Mother Molly (was: Some OOTP Questions)

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 125139


>>Casey: [snipped and rearranged by Betsy]
>Wow, I am really surprised at the Molly (& Ginny) hate.
<snip>
>You know, I've always rolled my eyes when someone says that fandom 
(especially slash fandom) is misogynic but now I'm starting to 
wonder. What does it say when two "normal" women are vilified and 
only the bookish (Hermione) and the oddball (Luna) females are 
acceptable?<

Betsy:

Ginny hate?  Where did you find that?  I know some folks don't like 
how Ginny burst onto the scene all sporty and flirty and girl-power-
y.  But I've taken that as more of a hit on JKR for not setting up 
the Ginny personality a bit better.  So it was more of an author 
critisism than "Ginny sucks!" (though I could be wrong about that).  
I myself, while agreeing that JKR could have done better at 
forshadowing Ginny's emergence, quite liked Ginny in OotP.  She 
makes a nice contrast to Hermione (as does Luna - who I love).

But I think you're going a bit far to say that disliking Molly and 
Ginny, and liking Hermione and Luna, is misogynistic.  It makes it 
sound like there's only a few accepted ways to be a good woman, and 
if you break out of them by being smart or, god-forbid, eccentric, 
you've lost any claim to being considered female.  Which sounds like 
a throw back to a 1950's way of looking at women.  Not a good thing, 
IMO.

>>Casey:
>I wasn't angered by [Molly's] reaction to Sirius at all. She and 
Dumbledore *did* know Harry better than Sirius.<

Betsy:
I'll buy that Dumbledore knew Harry better than Sirius (maybe), but 
Molly?  How does she know Harry better than Sirius does?  She's been 
around him for a grand total of maybe a month, when you add it all 
up.  Harry is the best friend of the son she most ignores.  Harry 
keeps Molly at arms length; he *never* confides in her.  Whereas 
Harry has been in correspondence with Sirius throughout GoF.

I would also argue that Sirius had a better instinct in wanting to 
share all information with Harry.  Something Dumbledore admits he 
should have done at the end of OotP.

And regardless of knowledge of Harry, Molly was downright rude to 
Sirius in having the argument in front of the children.  (She was 
rude to Sirius throughout OotP, IMO.  It was Sirius' house, and 
Molly took it over.  I think it's how she delt with the stress of 
the situation - so I don't condemn her competely - but Molly did 
behave badly.)

>>Casey:
>Nor do I believe that Molly is toxic, or even a bad mother.<
<snip>
>I think it's a testament to her and Arthur that their children are 
adult and strong enough to make a life for themselves.<

Betsy:
I don't think Molly is completely bad.  But I do think she is 
toxic.  I don't get the impression that her kids like being around 
her.  I also don't recall her giving her children much praise, at 
all.  She trys everything possible to force the twins away from 
their jokeshop (even when it seems to be working) and into the 
Ministry (which would have been a disaster for both the twins and 
the Ministry).  And is she proud of Charlie and Bill's 
occupations?   I rather got the impression that it was the Ministry 
or nothing for Molly. 

The Weasley home is so hostile to Percy that he spends all of his 
time locked away in his room, coming out only for meals, and Molly 
exasperates the problem by encouraging the twins hatred for their 
brother.  (And I do think they hated Percy, even before he left 
them.  The twins were absolutely merciless towards Percy, never 
giving him a break or any kind of sympathy.  IMO, they go far beyond 
normal sibling teasing.)

Betsy