Elkins' Draco Malfoy Is Ever So Lame. Yet Sympathetic. And Dead, Too.

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 124562


>>Renee:
>But how many of those others have a Tom Felton induced crush on 
Draco and are reading things into the text?<

Betsy:
None of the folk I've read.  They generally don't refer to the movies 
at all (and usually not favorably when they do).  I'm sure Tom Felton 
has his screaming hoards, but I imagine (hope?) they belong to a much 
younger set. :)        

>>Betsy:
>And I've read essays that deal specifically with the language JKR 
uses to either set someone up as a hero, set someone up as 
disgusting, or set someone up sympathetically.<
 
>>Renee:
>Now this is interesting, regardless of the Draco question. Could you 
give me some links?<

Betsy:
Ooh.  I um, flit about the internet like a madwoman, and I can't 
remember where exactly I read those particular essays.  I can give 
you some links...
http://elkins.theennead.com/hp/
This is a receptacle of many of Elkins' posts - much easier to 
navigate than yahoo!mort.
http://www.livejournal.com/community/hp_essays/
Has tons of stuff - some of it pure meta.
http://www.livejournal.com/community/daily_snitch/
Gives a daily digest of various HP related posts.  Sometimes they 
link to some really interesting analytical essays. 

Also, seeing that statement all alone like that...  I fear it looks 
like I'm saying I'm this big expert and none should dare question me, 
and I really, really didn't mean it that way.  I was just trying to 
say that there are others who've dug into the text and come to 
similar conclusions.  <insert weak grin here> 
 
>>Renee:
>That a character isn't set up as disgusting doesn't automatically 
mean (s)he's set up sympathetically. There's a wide range of 
possibilities in between. I don't think any of the kids in the HP 
series are described in ways that qualify as disgusting...<

Betsy:
Actually, that mystery essay I refered to (I really need to try and 
find that thing) talked a lot about Ron and how JKR worked to make 
sure he didn't come across heroically.  e.g. After the spider fun, 
Ron pukes in the pumpkin patch, and after trying to defend Hermione's 
honor by cursing Draco, he ends up puking slugs (all in CoS).  I 
think they also mentioned some scenes where others get to be pale 
with fear or horror, but Ron is described as green. I think the essay 
was dated a while ago, so Ron's treatment may well have changed.  But 
it does point to JKR using her language in a specific manner.

I believe that same essay pointed to how Draco flushes pink, and that 
there are other generally feminine descriptors used for him.  Which 
adds an interesting element to the Draco character analysis.

>>Renee:
<snip>
>And nothing about Draco's lack of repulsiveness takes away the fact 
that ultimately, he's the cause of his own distress. This fact 
effectively suppresses any tendencies I might have to comfort him.<

Betsy:
I think Northandsouth pointed out that Draco's paybacks always seem 
to go *way* above and beyond any wrong he has done.  And I do mean 
*always*.  Draco doesn't just lose - he gets smashed.  Which is what 
kicks in my sympathy drive.

>>Renee: 
>Also, if I were Draco, I wouldn't throw tantrums after just having 
been defeated by hippogriffs, fellow students or DADA-teachers. I'd 
try not to draw further attention and keep quiet for a while. That 
would be in my best interest, and a very Slytherin thing to do.<

Betsy:
Yes, but I don't see Draco as being that calculating.  Draco is such 
an emotional character, and I'm talking about his *immediate* 
reactions, so I think it'd almost be more in his nature to naturally 
show-out.  And when the offense is relatively small, Draco does 
usually whine and complain.  It's when he really gets a smackdown 
(which happens oh so often) that he tends to suck it up.

>>Betsy:
>Couldn't you say that his fate has been predetermined by his 
parents?  The hat barely touches Draco's head before he's whisked 
away to Slytherin.< 
 
>>Renee:
>Well, I recall a scion from a family of Dark Wizards whose fate was 
not preterdetermined by his parents and who did not end up in 
Slytherin House. I don't think I need to mention his name.<

Betsy:
Draco is not Sirius.  And as I said, the hat barely touched his head, 
so there was no discussion of various choices.  I imagine Sirius sat 
with the hat on for a while, unless of course he was such a 
rebellious little eleven year old he was thinking, anywhere but 
Slytherin - which we don't know.  Draco has definitely been taking 
the easy path, but I wonder, if Draco had been born a Weasley, do you 
think he'd have gone to Gryffindor like all his brothers?  Or would 
he have argued for Slytherin?  I tend to think his decisions are 
strongly based on family loyalty, which means he'd do as Weasley's 
do, just as he's doing as Malfoy's do now.


>> Renee:
>I'd say he blew it by behaving like Dudley Dursley and trying to put 
down a boy he considered inferior. That's not social awkwardness.<

Betsy:
When did he behave like Dudley?  I don't remember seeing that.  And 
putting down a boy...  Are you talking about Ron on the train to 
Hogwarts, when Draco struck out at a boy who laughed at his name?  
And Draco, after slamming Ron, still thought he'd have a chance at 
Harry, which to my mind shows a lack of social astuteness.  Which 
makes sense, as I imagine he was home schooled, and probably only 
played with children indebted to his father.  I doubt he'd ever had 
to attract a friend before.   
 
>>Renee:
>As far as I'm concerned, she hasn't done that bad a job setting him 
up as a (future) villain in OotP. By becoming a member of the 
Inquisitorial Squad Draco joins the one who is in power and loves to 
show it: Dolores Umbridge.<
<snip>

Betsy:
Yes, but he was so pathetic in this role.  Once again he barely 
touches Harry.  He takes away point for silly reasons, but by this 
time the point system has been so knocked out of wack, no one cares.  
He helps catch Harry and other members of the DA, but Dumbledore 
totally undercuts that effort (handled by Umbridge and Fudge, Draco's 
a mere goon).  And even in the final IS - DA show down, Draco can't 
keep it together enough to hold his leader's trust.  Even if Draco 
does become a Death Eater, I think he'll be a rather pathetic one and 
will die fairly quick into it.  Which doesn't make for a bang out 
villian.  It makes for a rather pathetic (or tragic, if your 
sympathies lie in that direction) fool.

>>Renee:
>Sorry, but I really don't see his reaction as dignified. It can't 
be, because he's already lost his dignity beforehand by starting the 
quarrel. I think the word that applies here would be subdued, not 
dignified. Again, it's a matter of interpretation, not something that 
immediately jumps out at everyone who reads the text.<   

Betsy:
I agree that not everyone sees Draco in a similar light.  But the 
fact that there is such contention (not on this list perhaps, but 
within the fandom <g>) over his character suggests that JKR is 
writing some contradictory messages into the text.  No one feels much 
sympathy for Umbridge.  Very few cry out that Peter Pettigrew isn't 
that bad, really.  But Draco has his supporters, or at least his 
sympathizers.  And there are textual examples they (or we) can point 
to and say, "See?  See how he's badly treated here?  See how he 
handles it well there?"

If JKR really wanted Draco to be an out and out baddy, she could have 
him win a few so that we really hiss when he walks on stage.  She 
could have *Draco* do the unfair take down, instead of it being Harry 
and his masses *always* piling on Draco.  She can do smooth tongued 
villiany.  Lucius is a prime example of attractive yet unabashed 
evil.  Draco does not come across in a similar manner.  I honestly 
don't know why JKR is writing him in this way.  I don't know how 
Draco's story will end.  But I'm sure there'll be a twist.

Betsy