Why redeem Draco?

[darrin_burnett]

No: HPFGUIDX 60004

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "jenny_ravenclaw" 
<meboriqua at a...> wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Dimitar" <dgagauzov at y...> 
> wrote:
> > I'm a lurker on this list but I decided to ask this question. Why 
> > redeem Draco? I have read thousands of posts in which posters, 
> > overwhelmingly female, come up with elaborate explanations of his 
> > actions just so he doesn't look so bad, ignoring the much more 
> > probable explanation that he is bad little spoiled brat. Why does 
> he have to turn to the good side, there is nothing in the four 
books 
> to suggest that he has the slightest inclination to do that.>

Jenny:
 
> While I don't see Draco as evil, I certainly don't see him as a 
good  guy either.  Heidi's defense of Draco is well thought-out, but 
(and  don't hate me, Heidi!) I don't have any sympathy for Draco, I 
don't think his father is abusive, and I don't really believe he 
wanted to warn the Trio in GoF in order to help them, either.  I 
think he is> still stinging from Harry's rejection in SS and, in a 
sort of sick > way, he craves attention from Harry and will do just 
about anything  to get it.

Now me:

A couple of things. I'm sure Draco could be redeemed. But I don't 
want it to happen.

I have always maintained that there is a lack of interesting evil 
characters, once you get past V-Mort. Snape is apparently a good guy. 
Barty is dementorized. Lucius is competent enough, but the rest of 
the DEs seem like Keystone Kops. Lockhart and Rita are, so far, 
cartoon characters and Wormtail has a lifedebt to Harry.

No, I think we need evil Draco. In fact, I want him to get WORSE, not 
better. Right now, he's kind of a punching bag.

Now, onto this "signs of redemption from Draco" business.

First, I don't buy that Harry's rejection has stung Draco all that 
much. Maybe it humiliated him a touch, but once Harry got put in 
Gryffindor, it's not like Draco was going to want to be his friend 
any longer.

And let's not try to insinuate that Harry's rejection has made Draco 
worse. Draco was insulting, racist, elitist, and a brat before he 
even knew who Harry was and the "getting fitted for robes" scene in 
SS/PS is the canon for it. Had Harry agreed to be Draco's friend, 
it's not like Draco turns to the light.

I also don't see the "watch out Granger, or you'll be hanging upside 
down" too scene in GoF as significant as some think it is. I see it 
as taunting. Regardless, his behavior toward Harry and the others in 
the remainder of the book convinces me that whatever humanity Draco 
MIGHT have shown there was a fleeting thing.

Darrin
-- President of the Bad As He Wants To Be Draco Club