Draco an underdog?

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 131964

> >>Alla:
> <snip> 
> Also, I don't even view Draco as underdog in his relationship 
> with Harry, because IMO even thought he loses, he is not supposed 
> to lose.

> >>Betsy Hp:
> <snip>
> Draco only ever has his bravado and a good front.  Which is all an 
> underdog ever has.
 
> >>Phoenixgod:
> I think both of you are wrong ;) I don't think either Draco or     
> Harry are underdogs in the relationship with each other.  While I   
> wouldn't call Harry a golden boy (too much %^%&* piled on the poor 
> guy for that) I don't see Draco as quite as pathetic as you do,    
> betsy.  I also think that you are working under differing          
> definitions of underdog.  To me, and I think to Alla, an underdog   
> is a good person, not really looking for trouble, but ends up in   
> some anyway, without the ability to get out of it easily.
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
Whenever there's a conflict, there's an underdog.  Unless the 
contests end in perpetual ties, which *never* happens with Harry and 
Draco.  Harry is always the definitive winner.  Now if you want to 
put some sort of moral high ground to being the underdog, then yes, 
the title gets a little harder to bestow.  (Though I'm not sure 
there's anything morally wrong with wanting to win a quidditch match, 
but I digress.)  However, you're right Phoenixgod, I'm not defining 
Draco's underdog status with his morality or lack thereof.

And I don't think Draco is pathetic.  There's a certain grit needed 
to enter into a contest with someone who *always* beats you.  (And 
that *is* a common underdog theme of the various sports movies out 
there.)  

I *will* say it's an interesting tack for JKR to take with regards to 
Draco.  Because giving someone the underdog status *does* tend to win 
over audience sympathies.  It's story-telling shorthand, like having 
the villain kick a dog and the hero rescue a kitten.  It would have 
been so easy for her to have nipped that particular facet of Draco's 
character in the bud.  Have him win a fight with Harry.  Have him win 
a quidditch match.  Let him get away with *something*. It's part of 
the reason I hope for good things in Draco's future.

> >>Phoenixgod:
> Draco picks every fight he gets in with Harry and then loses.
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
No he doesn't.  Draco can't even win a quidditch match against 
Harry.  And weirdly enough, the big game was won because *Harry* had 
the better broom.  It goes against all sports story telling but JKR 
has her hero win the big game because his godfather is loaded enough 
to get him the top of the line equipment.  And Harry usually wins his 
fights with Draco because Harry brings an army to the field; the 
numbers are *always* on Harry's side.  Which goes against the rules 
of story telling again.  Somehow, JKR makes it work.  For a lot of 
people anyway.  But it's weird to me that she takes that particular 
path in the first place.

> >>Phoenixgod: 
> While I agree that generally, Harry is only an underdog in his own 
> mind, I think you make too much of the Weasley family support and 
> Dumbledore's.
> <snip> 

Betsy Hp:
Alla made a similar point about Dumbledore a few posts up.  And I 
*really* don't want to get into another "is Dumbledore evil?" 
argument again.  Suffice it to say, Dumbledore sacrifices his own job 
to prevent Harry being expelled, and he returns the invisibility 
cloak Harry lost while breaking school rules.  This is not normal 
headmaster to student behavior.  Especially from a headmaster with a 
coded office door. (The gargole doesn't suggest an open door policy, 
so I imagine Draco was comforted by Snape if anyone.)

As to the Weasleys, Arthur certainly has a finger in various parts of 
the WW government.  It's all underground, so to speak, but it's 
enough to keep him informed and he seems quite well known.  Within 
Hogwarts' walls, the Weasley twins are a formidable pair and they 
provide Harry sound backing when he needs it.  (They usually form 
part of his army whenever Harry needs to smear Draco into the ground.)

Of course, everything seems primed to shift in the next year.  The 
twins are gone but Harry has the DA now.  Draco seems to be moving 
beyond school-boy rivalry, but his family name is in disgrace.  So 
whatever the rules used to be, I don't think we can count on them for 
HBP.

Betsy Hp, counting down the days.  (Oh, and happy birthday USA!  229 
years young. <g>)