Coddling

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

No: HPFGUIDX 51671

Stickbook wrote:

> I can't imagine that Lucius was coddled in his 
> youth the way he coddles Draco.  As a result, Lucius comes away 
>with a much thicker skin, and Draco knows of no other method of 
>exerting power than tantrum-throwing.

Heidi asked:

 
> Coddled? Where? 

And then reviewed the interactions between Draco and Lucius.

Personally, I wouldn't choose "coddled" as the best way to describe 
Draco's upbringing in canon.  I would go with "indulged."  
And "privileged."  And "elitist."  But I think "indulged" works 
best, and "indulged" really is just a stone's throw from "coddled."

Heidi quoted:

> Malfoy, who had reached for the glass eye, said, "I thought you 
>were going to buy me a present." 
> 
> "I said I would buy you a racing broom," said his father, drumming 
his fingers on the counter. 
> 
> "What's the good of that if I'm not on the House team?" said 
Malfoy, looking sulky and bad-tempered. 


I think this scene is quite telling.  We have a child demanding a 
present.  We have him whining that the present won't help if he 
doesn't get something else he wants too -- being on the House team.  
We have the child looking sulky and bad-tempered to get what he 
wants.  

And as we all know, it worked, didn't it?  

See, I think a parent who does not indulge/spoil/coddle probably 
wouldn't have promised a racing broom in the first instance on the 
theory that you don't buy a child the finest equipment available 
until they have earned it by showing skill and dedication.  And a 
parent attempting to build character surely wouldn't buy the broom 
to reward sulky and bad-tempered behavior.

So yeah.  I see indulgence there bordering on coddling.

Heidi:

>Now, I'm not denying that Draco has his full share of material 
>trappings, but I don't see how this is the equivilent of coddling, 
>which demands at least a smidge of emotional concern and/or 
>interest. 

Oh, I don't know.  A parent can show "interest" in ways other than 
on an emotional level.  Indeed, I suspect that parents who spoil 
their children *are* substituting material things for emotional 
attachment.  So if Lucius is buying Draco a racing broom to indulge 
Draco, then I think that is awfully close to coddling, myself.

Disclaimer:  I don't think parents ought to substitute material 
things for emotional attachment, OK?  Some do, though.

Moreover, we do see Lucius advise Draco on staying out of trouble by 
not speaking ill of Harry publicly.  That's something, I guess.


> We do know that Draco stays at school during CoS's Christmas break,
> which can certainly be read as evidence of *lack* of coddling. 

That's a tough one.  I'm not sure we can draw many conclusions from 
whether students go home for Christmas or opt to stay.  After all, 
the Weasleys didn't go home for Christmas in CoS because they didn't 
wish to travel to Egypt with their parents, which I would say is no 
reflection on the level of emotional attachment in the family.  
Hermione goes home for Christmas in PS/SS but not in the other three 
books IIRC, but I don't think Hermione is coddled or indulged.

Yeah, I'm thinking Indulged!Draco sounds about right, dangerously 
close to the line of HoldingHisBreathUntilHeTurnsBlueToGetThings!
Draco.  ;-)

Cindy