Typical Mothers (was: Molly & Harry)

[magsthomas]

No: HPFGUIDX 125340



I really don't get the "Molly-bashing" that happens... Come to think 
of it, I don't get the Sirius-, Snape-, Dumbledore-, Harry-, 
Hermione-, Ron-... you get the picture!  Why?  Because these 
characters have FLAWED personalities.  It's precisely what draws us 
to them.  They're multi-faceted -- not all facets are shiny and 
perfect, which means they have room to stumble and mess up, room to 
grow, room to be shackled by their flaws, room for the potential to 
overcome those faults and let their strengths win out.


Would we even have this sort of discussion board about the HP series 
if JKR had made her characters come across as flat and one-
dimensional?  If Harry (or all of the other kids, for that matter) 
was shiny and perfect and a goody-two-shoes?  These stories wouldn't 
have near the amount of depth or richness -- we wouldn't be cheering 
characters on, becoming excited by unexpected twists, etc.  Even 
Voldemort is FLAWED, for goodness sake.  The whole Tom Riddle back 
story makes you wonder more about the course of events that brought 
him to this point -- and makes you realize there are chinks in his 
armor that Harry will locate eventually!


Back to Molly Weasley, however.  Look at the other mothers we have 
to choose from in the series:


Narcissa Malfoy: Haven't met her yet (other than in the Quidditch 
Cup viewers' box) and I already don't like her ;) As in, if we see 
more of her, she's going to be a snooty Pure-blood and at least as 
warped / exacting a parent as Lucius.  Let's put it this way -- I 
don't give Lucius ALL the credit for making Draco as much of a brat 
as he is.

Mother Black (Sirius' Mum): Don't believe I need to elaborate here.

Mother Riddle (Tom's Mum): Got involved with a guy who plainly 
didn't have a very modern view about spouses or parenting -- look 
where it got him in the end!  Though we don't know much about her 
disposition, her adoring son took offense at how she'd been made to 
suffer and now look where we are...

Petunia Dursley: Gives into Dudley's every whim; flatly ignores (or 
is utterly clueless to) her son's extra-curricular activities 
(beating up other kids); doesn't treat her nephew, a blood relative, 
at all well (and what example does that set for either boy, I ask 
you?).  Seems to be more keen on keeping up with the Joneses and 
catering to her husband's business prospects than developing her own 
spine as a woman, spouse, or mother.  But JKR has hinted to us 
there's more to her -- I'll reserve judgment as to whether Petunia 
may have some degree of turn-around.

Lily Potter: More to her than meets the eyes (ba-dump-bump!).  Most 
everyone who knew her has something glowing to say about her -- not 
only about her, but on the positive effect she had on James.  Came 
to Snape's defense in school.  Leapt into action to defend her 
infant son from the Killing Curse -- sadly, didn't survive.  
Voldemort even told her to get out of the way -- I doubt he does 
that very ofen (ok, poor sense of humor on my part...).  We don't 
know much else about her as a mother, if only because she didn't 
have much of a chance...

Alice Longbottom: Worked high-profile, high-risk job for the MoM as 
an auror during the most dangerous historical period in the 
wizarding world to date.  Was tortured mercilessly and rendered a 
(likely) permanent patient at St. Mungo's.  Despite not being 
altogether with it, gives her only son bubble gum wrappers (which I 
interpret as some manner of message, of love, of perhaps some 
additional significance).

Grandmother Longbottom: Thought the world of son, Frank; likely 
devastated by what happened to him at the hands of LV and his Death 
Eaters.  Strikes me as being of old-school, stiff-upper-lip, all-for-
the-cause mentality -- but with a modicum of tenderness at her core 
(which she doesn't let show very often).  Very stern with Neville, 
no toes out of line, etc.  Neville's intimidated by his Grandmother -
- and, while it's clear she loves him, he isn't even close to being 
overdrawn on the bank of outward parental affection.

Dr. Granger: A dentist who believes in clean living and healthy 
eating.  Seems to have a healthy, positive relationship with her 
teenage daughter -- at least from what little we know, as she's 
primarily been off-stage.  Doesn't approve of magically modifying 
one's appearance (at least not at Hermione's tender age) :D


I may have missed a few, but I think I've hit the primary suspects.  
So now I turn to Molly...


Molly Weasley: Managing household of 6 boys and one girl -- make 
that 7 boys, if you count husband, Arthur :D  She and her spouse 
seem to share parenting responsibilities, although Arthur succumbs 
to indulging his own inventor's spirit where some of his children's 
exploits are concerned.  While she can summon magic to her aid, she 
cooks, cleans, makes sure the kids have whatever clothing / 
supplies, etc. they need, and on down the line -- anyone who is a 
Mom has a sense of what "on down the line" entails.

Molly was among the crowd who tried to rid the WW of LV (though we 
don't know much about her involvement) during his previous reign of 
terror.  Now that LV has reared his nasty head again, Molly has 
firsthand insight into how dangerous he really is -- provides some 
degree of justification for the concern / protectiveness she 
demonstrates toward her brood, especially the underage ones.

Molly not only invites Harry into her home, but takes him under her 
wing as if he was her own child.  She knows Harry's grown up without 
his parents, she's indignant at what Harry's experienced at the 
Dursleys, and is concerned for his safety / health / well-being.  
She shows up for moral / family support when Harry's in the Tri-
Wizard Tournament.  She includes him in the family Christmas giving -
- and it's not like the Weasleys have a lot to spend on gifts, other 
than an abundance of love and the choice to devote their time / 
talents.  Over-protective?  I'll grant you that, but look at all the 
scrapes Harry manages to get into -- it doesn't hurt that he has 
someone like Molly in his life, if only to know that sort of 
parental concern exists AND that it exists for him.




Do I think Molly's perfect?  As a human being, as a character in 
these books?  No, but that's part of her charm.  As a mother?  If 
you haven't figured it out by now, whether about your own parents or 
by becoming one yourself, parenting isn't the easiest job in the 
world and there's no handbook.  Molly's doing an admirable job with 
what she has, in spite of being under a lot of stress -- some of it 
self-inflicted, but some of it VERY real in light of the threat LV 
poses.  And, in comparison to most of that list I made above, she's 
definitely the favored contender to win an award for "Best Mom."


- Mags