Ron's draw as a talking point

[Brian Brinkman]

No: HPFGUIDX 123777


I find the Weasley story (Ron's especially) interesting because his 
life, as we understand it so far, is more normal than Harry's.  Is 
normal interesting by itself?  No.  When placed next to abnormal, it 
becomes interesting in my view because the results of the mix are 
unpredictable.  

Now some of Ron's actions have been predictable.  His sensitivity 
about being "noticeably less wealthy than many of his peers (how's 
that for a hedge?) is normal.  If it weren't normal, people who 
handled feelings of inadequacy gracefully by not showing them or 
folks who seem not to have them at all wouldn't be viewed as 
exceptional.

Though Ron's life has been less difficult than Harry's in many ways 
(no Dursleys, fewer times of mortal peril, etc.), he faces the 
emotional/psychological/intellectual peaks and valleys that the 
average Joe faces when coping with exceptionality.  What do you do 
when you are the least exceptional of your friends, so far?  How does 
it feel?  How do your friends deal with you?

For example, JKR's husband, Dr. Murray, must have a way of looking at 
things to help him deal with his wife's prominence and nearly 
unimitable success.

Thus far, Ron seems to be the most average of the trio.  JKR hasn't 
let him shine, yet.  In my view, she has written his character as a 
plodder.  My childhood minister (Presbyterian) once spoke of Isaac in 
the Hebrew Bible as a plodder because his father was Abraham and his 
son was Jacob (Israel).  That is, Isaac's claim to fame is as the 
link between two high-profile patriarchs.  Unless Ron demonstrates 
some new talent or dimension to his personality, he will be a self-
aware plodder, I think, and that's not always a bad thing.

Now it seems that plodders are a fact of life.  The name sounds 
disparaging, but they are the mortar of life.  The good ones are 
unsung heroes.  JKR once said of Ron, "He's always there when you 
need him."  In the long view, that's a heroic trait, because it is 
not common.  It's not an attention-getting trait in day-to-day life, 
though.  

I guess most of this is pretty obvious since Ron is the "sidekick," 
but I am surprised by my own interest in his character and I guess 
it's because I relate to him, more.  I have been a member of groups 
in which I am the one with the least apparent talents.  As I've grown 
up (matured), the only way to sustain a psychologically healthy 
membership in such a group is to find a way to value yourself.

Ron's story, so far, seems to be an example of this.  Notice that in 
OOTP he tentatively and timidly tried out for Quidditch, endured 
several humiliating failures, wanted to quit, but couldn't.  In the 
end, he got some success.  That success will, hopefully, become part 
of Ron's growth.  Another point of growth that JKR highlighted IMO 
was his rejection of Percy's advice.  Why did Hermione look at him 
funny?  My guess is she wasn't sure what he would do.  His track 
record in handling family pressure, in OOTP, was not good.  In fact, 
his problems with Fred and George practically ruined his tenure as a 
prefect and nearly ruined his Quidditch attempt.  Perhaps Hermione 
saw his actions re: Percy as a leap for Ron.  

On a SHIPping note, I interpreted Hermione's reaction to the above 
event as one of several instances in which she was appraising Ron.  I 
have no idea who Ron will end up with, if anyone, but I certainly 
felt that he was under Hermione's microscope.  Notice her hypothesis 
on Fred's and George's effect on Ron's Quidditch.  It's a sharp, well-
reasoned idea.

So it's Harry's story and I'm OK with that.  Harry is a compelling 
character.  We have some evidence as to how Harry internalizes things 
as a recently self-aware exception.  For example, he is a Quidditch 
natural and he works hard to deal with Ron's frustrations in OOTP (by 
giving Ron time to pretend to be sleeping, etc.).  So we have insight 
into how Harry is handling his relatively dense group of recent 
successes in the WW.

It would be interesting to find out how those who can relate more to 
Harry read Ron's development.

Brian B.