[HPforGrownups] Draco's Crimes & Misdemeanors

[Beth]

No: HPFGUIDX 51574

At 01:00 AM 2/4/03 +0000, Alla wrote:
>I followed closely the discussion on this list whether Draco is a
>racist. I did not trust myself to post back then yet, but I can't
>call him anything else except "racist". I think that being given a
>chance he will stop talking and start acting (killing muggle-borns).
>Again, I'll be happy to be proven wrong.

I think that Draco is a racist-in-training. He really hasn't been given a 
choice in this matter. At his age, he's not ready yet to throw away 
everything he's been taught by his family and friends as wrong. His beliefs 
are reinforced by his time with Crabbe and Goyle, his time at home with 
Lucius, and the way he's treated by "mudbloods" and halfbreeds. I haven't 
seen much in the way of encouragement (or even shock treatment) that would 
make him change his mind.

I DO think he'll change. I think he'll try to be the son his father wants, 
and I think he'll continue to fail at it, the way he always has. But when 
it comes to killing and torturing muggles and mudbloods, I think he'll find 
that he WANTS to fail. He may even find it out with his wand pointed at 
Hermione. Because it's one thing to be a thoughtless, insecure bully. It's 
entirely another matter to be a murderer.

Unfortunately, I also think that Draco won't discover this about himself 
until he's in a position where it's "put up or shut up" time, and refusal 
will get him killed.

I really do need to get over to TBAY and build my DRACO'S TRAGEDY 
lean-to... <grin>

bel