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

[cubfanbudwoman]

No: HPFGUIDX 124834


Naama: 
> > 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.<
> <snip>
 
Betsy:
> Did she? Well good for her.  I'm glad *someone* can tell the 
> difference between proper student discipline and out and out 
> abuse.  (You seriously think Draco *deserved* that treatment?  
<snip> 
> As to times to show compassion: There's the ferret bounce, the 
> time Draco lost the big Quidditch match, when his father got 
> thrown in jail, after he was wounded by the hippogriff.


SSSusan:
Butting in a bit late here, but....  Betsy, you clearly believe 
Draco's punishment was inappropriate, and thus Hermione (and many 
others) *should* have shown compassion for Draco.  

Do you also think that Lucius Malfoy's punishment was inappropriate, 
and that thus many students should have shown compassion for Draco?  

Is this really a situation in which someone would show 
*compassion*?  Draco's father had just attacked, *repeatedly*, six 
Hogwarts teenagers in an effort to assist his (evil) Lord Voldemort 
to regaining control of the WW.  I think most people see this 
behavior as reprehensible, illegal, and certainly worthy of 
punishment.  

Just what kind of compassion is owed to Draco for this?  The "loss" 
of his father, justifiably, to prison?  While I could see other DE 
kids showing understanding or compassion, why in the world should 
the kids who could've gotten killed at the hands (wands) of Lucius 
Malfoy or those he clearly commanded at the DoM feel compassion for 
the son who supports him?

I mean, you did go on to say this:

> Not that I really would expect any of the Gryffindor kids to show 
> compassion at those times (except maybe the ferret bounce - good 
> on Hermoine).  These kids are enemies after all.  And I wasn't 
> suggesting that Harry and co. never show compassion.  I *was* 
> pointing out the limitations of Harry's POV. 


SSSusan again:
But I don't see how this helps your case.  These are the examples 
you gave for places where compassion could have been shown, but then 
you say you wouldn't really expect compassion to be shown then.  It 
just seems pretty circular.  

MAYBE Draco does some good things offscreen, but it's a big maybe, 
isn't it?  We've got no evidence that he doesn't; we've also got no 
evidence that he does.


Betsy:
> But see, it does matter, because you are trying to say Draco is 
> evil.  And yet, he doesn't fit the discription.  He doesn't 
> actually *terrorize* the other students.  No one is afraid to see 
> him coming. 
<snip>
> So, in sum, he pokes fun at people....  I mean, gosh, he *is* 
> horribly petty. 


SSSusan:
I think there is evidence that he does terrorize other students.  
What he does is worse than poking fun, which sounds gentle to me.  
IMO he is a bully who hopes to evoke terror.  They may not be 
*afraid* to see him coming any more, but that is likely because they 
feel they can handle what he puts out now.  But the crap he dishes 
to Ron, the insults he hurls at Hermione & Neville, the challenges 
he issues Harry... I think they DO dread seeing him coming, even if 
they don't fear him any more.

Maybe that's your point.  He's pathetic enough to be pitied?  If it 
is, I just don't pity people like that, I guess.

Siriusly Snapey Susan