Draco's Redemption

[frantyck at yahoo.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 23942

I know the subject of Draco's redemption has moved a bit further than 
whether or not... but it seems to me that he can't be a 
straightforward plot device, as mgrantwich suggests:

>Draco serves an important purpose in the canon: 
he offers a total contrast to Harry who's a nice kid who's had to 
struggle all his life.

In the first place, like the other characters, Draco *is* still a 
child (as Rachelle Elliot pointed out, to make a different point). I 
wonder whether Rowling would be willing to make a child consistently 
evil, or even wicked, despite the recent discussion on predestination.

Second, why would Rowling limit her own freedom of movement wrt an 
important character, when she's shown she likes twists of precisely 
that nature? Perhaps because:

Second-and-a-half, Draco hasn't yet played his role in the grand 
story. He's been mean, shown the reader that prejudice does exist and 
that it is fresh and close by, given Harry the opportunity to be the 
first 1st-year Seeker in a century, and all that... but I'm still 
waiting to see what purpose Draco serves.

Draco's Three (+ Crabbe and Goyle) are an imperfect evil foil to 
Harry's Three. I can't think exactly why, and I don't have the books 
at hand, so I'll save that for later. Thorry.

Third, Draco hasn't been really tested yet (says Jenny from 
Ravenclaw), apart from the incident with the unicorn and Quirrel-
Voldemort in the Forbidden Forest. We don't know that Draco is weak 
from that instance alone. Cowardice isn't the same as weakness. I'd 
say that he has leadership abilities -- perhaps it's in the Malfoy 
genes -- and charisma.

Goyle and Crabb cannot give Draco the support and friendship that 
Harry gets from Hermione and Ron... Draco's never had anyone rely on 
him absolutely, even if briefly. I'm pretty sure that something like 
this will come up soon enough. I think it makes for much more 
interesting and believable characterisation if Malfoy does do 
something noble, and yet continues in his father's footsteps. he's 
trapped in his own fate, to an extent, just as much as Harry is.

There's a nice potential for complexity and a less black-and-white 
good and bad division in the next few books, and I think Draco must 
play a part in that.

Rrishi