Arthur Weasley: Character Analysis

[LoveWeasleys]

1) Is Arthur more of a father figure to Harry than Sirius or James? What does his treatment of Harry say about his character? Should he have made more of an effort to be a male role model for Harry or has his approach been 'just right'?
This question is hard to answer because I don't want to diminish what James or Sirius was to Harry at all. But in a way yes, I do believe that Arthur was more of a father figure to Harry, he just may not have always realized it. First off I want to say that James dieing to protect Harry was amazing. I think Sirius (as much as I love his character) saw Harry as more of a brother/friend as he saw James. I think he felt the need to protect and father Harry, but I don't think he always knew how as he had not grown up much himself...but that is another thread. I just want to justify the two of them and their role in Harry's life.

Now, Arthur did things for Harry and cared for him like a father would. The Burrow was a second (only to Hogwarts) as a home for Harry. Arthur warned Harry about Black because he cared for his safety. He took Harry to the Ministry for Harry's hearing. I thought this part was sweet and touching. I don't think in any way that he replaced James or Sirius, but I think in his own way he was very much a father figure to Harry.

2) Does he treat his children fairly? Is he too soft on punishments (the Ford Anglia incident springs to mind) or a needed balance to Molly's child-rearing methods?
I love this family, as if it isn't obvious enough

When you have a wife like Molly who needs to have a disciplinarian father all the time. I love that he is a softy with some things. But there are other times and I wish I could find the book references now, but times that he stands his ground when Molly his heated or fed up he steps in and is stern and respected. For me, he is one of those fathers that you can sit and joke with and goof off maybe a little more than you are allowed, but when it really matters he stands his ground and it means BUISNESS.

Here is just one part that popped into my mind:

DH, The Sacking of Severus Snape Ginny did not seem to like the idea much, but under her father's unusually stern gaze, she nodded.

It seems that because he isn't stern often when he is you don't argue, you just follow.

3) How does Arthur's mania for all-things-Muggle affect his character? How does it affect his interactions with Muggles? He lives near a Muggle village and works in London, so why does it seem as though he has ignored opportunities to interact with them more than he does (he often seems rather clueless about them, though he worked in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts for years)?
Erm, I don't think it seems like he has ignored opportunities at all. I think he seems rather fascinated by all things muggle...not clueless. He is constantly wanting to learn from them and there are so many things that it takes times.

4) Before HBP, there was speculation about Arthur becoming the next Minister of Magic. That didn't happen, of course, but there is the future. Would Arthur be a good Minister now, or under other circumstances? He doesn't seem like a political climber, though he was promoted in HBP; would Arthur want/accept the job if chosen? Has he harbored political aspirations or a desire to rise through the ranks but been thwarted by the Pure bloods who consider him a Blood Traitor?
I was one of those that was a bit disappointed when Arthur did not get Minister of Magic. I love Shacklebolt, but I was rooting for Arthur. I think he would have been a wonderful Minister. I also like to hope that the whole "Blood Traitor" started to die down a bit after the fall of Voldy and as the pure bloods became more diluted, so I don't think that would have been a problem had he become minister.

5) What do you think Arthur chose to do after DH? Do you think he went back to the Muggle Artifacts Office or accept a higher position from Kingsley?
I agree with those that have mentioned already that he grew pretty high up in the Minister, probably working more with Muggle relations.

[meLzo]

Arthur Weasley plays a huge role throughout the Harry Potter series, but I never really saw him as a father figure for Harry. Harry respected him a great deal, no doubt, but I believe being his best friend's dad was as far as their relationship went. I have, personally, had really close relationships with a few of my friends' parents - some of them were even parent-figures for me, but I don't think Harry saw Arthur in the same perspective. He, eventually, does become Harry's father-in-law, and that relationship I can understand a little bit more. Sirius and Remus were closer to Harry, in my opinion, in large part because of their relationship with James and Lilly. They were all really close friends, and therefore, Harry could learn a lot about his parents through them. The way Harry behaves with Remus and (especially) Sirius is a lot different than with Arthur. In my opinion, he feels more free talking to Remus and Sirius about personal matters and life. From what I remember, he mostly talks to Arthur about things happening surrounding Voldemort, the War, and the Order. It's more of a 'business' relationship, so to speak. That's not to say they don't have personal conversations - they're just not as open as Harry is with Remus and Sirius. Arthur's treatment to Harry (and, well, just about everybody else he's close to, as well) shows how kind he is. He comes from a, basically, pureblood family, but he still respects muggle-borns and half-bloods. He teaches Harry a lot about the wizarding world - the Ministry, in particular. He's always there for Harry whenever Harry needs him, and that's very commendable. Arthur does, in essence, treat Harry like one of his own children, though. I think Arthur sees Harry as another son. Arthur treats all of his children fairly. He's a perfect balance for his wife's mollycoddling. I think he understands his sons' actions because, well, he's a male, as well. He has been in Molly's proverbial doghouse just as many times as his sons - if not more.

Arthur's muggle fascination affects his character a great deal, in my opinion. He is a pureblood, but he loves muggles, and that makes him different than most. His interactions with muggles is a bit eccentric, but I think it just shows how little people growing up in the wizarding world know about muggles. Understanding is the first step to acceptance, and that's what Arthur is trying to promote, I believe. If purebloods understood muggles a little more, maybe some of the prejudices would go away. Fear of the unknown is one of the major contributing factors to prejudices. Even though the Weasleys live near a muggle village, it still make sense for Arthur to be clueless about so many muggle inventions. Especially today, technology is moving so fast; for those people not born into a world like ours, it takes a great deal of time to catch up and understand. I still don't completely understand a lot of newer technology, and I'm only 20. Learning about other worlds/new technologies is an ever-challenging ordeal. Arthur shall always be learning new things and staying excited in the process!

After Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, I don't see Arthur becoming Minister. That spot is more for Kingsley. He got a promotion in HBP, and according to the Lexicon, to the Head of the Office for the Detection and Confiscation of Counterfeit Defensive Spells and Protective Objects. I believe he enjoyed his old job in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office because of its close association with muggles, but this new job seemed to be close to the same thing. I don't believe Arthur ever harbored any political aspirations - that was more for Percy. He seemed to enjoy his job, even if it didn't pay well. It fit his personality more. Arthur Weasley, in conclusion, is a very kind and laid-back wizard. He loves muggles and everything to do with them, and therefore, enjoys what he does in life, in my opinion. He treats everybody with due respect. XoX

[FirstOne617]

I would think that Arthur was more of a father figure to Harry because of the fact that he was the most like a father out of all Harry's father figures. I think that about the time Sirius escaped from Azkaban, Arthur felt a moral obligation to fill the role of father to Harry. Harry had no parents and his relatives were cruel to him, to say the least. He really reached out to Harry and looked after Harry's well-being to the best of his ability. Sirius always thought of Harry as the second coming of James, and really couldn't see past that. Remus was more mature than Sirius was, but the fact remains that Harry saw him so infrequently that he couldn't really count him as a father figure. A mentor of sorts, perhaps, but Arthur was the one that best filled the vacancy. Remember also the Weasleys were the family Harry always wished he had, and the fact that Arthur was the patriarch would naturally push him into the role of surrogate father. While Harry (or even Dumbledore) may not have realized it, Arthur was the closest thing Harry really had to his father.

[merrymarge]

I like how Arthur was a "father figure" to Harry. He knew just how to talk to him, and when to listen. As for how he treated his kids, well, I thought he was the perfect balance to Molly.
I wondered why Arthur didn't spend more time with his cousin who was an accountant. He might have learned more about muggles.
As for moving up in the Ministry, I just couldn't see it for him. In fact, I was surprised when I learned the Ministry was all about politics. I couldn't see Arthur as a politician.
I don't know if he would take a higher position after DH, but if Kingsley offered him another raise, he would take it.
It was because of Fudge, that Arthur had low pay.

[xhanax315]

Originally Posted by merrymarge

I wondered why Arthur didn't spend more time with his cousin who was an accountant. He might have learned more about muggles.

I think that was the main reason why didn't spend time with the account cousin, his obsession for muggles was already at a high. I thought it was Molly who had the accountant cousin?

Originally Posted by merrymarge

I don't know if he would take a higher position after DH, but if Kingsley offered him another raise, he would take it.
It was because of Fudge, that Arthur had low pay.

According to the Weasley children, he stayed in his positin because he liked what he did, not necessarily having to do with Fudge moving him up in rank.

[HeadLikeAHole]

1) Is Arthur more of a father figure to Harry than Sirius or James? What does his treatment of Harry say about his character? Should he have made more of an effort to be a male role model for Harry or has his approach been 'just right'?
I think Arthur is definitely a more rational father figure than Sirius, and I think Harry understood and respected him for this.
He basically treats Harry as one of his own children - I think this approach was just right. Harry needed a paternal figure in his life - Arthur was one of the first to give him that and he did throughout the books.

2) Does he treat his children fairly? Is he too soft on punishments (the Ford Anglia incident springs to mind) or a needed balance to Molly's child-rearing methods?
Arthur and Molly function very much like my own parents - he's happy to leave most of the discipline to her although he can get pretty angry if need be (see: Ton-Tongue Toffee incident).

3) How does Arthur's mania for all-things-Muggle affect his character? How does it affect his interactions with Muggles? He lives near a Muggle village and works in London, so why does it seem as though he has ignored opportunities to interact with them more than he does (he often seems rather clueless about them, though he worked in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts for years)?
I think Arthur avoids interacting with Muggles because of the International Statute of Secrecy - specifically, he doesn't want to do something that would violate this. As for his interest in all things Muggle-related, I mostly see this as bringing a little comic relief to the story although it once again confirms his deep belief in wizard-Muggle equality.

4) Before HBP, there was speculation about Arthur becoming the next Minister of Magic. That didn't happen, of course, but there is the future. Would Arthur be a good Minister now, or under other circumstances? He doesn't seem like a political climber, though he was promoted in HBP; would Arthur want/accept the job if chosen? Has he harbored political aspirations or a desire to rise through the ranks but been thwarted by the Purebloods who consider him a Blood Traitor?
I'm not sure Arthur would be a good minister - I can't see him as being ruthless or driven enough to keep the entire community under control. I doubt he's ever sought the job or plans to - he seems to be the kind of guy who wants to be happy with whatever job he has and spend time with his family over social and job climbing.

5) What do you think Arthur chose to do after DH? Do you think he went back to the Muggle Artifacts Office or accept a higher position from Kingsley?
I imagine he may have taken a higher position for a while, but eventually he went back to his old job because he missed it. I imagine Kingsley was sad at first, but eventually he grew to accept it and gave Arthur a pay rise and a decent office (with a window).

[Slartibartfast]

1) Is Arthur more of a father figure to Harry than Sirius or James? What does his treatment of Harry say about his character? Should he have made more of an effort to be a male role model for Harry or has his approach been 'just right'?
I think he was more of a father figure to Harry than the others. Sirius took on the "Big Brother" role actually, and James, he didnt know. We really never see Arthur discipline Harry (but alas not alot of people did outside school and the Dursleys.) but we do see Arthur giving him advice and providing that sort of support. He had 7 children to raise so i think he was just right as a role model. Plus he always treated others fairly.

2) Does he treat his children fairly? Is he too soft on punishments (the Ford Anglia incident springs to mind) or a needed balance to Molly's child-rearing methods?
Well, remember when you were a kid and you wanted something and your mother said no, and then you went and asked your father and he said: "Ask your mother" or "oh why not?" Thats basically Arthur Weasley in terms of his kids most of the time. lol! I dont think he favored any of his children over the other to be honest. He was proud of Percy's ambition, actually. He was actually proud of all of them! Plus he has a bit of a mischievious side about him too. So some of that rubbed off on his disciplining.

3) How does Arthur's mania for all-things-Muggle affect his character? How does it affect his interactions with Muggles? He lives near a Muggle village and works in London, so why does it seem as though he has ignored opportunities to interact with them more than he does (he often seems rather clueless about them, though he worked in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts for years)?
That effects his character as seeing muggles in an objective light. This gives us, the readers, the idea that he likes muggles and can treat them fairly. In fact, he seems to be really fascinated by them and how they live. He's a pureblood wizard and was raised as such. I would assume this is why he is clueless about them. Other than being fascinated by muggles, he really has little reason (and chance) to really engulf himself in muggle lifestyle. He works at the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office, yes but he needs only to determine that theres enchantments on those objects, rarely to know what they are for.

4) Before HBP, there was speculation about Arthur becoming the next Minister of Magic. That didn't happen, of course, but there is the future. Would Arthur be a good Minister now, or under other circumstances? He doesn't seem like a political climber, though he was promoted in HBP; would Arthur want/accept the job if chosen? Has he harbored political aspirations or a desire to rise through the ranks but been thwarted by the Purebloods who consider him a Blood Traitor?
I dont know if he would accept the position of Minister. He doesnt seem to be well suited for that job and i believe he knows that. So no, i dont think he would take it. Hes pretty happy where he is. I doubt very seriously he had launched any sort of campaign to be Minister.

5) What do you think Arthur chose to do after DH? Do you think he went back to the Muggle Artifacts Office or accept a higher position from Kingsley?
I do think Shacklebolt promoted him. To what position? I dont know, but probably something to do with Muggle Liaison Offices or something of that nature.

[MistressofRaven]

1) Is Arthur more of a father figure to Harry than Sirius or James?

Definitely. He is the only adult male who acts the way a father usually acts. Sirius was more like a carefree friend or young uncle, someone who did not try to impose any rules. James did not really have a chance to be Harry's father and Harry did not know the real James. He knew the idealized version of him that existed in his mind. Arthur actually treats Harry like his children (as far as one can with someone who is not his child). Arthur isn't strict with Harry but he isn't strict with any of his children.

What does his treatment of Harry say about his character?

It says he recognizes that Harry needs aprental figures in his life. Harry had Dumbledore, Hagrid and Sirius, but none of them had children and as a result none of them treat Harry the way a father treats a son. Arthur offered as close to a normal life as possible.

Should he have made more of an effort to be a male role model for Harry or has his approach been 'just right'?

I think he had the right approach.

2) Does he treat his children fairly?

Yes

Is he too soft on punishments (the Ford Anglia incident springs to mind) or a needed balance to Molly's child-rearing methods?

Neither parent seems to give actual punishments all that much. Molly mostly just yells. But both parents don't necessarily need to be the disciplinarian so it works fine. And somehow I don't think punishments would have that much effect on the Weasley kids.



3) How does Arthur's mania for all-things-Muggle affect his character?

I think it makes him a more fun-loving character. It's like he has an endless supply of toys.

How does it affect his interactions with Muggles? He lives near a Muggle village and works in London, so why does it seem as though he has ignored opportunities to interact with them more than he does (he often seems rather clueless about them, though he worked in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts for years)?

Well, just because a person likes objects from a certain culture does not mean that person actually wants to interact with those people. This happens all the time in real life between people of different ethnic groups. Not to say that he just wants to appropriate Muggle culture, but I don't think he ever considered that Muggles exist outside of the cool objects they create. He seems to have been focused solely on the objects, not the makers.


4) Before HBP, there was speculation about Arthur becoming the next Minister of Magic. That didn't happen, of course, but there is the future. Would Arthur be a good Minister now, or under other circumstances? He doesn't seem like a political climber, though he was promoted in HBP; would Arthur want/accept the job if chosen?

I don't think he would accept the job. I can imagine him slacking off because he thinks politics are a bit silly.

Has he harbored political aspirations or a desire to rise through the ranks but been thwarted by the Purebloods who consider him a Blood Traitor?

I would hope the whole blood traitor thing does not matter after the war, but in real life prejudices die hard. But I don't think he had that kind of aspiration anyway.



5) What do you think Arthur chose to do after DH? Do you think he went back to the Muggle Artifacts Office or accept a higher position from Kingsley?

I think he went back to Muggle Artifacts. He loves Muggle stuff and that provides him with an endless supply to Muggle stuff.

[RainbowRabbit]

1) Is Arthur more of a father figure to Harry than Sirius or James? Should he have made more of an effort to be a male role model for Harry or has his approach been 'just right'?
I think Harry was more prone to look at Sirius and perhaps Remus as more of a father figure simply because of their association with his Dad. Arthur made an effort to include Harry in family gatherings and vacations and always offered advice when needed. I think he made enough of an effort. I believe they developed a more familial bond after DH.

2) Does he treat his children fairly? Is he too soft on punishments (the Ford Anglia incident springs to mind) or a needed balance to Molly's child-rearing methods?
Molly was more strict and he provided a good balance. When the situation was serious, he did use more authority, so I wouldn't necessarily say he was too soft.

3) How does Arthur's mania for all-things-Muggle affect his character? How does it affect his interactions with Muggles?
I think he's fascinated by them and a little wary because of his limited experience in associating with them. I, for one, as a muggle, might be a little put off by his enthusiasm and curiosity, although it is understandable.

4) Before HBP, there was speculation about Arthur becoming the next Minister of Magic. That didn't happen, of course, but there is the future. Would Arthur be a good Minister now, or under other circumstances? He doesn't seem like a political climber, though he was promoted in HBP; would Arthur want/accept the job if chosen? Has he harbored political aspirations or a desire to rise through the ranks but been thwarted by the Purebloods who consider him a Blood Traitor?
I don't see him becoming a minister of magic because, first of all, I believe he does love his job. I don't believe he has such political ambitions. I also don't see him as a good Minister, perhaps because of the fact he does not have that drive, and also because he strikes as too naive and open at times.

5) What do you think Arthur chose to do after DH? Do you think he went back to the Muggle Artifacts Office or accept a higher position from Kingsley?
Hmm...perhaps he could have taken a job that did involve more Muggle interactions. There was a Muggle Liaisons Office or something I believe. Other than that, I think he would take his old job back.

[Pecilla]

Before I start I just like to say that Arthur is one of my favorite characters. . I love the fact that he is pureblood and yet he still wants to learn about muggles. That was very brave of him since it was "fashion" of that time for purebloods to mock muggles.

1) Is Arthur more of a father figure to Harry than Sirius or James? What does his treatment of Harry say about his character? Should he have made more of an effort to be a male role model for Harry or has his approach been 'just right'?

Yes I do seem him as more of a father figure than either Sirius or James. Molly treated Harry as though he was her own son so it is very possible Arthur felt the same way.

2) Does he treat his children fairly? Is he too soft on punishments (the Ford Anglia incident springs to mind) or a needed balance to Molly's child-rearing methods?

No. I remember him shouting at Percy for siding with the ministry. He might be soft at certain circumstances but concerning serious circumstances he is a very stern father. And I believe that he also needs to be more relaxed so that Molly and him could complement each other

3) How does Arthur's mania for all-things-Muggle affect his character? How does it affect his interactions with Muggles? He lives near a Muggle village and works in London, so why does it seem as though he has ignored opportunities to interact with them more than he does (he often seems rather clueless about them, though he worked in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts for years)?

But I think everyone is rather clueless about muggles. But in Flourish and Blotts, Arthur quickly and excitedly greeted Hermione's parents. And we don't actually know how much muggle connection he has! They would think he is rather odd like asking questions such as "What exactly is a function of a rubber duck?" would raise serious suspicions.

4) Before HBP, there was speculation about Arthur becoming the next Minister of Magic. That didn't happen, of course, but there is the future. Would Arthur be a good Minister now, or under other circumstances? He doesn't seem like a political climber, though he was promoted in HBP; would Arthur want/accept the job if chosen? Has he harbored political aspirations or a desire to rise through the ranks but been thwarted by the Purebloods who consider him a Blood Traitor?

I think he would be a fantastic minister. Although I don't seem him as having that politician hunger, I think he is brave enough and just enough to compensate for that lack of "hunger".

5) What do you think Arthur chose to do after DH? Do you think he went back to the Muggle Artifacts Office or accept a higher position from Kingsley?

I would like to think received a promotion. But perhaps he stayed as head of the office if he had the option of having more control in the ministry.

[RemusLupinFan]

Originally Posted by Pecilla

I love the fact that he is pureblood and yet he still wants to learn about muggles. That was very brave of him since it was "fashion" of that time for purebloods to mock muggles.

I like that about Arthur too, although I think in the earlier books we're meant to see his attempts at learning about Muggles (and getting things not quite right) as comic relief. But later on, I think it becomes important that he takes an active interest in Muggles.

[Lisl_Loveheart]

I suppose Arthur Weasley could have been a father figure to Harry, but as I see it neither he nor Harry ever saught that closer relationship. Harry had Dumbledore, Sirius and Remus. Arthur did offer him shelter, he was nice, caring and treated Harry with respect (see the fact he wanted to tell him the truth about Sirius, etc.). But Arthur also has 7 kids of his own!
I see them as being fond of each other but there is a clear distance there.

I'm glad Rowling kept Arthur alive, mainly because Molly would have to change too much. She was the motherly figure Harry had and that is a very important one.

Someone mentioned that Arthur's job was more related to the objects than to the Muggles themselves. I believe that is the key to his ignorance of "our" world. His job was to take the objects or restore them so that the magic world would stay concealed. They had obliviators to erase muggles' memories, etc. So they never really went up to chat. In a way his job reminds me of Will Smith's Men In Black.

He didn't strike me as men of politics, in fact I think he was very happy in his old job. However, Kingsley trusted him and might have felt the need to surround himself with people he knew well. So Arthur might have ended up with a high post at the Ministry, but one that didn't require too much negociating and bargaining... I hope for him he is in a good old corner and people let him work in peace.

[cardinalguy]

Carried over from Ron's analysis thread:

Originally Posted by ShadowSonic

So keeping his muggle obsessions to himself and working hard at his job is "being someone he wasn't"? A certain degree of selflessness would've gone a long ways.

If his obsessions don't interfere with his work, they are irrelevant (Imagine if your boss finds out you post on a discussion forum for a children's book series and decides this means you have some sort of maturity issue and shouldn't be promoted ). Also, where in canon does it say Arthur didn't work hard at his job?

[HedwigOwl]

Originally Posted by cardinalguy

Carried over from Ron's analysis thread:



If his obsessions don't interfere with his work, they are irrelevant (Imagine if your boss finds out you post on a discussion forum for a children's book series and decides this means you have some sort of maturity issue and shouldn't be promoted ). Also, where in canon does it say Arthur didn't work hard at his job?

I agree. It seems that Arthur fell victim to Fudge's paranoia about Dumbledore's wanting to take over as Minister of Magic. Fudge knew that the Weasley family was loyal to Dumbledore.

[ShadowSonic]

Originally Posted by HedwigOwl

I agree. It seems that Arthur fell victim to Fudge's paranoia about Dumbledore's wanting to take over as Minister of Magic. Fudge knew that the Weasley family was loyal to Dumbledore.

Arthur's been at the Ministry far longer than Fudge's paranoia, though.