Elkins' Draco Malfoy Is Ever So Lame. (But not sympathetic)

[nrenka]

No: HPFGUIDX 124663


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "horridporrid03" 
<horridporrid03 at y...> wrote:

<snip>

> Betsy:
>
> I don't read any of those scenes as humorous.  Actually, they're a 
> little disturbing in how much they end up detracting from Harry.

I don't think they're quite the same thing.  Crouch!Moody *is* 
disturbing--but much more on a second re-read, when we realize that 
it's really not about Draco, it's about Barty's hatred for Lucius.  
(And Draco did attack someone with his back turned; bad form, that).  
The second one is also perhaps over the top, but also noted as being 
initiated by Draco and Company.

We shall agree to disagree about the particular role that instigation 
plays, but I think it's a major one.  It's extra time in the penalty 
box, after all.  However, the one is not quite like the other.
 
<snip>
 
> Betsy:
> I don't see a real comparison here at all.  Dudley is a street 
> punk, breaking laws and picking on small children.  Draco's 
> authority is given to him by the school authorities, and while he 
> does take away house points for no reason at all, he doesn't really 
> squash anyone. None of the students care about house points anymore 
> because of Umbridge's foolish management style, and I'm sure Draco 
> is aware of that.

It's the psychological similarities.  Both of them seem to get off on 
the exercise of power.  In fact, if the house points don't matter any 
more, why does Draco keep doing it?  Because he wants to try to 
exercise power in any way that he can, any kind of domination that 
can be exerted over the other students.  Dudley and Draco both do it 
because they can--both are basically playing by the same "will to 
power of the stronger" principle.  Both end up with the realization 
(or not quite, on Draco's part) that most people who subscribe to 
that philosophy have the delusion that they are solidly in the 
category of the stronger.  Dudley discovers there are things much 
bigger than himself, Draco is disenfranchised by the return to the 
normative non-Umbridge ruled school system.

(I have to admit I don't quite understand the continual apologetics 
for the IS as a product of legitimate school authority, given how 
patently immoral Umbridge's behavior is, and the massive ethical 
questions of the attempted domination of the student body by a small 
band of what is set up to be like a mini-Stasi.)
 
> And yes, Draco is eager to see Harry slapped down (I doubt he's 
> ever seen someone under Crucio before, so I'm not sure he's aware 
> of its full horror).  He's been waiting *five years* for this 
> moment.  Harry has seen Draco writhing in pain enough times (and 
> seems to have gotten enjoyment out of it) so I can understand 
> Draco's eagerness.

There's a difference, though, in really enjoying seeing someone 
suffer and enjoying the suffering itself (which is what's being 
hinted at by the language of hunger and eagerness), and enjoying 
reversals because someone has brought that reversal upon himself by 
unethical behavior.

I wonder if Crouch!Moody showed the Slytherin kids the 
Unforgivables?  That would be interesting to know, n'est pas?

> Betsy:
>
> The interesting moment will be when Draco finally *does* 
> understand. 

Sure will.  But unlike you, I'm not so sure that end-of-OotP Draco is 
the sweet and naive boy who doesn't understand the bigger 
implications of any of this.  And my money is on Draco understanding, 
and going "Sign me up".  

-Nora is, as always, professional agnostic on principle, however