Percy...was Ron's "poor me" syndrome.

[Shannon]

No: HPFGUIDX 106498

Just a quick "Hello, I'm new" before diving into this thread...


>Mayeaux wrote :
> > Molly and Arthur only want their children to succeed and work hard
> > because they want them to make something of themselves and get away
> > from the *Weasley* stigma.
>
>Del replies :
>But sadly, when one of their sons does *exactly* that, they crush him.
>What Arthur did to Percy was cruel, and I don't blame Percy in the
>least for losing his mind.


While I agree with most everything you have to say about Ron, I have to 
disagree with this. What Arthur said to Percy was not the kindest thing 
he'd ever done, but really, I can't help but think Percy should have spent 
less time being wounded and more time *thinking* about what Arthur 
said.  

Look at it this way:  Percy, from the first moment we meet him, is 
the overachiever of the Weasley family.  He takes everything he does very 
seriously, and strives to be the absolute best.  For this, he is praised by 
Molly and Arthur.  They even tell Fred and George that they should be more 
like Percy.  His every achievement is met with lavish praise and support, 
and rightfully so.  Percy, understandably enough, expects that same 
reaction when he gets his promotion.  But he doesn't get it. It's probably 
the first time in his life that he isn't praised by them for an 
achievement.  

I can certainly understand that he'd be hurt, and can even 
see him holding a grudge for a few weeks over it.  But to do what he did? 
Reject the entire family, encourage Ron to dump his best friend, reject 
gifts from his mother, etc?  Percy is intelligent enough that he should 
have been able to push the hurt aside long enough to think that his father, 
who always encouraged him and has years of experience with the workings of 
the Ministry and the Minister, might actually know what he's talking about.
 
You'd think he'd give some thought to *why* his father would have that 
reaction. It would be a painful realization, especially for Percy who has 
always worked hard for his accomplishments, gained them fairly, and been 
praised for it. But it's the kind of thing Percy needs to understand is 
possible even for the hardest working, most sincere of them if he wants to 
negotiate the adult Wizarding world. Especially in the times that are coming.

Shannon