Dudley vs Draco

[jenny from ravenclaw]

No: HPFGUIDX 28024

Hi Rowena.  I want you to know that I thought about your posting all 
night!  Here is my response.  Some is a bit off topic, but I did bring 
it back to HP.

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., Rowena Grunnion-Ffitch wrote: 

 >Adults who grew up in abusive homes are somewhat more likely to 
become abusers themselves but the majority do not. I beg you not to 
underestimate free will and moral choice.>

I'm not underestimating either of those things.  I have just seen, 
over and over again that people tend to make the same choices that 
their parents made.  Most of my students who become teenage parents 
have parents who were also teenage parents.  Many of my friends who 
had unhappy childhoods because of how their parents treated them have 
serious issues now, as adults.  I think it all ties in with their own 
parents.
   
> Dudley is no longer happy. He is being forced to diet, is afraid of 
being hexed by Harry or his friends and is probably having a hard time 
at school. JKR is on record as saying his sheltered, spoiled life is 
over and that it's still not too late for him to change.>

Ah, but the only reason Dudley is changing right now is directly 
because of his parents.  They are the ones who have put him on the 
diet and they are the ones who are no longer giving in to his 
tantrums, which they created in the first place.

> As for Draco, I agree with tillrules. At Hogwarts he has been 
exposed to different and positive ideas from those at home but 
continues to hew to his father's party line. He is now deliberately 
choosing to be bad and I see no signs of that changing.>

Draco is definitely choosing to often do the wrong thing, but I still 
believe that this is what is encouraged at home.  He knew his father 
was one of the DEs harassing the Roberts at the QWC and was counting 
on his father getting away with it (which he did).  Draco is still 
very much dependent on his father and runs to him at any sign of 
trouble, no matter how small.  

Right now, there is no reason for Draco to make a decision that 
counters what his father does because his lifestyle benefits him. 
There may come a time when Draco will choose to go against Lucius, but 
it will not be, IMO, because Draco just decides to do so.  Draco will 
have to see or experience something that will force him to rethink 
some of his own actions.  Even though Draco (like most of us) is 
responsible for his own behavior and choices, he will have to be faced 
with something new and quite unpleasant to him for him to change.  It 
won't *just* be his free will.  
 
--jenny from ravenclaw, hoping she explained herself better this time 
but has a feeling Rowena will come along and smash her comments to 
bits :-) ****************************