This is a reprint/expansion of the section on Ron Weasley in the Author’s Note to “Man of Iron, Child of Magic.” I do quote brief bits from “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” (or Philosopher’s Stone, if you’re on a different side of the Pond than me – grin), but these are permitted under copyright law for purposes of review.
I’ve been thinking about Ron as a character lately because of a private messaging conversation about Ginny Weasley as a result of “Child of Iron, Goblet of Fire.” Ron’s a lot more complicated than I originally thought.
When we first meet him as a character in his own right (after he boards the train in chapter 6, in other words), he:
- acts a bit … somewhere between star-struck and awed, and that’s fine (he’s 11, after all), but the way his behavior is described (the words JKR chose) don’t paint him in a good light. Asking about the scar, and then when Harry says he doesn’t remember it, “Nothing?” said Ron eagerly.
The “eagerly” makes it sound like he’s angling for information or gossip or something and it hits my “reading ear” (for lack of a better term) as though he’s just eager to turn around and tell someone else what he found out about the Boy Who Lived. Or otherwise isn’t genuinely interested in Harry as a person/potential friend.
- when Harry makes a leading comment, “You must know loads of magic already,” Ron diverts the conversation. This, I think, is where JKR first failed with Ron as a character. He should have been Harry’s (and, possibly, Hermione’s) guide to the magical world. At the very least, he could’ve said, “We’re not allowed to do magic outside of school.” Instead, he says, “I heard you went to live with Muggles. What are they like?”
- He complains about his family (“You never get anything new, either, with five brothers.” and “[Mum] always forgets I don’t like corned beef.” and “You don’t want this [sandwich], it’s all dry.”) even AFTER hearing about Harry not having any money until a month ago, getting old clothes, and never having birthday presents. Learning that “seemed to cheer Ron up.”
What kind of person is cheered up (JKR’s words, not mine) by learning of someone else’s misfortunes? Slytherins, that’s who. After Neville falls off his broom at the first flying lesson (ch. 9):
…Malfoy burst into laughter.
“Did you see his face, the great lump?”
The other Slytherins joined in.
So Ron is introduced in a very off-putting way, and that’s a shame, but (looking back, and trying to remember what I thought when I first read the series all those years ago) I gave him the benefit of the doubt.
He doesn’t become more pleasant, for lack of a better term, as the book goes on. In fact, in some ways, he becomes worse:
- In chapter 9, Ron volunteered Harry for a wizard’s duel (“I’m his second, who’s yours?”), when “proper” duels between “real wizards” can turn fatal (“Well, a second’s there to take over if you die,” said Ron casually…[.]) – knowing that Harry was raised in the Muggle world and therefore ignorant of such things. And then Ron said, “I bet [Malfoy] expected you to refuse, anyway,” when Ron’s the one who stepped in and didn’t give Harry a chance to accept or refuse.
- Then there’s the incident with Hermione in Charms class (ch. 10). This one’s going to take a bit to unpack.
First, Ron was to be working with Hermione on the assignment, whatever that means in this class. So Hermione’s instruction/correction of his wand movement later doesn’t come out of nowhere; they’re working together
, and it’s possible (not stated) that part of their grade is based on how well they work together.
Second, Professor Flitwick’s dialogue makes it clear they’ve been practicing the correct movement, swish and flick. He repeats it for emphasis. But what’s Ron doing? He’s “waving his long arms like a windmill.” Is he deliberately provoking Hermione, or is he just that, well, incompetent? The text doesn’t make it clear.
Third, Hermione offers to help – yes, she “snapped” it, but is that simply impatience and anger gone too far? She’s the brightest student in the class, and she’s been paired with someone who’s … demonstrably not. (Or else is deliberately provoking her, which is worse.) Still – despite her frustration and impatience, she’s trying to help by giving him the correct pronunciation. Socially awkward? Sure! Never going to say otherwise. But she’s not insulting him.
Fourth, Ron “snarls” at her to do it herself, if she’s so clever. Of course she does, Flitwick compliments her on it, and “Ron was in a very bad mood by the end of the class.”
All of that explains Ron calling her a nightmare and saying it’s no wonder no one can stand her. Though it was rude and probably better said in private than in public, it’s absolutely in character, and I don’t fault him for it.
His reaction when Harry says that Hermione heard it is not remorse or even an acknowledgment that he was rude (oh, maybe I hurt her feelings), it’s to say, “So? She must’ve noticed she’s got no friends.” Yes, he does look “a bit uncomfortable,” but he plows on regardless.
All of this is to say there’s fault on both sides of that incident, though I’d place more at Ron’s feet than Hermione’s. It’s background for what comes later.
Where I fault Ron is later, when Harry tells him Hermione doesn’t know about the troll. Ron bit his lip and “snapped” “Oh all right. But Percy’d better not see us.” He appears more concerned about getting caught (while trying to help another student, mind you) than actually getting that student to safety.
I don’t believe Ron is evil – just suffering from a whole bunch of youngest-brother issues – and I know he has good qualities. It’s just that first impression colors my view of him.
We won’t even mention that his middle name is Bilious, which means angry and disagreeable, and is not a pleasant thing to name a child. What was JKR thinking?
