The Dullest Redemption Subplot Ever

[Cindy C. <cindysphynx@comcast.net>]

No: HPFGUIDX 51655

Errol wrote:
 
> Draco hasn't really done anything yet. 

See, I can't go along with this.  I don't see how there is any way 
around the fact that Draco tried to get Harry to fall off of his 
broom, with full knowledge that death or serious injury could result.

Yup, that is Draco's most Evil act in my mind.  The fact that he was 
unsuccessful because Harry had (unbeknownst to Draco) learned to 
defend himself is of no importance.  In my mind, it is the same as 
someone firing a gun at someone but failing to injure them for 
whatever reason.  The act was still Evil and meant to be so.


Elkins:

>I somehow suspect that Snape did worse 
> things in his time than making nasty comments and trying to get a 
> hated teacher's pet hippogriff executed.  ;-)

Ah, but one reason I think Draco is Evil is because the things he 
does strike me as the *most* Evil things he can do in light of his 
level of skill and the limited opportunity he has to create 
mischief.  In other words, it isn't realistic for Draco to attempt 
to take over the world like Voldemort.  The most Evil thing he can 
do is lend his support to Voldemort and attempt to intimidate those 
who oppose Voldemort.  Which is what he did.

I wrote:

> I'd be very surprised if JKR is among those who thinks that people 
> who are spiteful, malicious, racist, angry and take pleasure in 
> hurting others are not evil. 
 
<snip>

> I'm thinking that sounds like evil by the definitions of most 
> people.

Elkins replied:

 
> Does it?  It certainly doesn't sound like my definition of evil at 
> all.  Of the things mentioned above, only "hurts others" 
>and "doesn't ever do anything good" qualify.  The rest are just 
>feelings and attitudes.  

Oh, don't get me wrong.  I *am* talking about actions, not 
feelings.  I think Draco's Evil is in evidence by his spiteful, 
malicious, racist *actions.*  His actual attempts (sometimes 
successful, sometimes not) to hurt others.  

Now, there is a grey area here.  What if Draco does something 
legitimate but does it for malicious reasons?  The Buckbeak incident 
is the best example of this, I think.  And I say that doing a 
legitimate act for a malicious reason makes the act Evil.  In other 
words, the cop who pulls you over on a legitimate traffic violation 
is doing Evil if she really pulled you over because of your race.  

Elkins:

>They can certainly *motivate* people to do evil, but 
> then, you know, so can misguided notions of love, loyalty, 
>justice, devotion or protection.  So can thoughtlessness, 
>callousness, ruthlessness or ambition.  So, for that matter, can 
>mental illness. But that doesn't mean that possessing any of those 
>things makes someone evil.  


I don't have a problem with that.  I do think the most important 
indicators of Evil are what a person does and what motivates what 
they do.  

>It's only *acting* on them that gets you 
> into trouble.  That, at any rate, is how I interpret the thematic 
> emphasis on choice.

Exactly!

But then there is this:


Dicentra:

> To this I would add that evil has to do what you want, not just 
> what you do. If you continually *want* to do evil deeds over good 
> ones, you're evil, even if you don't actually do them.

I do think there is merit in this.  The question, I think, is 
whether being a "mere sympathizer" can make you evil.  And again, I 
am afraid I must resort to a lame analogy to make the point.  Say 
you have someone who drives by a cross-burning and honks the horn in 
support, applauds racial harrassment of someone and so forth, but 
this person never acts on those racial biases in more concrete 
ways.  That person is a sympathizer and is Evil in my mind, although 
less Evil than the person who does the actual Evil deed.  

Draco has clearly chosen to align himself with Voldemort.  He 
applauds the wrongs Voldemort commits.  Draco is Evil because he is 
a sympathizer, IMHO.

Someone voiced the opinion that there are no Evil characters in HP, 
and I took issue with that.  Further, this discussion began with an 
analysis of whether one can be Evil without committing murder.

As I've said, I think there is plenty of Evil in HP -- characters 
who do Evil for Evil reasons.  In fact, I think it is possible to 
rank order the Evil canon characters thusly:

Voldemort -- Evil to the core; no redemption possible for story 
reasons

Crouch Jr. -- Evil and regretting the fact that he couldn't be more 
Evil

Pettigrew -- Evil; likely to be redeemed

The Lestranges and Fourth Man -- Evil, but haven't killed yet, so 
less Evil than Pettigrew

Generic DEs -- who can tell?; but I'm keeping my eye on MacNair and 
his big axe

Draco -- as Evil as he can possibly be under the circumstances, and 
still hasn't done a single good thing in his whole life that we know 
of

Cindy -- who is keeping her eye on Snape, too