Draco's Warning (?) WAS: Austen and Parallels

[serenadust <jmmears@comcast.net>]

No: HPFGUIDX 52595

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "gwendolyngrace 
<gwendolyngrace at y...>" <gwendolyngrace at y...> wrote:
> Hi, all.
> 
> (Oldbies may gasp in horror at Gwen's return. 

::Gasping, not in horror, but delight!::


Gwen writes:

> Draco is absolutely on a precipice right now. He's on the cusp. He 
> hasn't shown himself to be good, and in fact he has shown himself 
to 
> be despicable at times, motivated by revenge or hate or ignorance. 
> But IMO he has not yet crossed the line so far that he can't 
return 
> to a neutral, if not neutral/good, position. 


Me now:

Well, for me he has fallen off the precipice and unfortunately 
crossed the line at the end of GoF.  No matter how hard I try, I 
can't squeeze any kind of hidden good intent or warning in his 
statements to the trio on the train.  His gloating over Cedric's 
death and relishing what he imagines the future holds for HRH pretty 
much sealed his choices for me.  After all, the only thing I've been 
able to find to support the idea that he hasn't already chosen the 
DE path was his youth.  However, if we accept that Harry (and Ron 
and Hermione) have chosen the "good" side at their ages, then why is 
it not possible that Draco Malfoy has too?

If Rowling intended to have Malfoy move away from his father and 
Voldemort, it seems she should have shown at least *some* ambiguity 
in his nature by now.  The notion that he doesn't really know how 
bad it is to be a DE, doesn't really hold for me either.  Of all the 
children of the DEs, he seems to be the one most in the know.  His 
dad has told him about the CoS, the stash of dark materials at the 
manor, brought him to Knockturn alley when he's selling off part of 
the collection, and wants him to go to Durmstrang to learn the Dark 
Arts.  It doesn't sound to me like he's particularly ignorant about 
what being a Voldemort supporter means.


Gwen wrote:

> I also think that it's unfair to both him and Ron to like one, but 
> not the other, but that's a post for another time. Just like I 
like 
> both Snape and Sirius, and I like both Hagrid and Lockhart, and I 
> like both Hermione and Ginny. And I'll cheerfully argue in any of 
> their favour.

Me:

I'm curious to hear your thoughts about why it's unfair to Draco and 
Ron to dislike one but not the other.  I think I get what you mean 
about Snape and Sirius (I like both of them, too), Hagrid and 
Lockhart, and Hermione and Ginny (what would make anyone like one of 
the girls and not the other?), but I don't understand your point on 
Draco vs Ron.

I know you're very busy with the Convention and may not be able to 
reply right away, but I really do look forward to your posting on 
this when you can get to it :-).

Jo Serenadust