Random Thoughts on Draco

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 125442


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "a_svirn" <a_svirn at y...> wrote:
> 
> 
>  "Steve"  wrote:
> 
> > As to whether Draco is pampered, spoiled, or indulged; I think 
> > not. Draco comes from a family of wealth, privilege, and status. 
> > Because of this, members of the family are expected to conduct 
> > themselves with dignity, restraint, and formality at all times. 

> a_svirn:
>
> And when and where did Draco demonstrate this "degree of restraint 
> and formality"? I couldn't recall a single example. 

bboyminn (steve):

When I refer to 'degree of restraint and formality', I am referring to
 Draco's general public face. What he does in private, especially what
he does away from the gaze of his parents is quite another thing. But
the /private face/ of everyone, especially when they are out of sight
of authority figures is always quite different than their public face.


> Steve:
> 
> > Notice that the Malfoys produced one male heir and stopped having
> > kids. They had done their formal duty, they had done what society
> > had expected of them, and that is all they were obligated to do. 

> a_svirn:
> 
> Actually, it is considered prudent for those who are in habit of 
> contracting strategic alliances to have at least two sons. A woman 
> is said to have done her duty by her husband only when she's born a 
> heir and a spare. The Prince of Wales's marriage being the case in 
> point. 

bboyminn (steve):

We are arguing the finer points now. The more general point is the
continuation of the bloodline and the family name, and in Draco, they
have that. Besides, by wizard standards, Mr and Mrs Malfoy are
relatively young, and in Draco's absents, should duty call again, they
are still in a position to produce another heir.


> Steve:
> > 
> > At their first meeting in Madame Malkin's Robe shop, Draco
> > demonstrates his self-important formal privileged old-money
> > aristocratic values. 

> a_svirn:
> 
> Yes, he indeed "demonstrated" these values as you put it. And he did 
> it precisely because he is spoilt rotten and rather unwise into the 
> bargain. These values are not to be "demonstrated" they are to be 
> implied as subtly as possible. 

bboyminn (steve):

Well, I did say that Draco doesn't really understand how to play the
'old-money' game very well. 

In a sense, in the Madame Malkin's Robe Shop scene, Draco is testing
Harry, testing him in the sense of trying to find out who his is, and
whether he is a social equal to Draco, at least on some level.

"But they were /our/* kind, weren't they?" (* author emphasis)

"I really don't think they should let the /other/* kind in, do you? (*
my emphasis)

"/They're/* just not the same, they...never...know /our/* ways." (*
both my emphasis)

"I think they should keep it in old wizarding families."

The Draco concludes with...

"What's your surname, anyway?"
[SS/PS, Am Ed, PB pg 98]

Draco clearly lays out his own aristocratic postion, in the process,
trying to get a picture of where Harry stands. Is he sympathetic to
the pureblood cause? Finally asking the big question of Harry's surname. 

Draco is maintaining a degree of social aloofness and restrained
formality even as he is giving away his pureblood bias. I don't think
in this case Draco is so much bragging, as he is trying to establish
the social /pecking order/ between them; superior, inferior, or equal,
and in what ways.

This represents an in-between social face for Draco. It's a private
conversation between potential equals, in the presents of
insignificant servants and underlings (the shopkeepers and
attendants). So, Draco can afford to be a little more bold than he
could in a completely public situation. At the same time, Draco does
not gush, fawn, or speak with giddy delight; he maintains an aloof,
restrained dignity suiting his social status.

As far as Draco being spoiled, that's a very tricky game of subtle
definitions and interpretaitons. I prefaced my original post with...

'As to whether Draco is pampered, spoiled, or indulged; I think not.'

That is, 'I think not' in the sense that other people in the various
Draco discussion are portraying him.

I go on to say in a later paragraph that Draco very probably does have
the best of everything, and has it in opulent excess. Being a person
of wealth, status, and privilege, very often Draco does get exactly
what he wants (materially). But Draco is so indulged as a matter of
the normal course of his position of wealth and status. Where as
Dudley is indulged and behaves in a very different way.

Given his social status, if Draco behaved as Dudley does, in such an
undignified manner, it would be scandalous. However, in the private
company of friends and in the private domain of unsupervised school,
we see a lot of Dudley in Draco's bullying behavior. Draco is just
much more classy about it than Dudley, and that 'classiness' is the
very point I am making.

Dudley bullies in a loud, obnoxious, uncouth, brute force, no-brains
sort of way. Draco bullies with some sense of dignified restraint, and
some attempt at sophistication. While we can draw many parallels
between Dudley and Draco's actions, we see a big difference in their
motivations and attitude. 

Not so much defending Draco as just trying to put things in perspective.

Steve/bboyminn