[HPforGrownups] Dumbledore on the Dursleys/Prefect Ron

[Magpie]

No: HPFGUIDX 151286

BetsyHP:
> But this does raise a question for me, especially for those who
> disliked the scene: Did Dumbledore seem out of character here?

Magpie:
Not to me.  He seemed perfectly in character and very human, but this is the 
bad aspect of Dumbledore's character coming through in technicolor.

Joe Goodwin:
  To me I often wonder why no one asks if Hermione is good enough for Ron? 
Yeah she's smart, she's also snotty, full of her self, a wet blanket, bossy 
and doesn't seem to get along well with her other dormmates. Yeah Parvati 
and Lavender aren't rocket scientists but they are fairly well adjusted and 
socially adept. If Hermione doesn't have female friends that we know of it 
probably isn't because all the Gryffindor girls are flawed but because she 
is.

  Joe Goodwin:
Allow me to join in on thinking Ron is a good guy--and actually, I do look 
at the relationship as worrying more about Ron than Hermione.  Not because 
she's not good enough because she's worthy as a human being and Ron doesn't 
have to pick somebody I think is best for him, but yeah, I think Hermione 
always makes it clear she thinks he's inadequate very often and I don't much 
like that being the story for the rest of his life.  There are moments where 
we see why Hermione likes him--well, one moment stands out, which is where 
she looks at him when he throws Percy's letter into the fire.  That's why 
she loves Ron.

But she dismisses a lot about him where she shouldn't as well.  He's got a 
lot more gifts than Hermione seems to recognize and ITA that Hermione's bad 
relationship with Parvati and Lavender is more down to Hermione's flaws and 
not theirs.  I'm also surprised at the idea Ron's considered potentially 
abuse by so many (not here but I've seen it a lot before). To me he's the 
most realistic teenaged boy when it comes to other women.  I love it in HBP 
when he reveals that he pretty much checks out every female they know (Tonks 
is alright but Fleur's hotter...).  He's not in control of his raging 
hormones. He's least sensitive when it comes to women.  His family is 
associated with traditional gender roles top to bottom.  Sometimes he makes 
bad mistakes that Hermione's right to call him on.

But abusive?  As others have said, he's less likely to resort to physical 
violence by this point than Harry or Hermione.  He always actually seems to 
me to show an instinctive compassion that the others sometimes don't--that 
is, he tends to be the one to think people should be let alone and not 
controlled or manipulated or forced into doing what he wants.  He's used to 
compromise and not getting his way.

In terms of being faithful to a wife I see no more problem with Ron than 
anyone else.  He's not Hermione's boyfriend in HBP--he's also just found out 
that she snogged Krum (not that that was a bad thing for her to do imo), 
whom she's still writing to as of OotP.  Is he still being strung along? 
(Krum seems completely smitten with Hermione, yet she's interested in Ron 
the whole time, and goes to a party and kisses Cormac to make Ron jealous.) 
I don't think Ron is half so calculating.  His problem is more being 
passive, hiding from Lavender when he should break up with her.  That's 
treating her badly. But I admit I was kind of rooting for Ron and Lavender 
as a couple.  He could use an ordinary girl who thinks he's great.  It's 
hard going out with someone who can't hide she thinks you're inadequate in 
many ways.And Hermione's been very angry at Ron throughout the books for 
things that hurt her, but her being hurt doesn't necessarily mean he's 
intentionally hurting her. Just as Ron's anger or other feelings at what 
Hermione does doesn't mean she's intentionally hurting him.

-m