot of page-time in 
a book that was already huge. I'm convinced that the development of 
his character in OOP indicates a story arc which will have Ron 
coming into his own as an individual and who will have no need to 
stand in anyones shadow.

Jo Serenadust, whose favorite character is still Harry but who 
believes that Harry's favorite character is still Ron