[HPforGrownups] Re: Draco Malfoy is Ever So Lame (and TBAY three hedgehogs))

[Edblanning at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 39090

Naama:
> Just one point. Draco's unsatisfactoriness originates (if I 
> understand you correctly) from his presumed role of Peer Rival to 
> Harry, right?
> Well, I'm not sure that I agree that that is exactly his narrative 
> role. I mean, yes, of course it is - he is a peer and a rival of 
> Harry. The thing is, Draco is not Harry's true rival (arch enemy). 
> The true rival is Voldemort, and in facing him, Harry is truly 
> 

Isn't this the precise point?
His narrative role *appears* to be as Harry's chief rival *within Hogwarts*. 
If he weren't who he is (say, he was an obnoxious Gryffindor), he could even 
be his chief rival in the fight against Voldemort (whom I would argue to be 
Snape, who receives in some ways similar treatment from JKR).

The conflict with Draco is definitely 
> not heroic, but that's OK. As far as narrative roles go, I'm quite happy 
> with loser!Draco. He provides action which is fun to read. 
> Voldemort action, on the other hand, is dark and stressful (the parts 
> I least like rereading are the final denouments with Voldemort). 
> If Draco was too powerful, it would make the skirmishes with him too 
> intense, which would change the balance of the books and of the plot. 
> Give too much power to Draco, make him successful, and you lessen the 
> 

This is of course true. But the point, I think,  is that this superficial 
rivalry *isn't* his literary function, although it is the way he is 
*perceived* by some, who may not be as perceptive as you.

> So, in the context of the overall story, Draco is there, IMO, to 
> underline Harry's strength, both for the sheer fun of seeing him get 
> his but kicked, but also to prepare us for Harry's final victory over 
> 

Do we need to be prepared by his rivalry with another student? Each book 
prepares us for his final victory through his confrontations with Quidemort, 
Sirius, the Dementors, Tom Riddle and of course, with the re-embodied 
Voldemort.

However, the Voldemort confrontations happen only episodically. Characters 
like Draco and Snape (and from time to time, Ron, Hermione, various 
Hufflepuffs, even the whole of Gryffindor, on occasion) provide a background 
of character-building opposition over which our hero must rise.
> 
> On a sidenote, I have to protest against the Hurt and Comfort sex (!) 
> appeal you presume. I am female and I find Draco totally repulsive. 
> Really. As far as I'm concerned, he deserves everything he gets, and 
> then some. I loved the ferret scene and relished over every smack he 
> got, horrible little bullying sneak. So there. <g>
> 
> Oh, and I wasn't aroused when Harry was writhing with Cruciatus!! 
> 

OK, I'm going to stand up for Elkins here. I don't think for one minute that 
she's suggesting that we're all sado-masochists. Although it's an interesting 
thought. ;-)

The main thing that came across to me from this part of her post was the 
concept of the attractiveness vulnerability. I personally don't think that's 
very odd.
Turn it on it's head. How many women actually find male machismo really 
attractive? That's something men do for the benefit of other men, isn't it?
Should I re-phrase that? Perhaps. Machismo is to do with male rivalry, and 
whilst heroism and strength can be attractive in themselves, add some 
vulnerability and you get a headier mix. Well, for some of us, anyway.

Now I'm not turned on by Harry writhing with Cruciatus, either. I'm not 
turned on by Harry or Draco at all. Possibly something to do with the fact 
that they're about.....well, more years than I'm going to admit to 
publically..... too young for me. And I have a 12 year-old son, who may have 
jaundiced my view a bit :-). As far as the characters go, I'm much more 
interested in the adults.

But if you're really engaging in the fantasy, identifying with and living the 
books, then Harry is *our* hero. When he takes a Cruciatus, he's taking it 
*for us*. And if I were young enough, I think I could see a kind of 
attraction in that. ;-)
And I think Elkins is spot on with what she says about Lupin, Sirius and 
Snape.

> Naama
> grateful, for once, for her (normally debilitating) repression 
> 

Do you really mean that? Because you can only repress something that's there. 
:-)

Apparently Bent!Eloise

Who has just read Pippin's reply and thinks that the Draco/Ron rivalry is 
also telling and would also like to add her admiration for the Mme Lestrange 
post, both as a theory and as a piece of story-telling.

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Flying hedgehogs adapted from an original by Dicentra.


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