![]() Ronald Bilius "Ron" Weasley is a fictional character in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. His first appearance was in the first book of the series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone as the best friend of Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. He is a member of the Weasley family, a pure blood family, who reside in "The Burrow" outside Ottery St. Catchpole. Along with Harry and Hermione, he is a member of the Gryffindor Ronald Bilius "Ron" Weasley is a fictional character in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. His first appearance was in the first book of the series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone as the best friend of Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. He is a member of the Weasley family, a pure blood family, who reside in "The Burrow" outside Ottery St. Catchpole. Along with Harry and Hermione, he is a member of the Gryffindor house. Ron is present in most of the action throughout the series. house. Ron is present in most of the action throughout the series.
According to Rowling, Ron was among the characters she created "the very first day". Ron is inspired by Rowling's best friend Sean Harris (to whom Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is dedicated), but she has clearly stated that she "never set out to describe Sean in Ron, but Ron has a Sean-ish turn of phrase." Like Harris is to Rowling, Ron is "always there" when Harry needs him. The character of Ron fits many of the stereotypes expected of the sidekick; he is often used as comic relief, is loyal to the hero, and lacks much of the talent Harry possesses, at least in terms of magical power; however, he proves his bravery several times, such as playing 'real wizard's chess' in the first book, and entering into the Forbidden Forest with Harry during the second book despite his arachnophobia. Some of Ron's qualities serve as foils to Harry. While Harry is an orphan with more gold than he needs, Ron comes from a loving but poor family; many of his possessions arehand-me-downs. Harry is famous but would prefer to avoid the spotlight; Ron, in comparison, is often perceived as a mere lackey and sometimes becomes jealous of the recognition Harry receives. Finally, Ron is the most mediocre of his siblings, being (as of the first book) neither an excellent Quidditch player, a noteworthy student, nor the daughter his mother always wanted. All these factors have combined to cause Ron serious insecurities; this inferiority complex, and his need to prove himself, is the main thrust of his character arc. Nineteen years after Voldemort's downfall, Ron is married to Hermione and they have two children: Rose Weasley, whom they are sending off to her first year at Hogwarts, and a younger son named Hugo Weasley. Ron has also passed his Muggle driving test, despite Hermione's apparent belief that he could not do so without Confunding the examiner. However, Ron secretly reveals to Harry he actually did Confund the examiner. He and Harry work for the Ministry of Magic as Aurors, and along with Hermione they have helped to revamp the Ministry; it is far different from the one that existed before. Before becoming an Auror, Ron joins George at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, which becomes a very lucrative business. Outward appearance Rowling introduces Ron as "tall, thin and gangling, with freckles, big hands and feet, and a long nose.'' Ron has the trademark red hair of the Weasleys and is indeed one of Harry's tallest schoolmates, even outgrowing some of his older brothers. Rowling states in the novels that Ron has freckles, though Rupert Grint, the actor who plays Ron, has none. Rowling has also stated that Ron has blue eyes. Personality Rowling in an interview described Ron as very funny but insensitive and immature, "There's a lot of immaturity about Ron, and that's where a lot of the humor comes from." As his first exercise with the actors who portray the central trio, Alfonso Cuarón, who directed the third film in the series, Prizoner of Azkaban, assigned them to write an autobiographical essay about their character, written in the first person, spanning birth to the discovery of the magical world, and including the character's emotional experience. Of Rupert Grint's essay, Cuarón recalls, "Rupert didn't deliver the essay. When I questioned why he didn't do it, he said, 'I'm Ron; Ron wouldn't do it.' So I said, 'Okay, you do understand your character.'" Commenting on Ron's character development in the final book, Rowling explained that "Ron is the most immature of the three main characters, but in part seven he grows up. He was never strong footed, people see him mostly as Harry's friend; his mother had actually wanted a girl and in the last book he finally has to acknowledge his weaknesses. But it's exactly that which makes Ron a man." |