Does JKR want us to hate Draco? (was: Re: Admonishing Snape)

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 129649

>> bboyminn:
<major snip> 
>So, I don't think we are meant to like Draco, but we are meant to 
see his actions for what they are, and to look behind the surface and 
see how and why Draco can be who and what he is. So, we dislike Draco 
for his actions, but at the same time, can see who and what made 
Draco how he is, and in that, have some element of sympathy for him.<

Betsy:
I agree with this.  And I think it's that element of sympathy that 
Draco fans have run with.  I snipped your example of Draco's social 
awkwardness forcing Harry to choose between him and Ron as friends.  
For anyone who's had moments of awkward social breakdowns it's hard 
not to sympathise with Draco's complete failure with Harry, 
especially since Draco tries at least two (possibly three) times to 
win Harry over.  It's elements like this within the text that make me 
doubt that JKR really wants us to hate Draco, to see him without any 
shred of sympathy. 

>>bboyminn: 
>Plus, by not giving Draco's character any real depth on the page, 
JKR has left an element of ambiguity in his character. So far Draco's 
action have been very 'schoolboy'. He bullied, intimidated, annoyed, 
and irritated, but he has yet to do anything truly evil. That leaves 
open the possbility for him to see the error of his ways.<
<snip>

Betsy:
In many ways Draco has perfectly filled the role of "schoolboy 
bully". (Which is why, since Harry is not the typical schoolboy hero, 
Draco's attempts to hurt Harry fail so miserably, especially as Harry 
gets older.) And if that's how we're meant to see him, rather than as 
an evil little monster, than perhaps JKR *does* have a greater role 
in mind for Draco.  Within the "school days" story book genre I 
believe it's normal for the hero to have a peer rival. But don't 
those sort of books usually end with the hero and rival coming to 
some sort of peaceable conclusion?  Not that they become bosum 
buddies, but doesn't the rival or the bully generally come to some 
sort of realization that causes them to reform?  Could JKR have this 
sort of character arch in mind for Draco?

>>bboyminn:
<snip>
>As far as Slytherin House in general, I'm very much a believer 
in 'the Good Slytherin'.
<snip> 
>I simply refuse to believe that all Slytherins are uniformly evil. I 
strongly suspect that a majority of Slytherins are simply ambitious 
kids who want to keep their heads down, learn their lessons, leave 
school, and become sucessful. If they have any brains at all that 
aren't warped by hollow meaningless rhetoric, then they have to see 
that Voldemort is not good for business.<
<snip>

Betsy:
I think JKR has put a *number* of hints in the books that totally 
support the "Good Slytherin" and the "Slytherin does not equal evil" 
view point.  For one thing, none of the sneaky villains exposed so 
far have been Slytherins (except for Voldemort, of course <g>).  For 
another, the Sorting Hat has come right out and said that *all* 
houses must unite for good to prevail.

Since Draco is the face of Slytherin for Harry's peer group I feel 
like I'm not totally insane to think Draco may well be the "good" 
Slytherin.  And again, I think JKR has yet to thoroughly shut out 
that possibility.

[As a business aside, it would be wise for Lucius, now exposed as a 
Death Eater, to do all he can to prevent his heir from being tarred 
by the same brush.  It strikes me as prudent to make sure your 
business will succeed no matter who wins the war.  It would not 
surprise me too much if Lucius therefore encourages Draco to take a 
neutral position.  If Draco doesn't run out and join the Death Eaters 
because of an emotional need for revenge then there's hope that he'll 
think the matter through enough to recognize that, as you've said 
Bboyminn, Voldemort is bad for business.]

Betsy