[HPforGrownups] Draco *does* have a chance!

[Hana]

No: HPFGUIDX 38036

On Sat, 20 Apr 2002 13:21:28  
 jenny_ravenclaw wrote:

>We have discussed many times that Draco may also change his mind >about the way he was raised when he sees his father in a more >unfavorable light (perhaps bowing to Voldemort or *gasp* >apologizing).

I'm not sure if seeing his father groveling would do it -- it might just scare him even more because his father doesn't grovel and if something is bad enough to make him do that, Draco is way to cowardly to resist.  Would it actually make him realize that Voldemort was wrong, or would it just show him that Voldemort was someone he shouldn't cross?

>Draco was terrified in SS when he was in the Forbidden Forest; can >you imagine how he'd react to a visit to Azkaban (ah, what a class >trip that would be)?  

I agree with this -- Draco appears to be an "all talk, no action" type of person -- he's essentially a coward who's only strong when surrounded by "bodyguards" like Crabbe and Goyle (eg. PS/SS when Harry tried to get the rememberall back when flying and Draco threw the rememberall rather than face Harry alone)

>Draco may not lay down his wand and say "I'll be a good boy from now >on and I sure love Muggles!", but I have a clear image of him >somehow turning away from some of the things he thought were true.  

I personally agree with this. I'd like nothing more than to have Draco switch sides like Snape did, but from a writer's perspective I'm not sure if it will happen.  

Right now Draco is Harry's main antagonist age-wise and that antagonism is important to the plot because Harry needs a rival if only to make his life more difficult.  Everytime he sees Draco doing something "evil" Harry has more reason to strive to make things better.  On the other hand, Draco seeing the truth of the "dark side" and consciously making a decision to do good would be an amazing message and hope for the future that the evil Voldemort began need not destroy everyone.  

Which option is better for the plot?  It's hard to say, but unless Harry notices a change in Draco's behaviour (for the good, or at least a show of uncertainty) by book 6 or at the start/throughout book 7  then any redemption on Draco's side will look contrived simply because we only get Harry's POV and we won't see a logical reason for Draco to suddenly be against Voldemort.

>Redemption does not mean his heart will suddenly grow in size like >the Grinch, but it might mean he'll want to save his own tuches when >push comes to shove.

The tricky thing with serious speculation like this is what does JKR have in mind?  IIRC there was an interview where JKR said that Draco will not be redeemed, but does she mean redemption like the Grinch was redeemed, or redemption in general such as going against Voldemort?

I personally hope that Draco grows some commonsense and spine and turns against Voldemort, but I think he'll have to fall a lot further before he has a chance of seeing the errors of his ways.

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--Hana




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