[HPforGrownups] Re: Bigotry in the Potterverse

[Rick H. Kennerly]

No: HPFGUIDX 188113


> Montavilla47:
>
> At one point, Hermione complains about Ron complaining about the
> food, since she's the one who doing all the food preparation--
> including gathering mushrooms (although later on Ron and Harry
> pretend to be gathering blackberries in order to escape her). 
rick:

But take the series as a whole. 

Certainly feeding oneself is a deficiency of a Hogwart's education.   On 
the camping trip the trio is surviving on scavenged food and a 
particularly bony fish--pike, I think.  The point is that the trio are 
ill-equipped in life skills or practical education.  This deficiency is 
highlighted when Ted Tonks fishes a salmon with his wand "Accio Salmon," 
and one of the four in his party fries it up--for some reason, that's a 
favorite section of mine in that book; I can almost smell the salmon 
cooking myself. 

Another take on this initial camping trip is that Hg is the only one 
self-educated enough to tell toadstools from mushrooms--no knowledge is 
wasted on Hg, who prides herself on being prepared--intellectually, at 
least--for anything. In the end, though, the trio resort to stealing and 
shoplifting to eat (yeah, I know Hg leaves some money here and there). 

Ron, being the next to youngest child of seven, is particularly crippled 
when it comes to feeding himself, but Hg and HP both lament they don't 
know any "household spells" at the Burrow, having grown up in 
non-magical families. 

Before the wedding Ron & Harry are also working at the sink cleaning 
sprouts without magic while Fred and George are headed down to the 
village to show off some card tricks instead of helping with magic.  And 
there is tons of work to be done by everyone as Mrs. W's list seems 
never ending--you highlight only two of a multitude of tasks. 

At OOP Headquarters, Sirius does some cooking and all the kids are 
cleaning.

Snape and Slughorn teach potions, which is kinda like cooking.  But wait 
Professor Sprout teaches the garden arts, that's a bit feminine--hold 
on, though, that job is taken over by Neville and didn't Hagrid do a lot 
of gardening, too? 

> Montavilla47:
> I believe that she also complains because she's the only in the tent who 
> every does the washing up (i.e., washing the dishes).
>   
rick:
I don't recall that, and I'm reading DH now. 
> Montavilla47:
> Hermione is also shown doing laundering at the Burrow, and she's 
> told to change the linens in the guest bedrooms, while Ron and
> Harry are told to clean out the chicken shed.  Those sound like 
> traditional girl/boy chores to me.
>   

rick:
Actually, it Mr. W and HP who are assigned to muck out the chicken 
coop.  And Ron's cleaning his room.  These were assigned tasks; the 
actual point was to keep the trio from having time together to plan.  
Harry & Ginny set the table, Harry refers to them all making 
"vol-au-vents," George and Bill set up the tables in the garden for HP's 
birthday party but Fred and George and Hg decorate (DH). 

In various books HP is seen cleaning his room, cooking breakfast for the 
Dursleys (SS & POA), or cleaning the kitchen (POA).  

> Montavilla47:
> But, yes, Hermione is also the one who casts all the protective
> spells--until some point (I forget exactly where), when Harry
> takes over the task.  It might be when Ron disappears and 
> Hermione is too emotionally distraught to do anything.
>
>   

rick:
You left out: the boys scoured the campsites to obliterate any signs 
they'd been there.

I just don't think your thesis about sexist roles in job assignments 
bears scrutiny. 

-- 

Rick Kennerly
Virginia Beach, VA
www.mouseherder.com 
<http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/profile.php?id=1213141578&ref=name>



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