Working mothers, was Did the Slytherins come back

[montavilla47]

No: HPFGUIDX 181831

Montavilla47:

First off:  Thanks, Alla, for reminding me about Rowena 
Ravenclaw.  I had forgotten about her.  Of course, her
daughter comes to grief as well.  Partially because she's
envious of her mother and steals her diadem, and partially
because her mother is insensitive enough to send Helena's
murderous ex-boyfriend to look for her.

But maybe I'm being unfair to cite the negative outcomes
for children who have working mothers.  After all, we have
negative outcomes for children of non-working mothers.
Draco becomes a Death Eater (or does he?  We never do 
know if he gets the mark) in spite of his mother's devotion.
Percy becomes estranged from his family despite his
mother's love.

And I'm not trying to bash JKR about her portrayal of
either mothers or non-mothers.  I'm just pointing
out that she seems to be a lot of power into mother
love--the other side of which is that women without
children tend end looking inconsequential and those
who divide their attention between work and children
end up with bad kids.

> > Montavilla47:>
> > I wasn't around for the criticism I've heard was voiced prior to
> > OotP (which supposedly answered the criticism by introducing
> > the powerful and just Amelia Bones and the hip Tonks). But, one
> > can't help noticing a disturbing trend in HPB, in which the
> > female characters tend to fall apart if romantically thwarted,
> > or that throughout the series, motherhood is shown as the
> > most powerful, ideal state for a woman. There is only one
> > working mother in the entire series, and it's because of her
> > that Marietta comes to grief.
> 
> Potioncat:
> You know, I find Tonks's breakdown as unbelieveable as Snape's pining
> for Lily --a man's reaction to unrequited love. He was able to
> channel it into a purpose at least.
> 
> Slughorn may be speaking for the author when he comments on the
> danger of obsessive love. But I never understood just what "shock" it
> was that caused Tonks's Patronus to change.

Montavila47:
I agree with you.  But what is one to do?  The entire Tonks/Lupin
storyline is unsatisfying.  We get these two characters with great
potential.  I didn't really need Lupin to have a big storyline, I would
have been happy for him to stick around being sensitive and 
reliable.  There are lots of characters who do that sort of thing 
in a series and people love them.  

And then there's Tonks, who bounces in all pink with her 
super metamorphagous skill.  But everything she is just falls
into the dung heap once she hits HPB.  She doesn't become 
deeper for her grief over Lupin (and maybe a bit of Sirius).  For 
Harry, she simply becomes annoying.  

And then, when she gets happy again, she nearly fades away
completely.  It's like she's a Victorian women who must go
into confinement during her pregnancy.

Pippin:
> We don't really know other characters well enough to know who has a
> working mother and who doesn't. I don't think it was JKR's intent to
> toss that theme into the book. But if you just look at the Trio, both
> Lily and Mrs. Granger had jobs. That's 2/3. I'm including Lily's role
> in the Order, which she seems to have continued until she had go into
> hiding with James. Mrs. Granger is a dentist. From an extra-textual
> (who came up with that? I love it!) viewpoint we also have Ginny and
> Hermione.

Montavilla47:
Ah, thank you!  Mrs. Granger is indeed a working mother.  And, unless
you take the view that Hermione is a ruthless, amoral overlord-in-the-
making (which goes against JKR's intention), then we do have an
example of a woman who successfully manages career and child.

I think I came up with extra-textual.  It seemed like the most 
accurate term.

> Montavilla47:
> or that throughout the series, motherhood is shown as the
> > most powerful, ideal state for a woman.
> 
> Potioncat:
> The good/protective mother of HP is in contrast to the bad/absent
> father.
> 
> How about, motherhood is a powerful state and an important role? A
> young child sees her (his) mother as incredibly powerful and magical.
> Men in battle call out for "Mother". But it isn't to say that a woman
> is somehow lacking for not being a mother.

Montavilla47:
I can agree with that.  As I said in my original post, I'm not trying to
knock JKR about her portrayal of women.  It's a bit conservative in 
the overall picture it presents, but it's not that offensive.