Draco = Evil?(was: Elkins' Draco Malfoy Is Ever So Lame. )

[naamagatus]

No: HPFGUIDX 124731


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "horridporrid03" 
<horridporrid03 at y...> wrote:
<snip> 
> As to Draco though: has there ever been a scene with Draco in it 
> where you're left wondering, "Gosh, I wonder how Draco really feels 
> about that?" If so, could you cite it, please? I mean the boy wears 
> his heart on his sleeve!  Harry can *always* identify what emotion 
> Draco is feeling, whether it's frustration, exultation, amusement, 
> fear, anger.  We, the readers, are never left in the dark, because 
> Harry is never left in the dark.  Even at times when it would have 
> been wiser, more calculating for Draco to give the appearence of 
> feeling one way, Draco lets his true emotions out.  He's 
*overjoyed* 
> at Mrs. Norris being petrified in CoS.  He *loves* the idea of the 
> return of the Heir.  Incredibly foolish on Draco's part, but he 
can't 
> seem to control himself.

Not being clever enough to hide your emotions, doesn't mean you 
are "pure emotion" - but maybe this is merely a difference in 
semantics. Draco is motivated by his feelings (but who isn't?) - it's 
just that these feelings are so nasty.

> 
> >>Naama: 
> >Ambition: we see his ambition in the two major areas of 
> accomplishment available for him - studies and sports. He is 
jealous 
> of Hermione getting better grades than him, and he bribes his way 
> into the Quidditch team.<
> 
> Betsy:
> Good lord, a student interested in his studies and his sport!  Lock 
> up the women and children; another Dark Lord is being formed! <eg>

Well, you said he wasn't ambitious - I showed that he was. What other 
ambitions could he have - other than excelling in studies and sports? 
And really, you know, bribing your way into the team shows more 
intense ambition than being "interested", you know. 
  
> And yes, dear, sweet Hermione, quite compassionately and with only 
> the best intentions, I'm sure, accused Draco of buying his way onto 
> the Slytherin Quidditch team.  The fact that he's the second best 
> Seeker at Hogwarts makes her accusations ring a little empty, don't 
> you think?

Where, oh where, does it say that he is the second best seeker?! And 
Hermione expressed what was already clear to the reader - that the 
new brooms bought Draco his position. And why on earth should anyone 
feel compassion for him at that moment?! I don't get it - he's 
gloating and very, very happy. However, when he was being bounced and 
hurting, Hermione *was* concerned for him - although he deserved 
it.   

> 
> >>Naama: 
> >Compassion: "Never been witness to an opportunity for Draco to do 
> so?!" How about when Harry told him his parents were dead and JKR 
> went to the trouble of telling us that he *didn't* sound sorry?<
> 
> Betsy:
> JKR went to the trouble to tell us *Harry* didn't think he sounded 
> sorry. 

I am sick and tired of this "Harry's POV" argument. *Unless* there is 
text to prove otherwise, we have to take the information we are given 
as given. We have a report that Draco didn't sound sorry - we nothing 
in the text to suggest that this Harry's impressions are wrong or 
warped. 

>  
> >>Naama:
> >How about gloating at the possibility that Hermione might be 
killed, 
> instead of being concerened?<
> 
> Betsy:
> Hermione is an enemy and the threat to her life was a distint 
> possibility.  Again, not a great opportunity.

Did you mean "distant" or "distinct"? Because it was "distinct", you 
know. Muggle borns were being attacked and she is a Muggle born. 

> 
<snip> 
> >>Naama:
> >How about sniggering at Lupin's shabby robes rather than feeling 
> sorry for him for being so poor?<
> 
> Betsy:
> The same Lupin who took the job most desired by Draco's favorite 
> professor?  

Nothing, nothing, nothing in the text even hints at Draco having any 
concerns or grievances about Snape not getting the job. None. We also 
don't see Draco displaying animosity to other DADA teachers. So, what 
are you basing this on? The text is *clear* - Draco feels contempt 
for Lupin because of his shabbiness. Period. 


> 
> So here's a question for you, Naama.  Could you give me an example 
of 
> Harry, Ron or Hermione showing compassion towards Draco, or any one 
> of the Slytherins?  I don't think there is such a scene, but I 
could 
> well be wrong.

Draco or any of the other Slytherins are never presented in 
situations that call for compassion. Even so (as I said above), when 
Draco was being bounced - which he richly deserved - Hermione felt 
concern for him. 
Let me call you attention, however, to the following: Harry feeling 
sorry for Filch, even though Filch was accusing him of petrifying 
Mrs. Norris. Harry saving Dudley from the Dementor, even though 
Dudley tormented him for years. Harry *identifying* with Snape and 
feeling horrified at what his father did to him, although Snape has 
always been horrible to him. 

<snip>
> 
> >>Naama:
> >It also matters a great deal the kind of stone a person chooses to 
> throw - it matters not so much for the victim, maybe (in some 
> circumstances), but it shows a great deal about the attacker.<
> 
> Betsy:
> I agree with you here.  It's interesting that Draco *only* goes on 
> about Hermione being a Muggle born.  I've read some folks who think 
> he might have a crush on her, so her blood is the only 
objectionable 
> thing about her as far as Draco is concerned.  I don't know if I 
> agree with that or not.  It *sounds* kind of neat, but you have to 
> stretch the canon and sort of squint at it a little.  But we know 
> that Hermione is bushy haired and a little bossy, why doesn't Draco 
> go after her on that, like Pansy does?  Maybe because his mudblood 
> comments get such a rise out of Ron, so he gets two birds with one 
> stone?

So, he finds her attractive and that excuses ... what exactly? 

> 
> >>Naama:
> >When has JKR shown us that Draco is anything but evil?! He starts 
> out as a snobbish, spoilt, spiteful brat and ends up an eager 
> collaborator of an evil regime - lapping up the opportunity to step 
> on and terrorize his fellow students.<
> 
> Betsy:
> I think you and I have a different definition of evil.  

Context, context, context. We see Draco in a certain environment. 
School. He is just about the worst fellow student one can have - in 
this sense he embodies something. Don't call it evil if you don't 
want to. It doesn't matter. The thing is, everything he does arises 
from mean, petty, vicious, sadistic motives and impulses. As a young 
boy, it expresses itself in relatively minor things. By having him 
part of the IS (mini-Stasi, as Nora aptly called it), JKR shows us a 
consistent development - from mean, vicious boy to dangerous, 
sadistic bully and terrorizer. 

> 
> Betsy:
> The extreme level of pay-back Draco *always* suffers makes what 
Draco 
> had been doing insignificant, IMO.  (Plus, when has Draco 
*succeeded* 
> in hurting anybody?)  

All the time - he hurts Ron with his jabs at his family, he makes 
Harry feel like shit, he hurts Neville, he shames Ginny in public, he 
offends Hermione, he sabotages Hagrid's lessons...  

>If JKR really meant for us to see Draco 
> as "Evil Personified: the junior edition" she would a) have at 
least 
> one, *one* of Draco's plots come to fruition, and b) have Draco get 
> away with a few of his crimes.  Evil must be scary.  Draco is many 
> things, but scary he is not.

See Nora's posts on Draco's role in the books. I fully concur.


Naama