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

[Katherine Coble]

No: HPFGUIDX 129654


On May 28, 2005, at 5:30 PM, horridporrid03 wrote:

> >> 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.

K:

Which I think is a mistake.....Draco fans need to unOprahize their 
relationship with this creep.


>  >>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?
>
K:   I don't think Draco's role is to serve as the "Schoolboy Bully" at 
all.   I think Draco's role in the story is to serve as the peer 
manifestation of the external threat from the Death Eaters.  He's the 
only thing within the walls of Hogwarts to keep the DE/V contingent 
alive as an ever-present danger, and thus serves that device.  He is 
the Dragon of Bad Faith.   That is what his name means, and that is 
what he is--pure and simple.

As far as the character arc goes--she would have started redeeming him 
in Book 5, not any later, imho.   If there is anybody she is set on 
redeeming,at least partially, it's Dudley.   Dudley has lost weight 
(she uses overweight as a shorthand for bad--something that gets me 
riled) and has earned Harry's sympathy through the Dementor attack.   
That was the beginning of any redemption she feels for him.

If anything, book 5 shows Draco growing even MORE despicable.  Besides 
which--if he were going to be redeemed, it should have happened before 
his dad got caught.  Now any redemption looks half-ass in my opinion.




>  >>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.

>  <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. 

K:  ITA....there will be a good slytherin.  It fits the point of Harry 
unifying the WW, which I think is the larger part of the story.  
However, I think the good slytherin is somebody that has been minor 
heretofore.

>
>  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.

K:  I respectfully decline to agree.  I think that one of the devices 
JKR will use to bring the "good slytherin" to light will be that 
person's defiance of some upcoming tyranny of Draco's.   Sort of a 
microcosm of Harry's conflict with Voldemort.



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