More-More Thoughts about Draco

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 129700

Great Draco discussion going on right now. One that I have posted it,
but I want to make some independant points that are a little to broad
to post as a response directed at someone else's statements.

[Sorry, I didn't realise that there was already a 'More Thoughts on
Draco' thread running. I posted using the same title, but now I'm
reposting it under a slightly modified new title. Deleted the
original, hope that doesn't cause  problems.]


-Symapathy for the Devil-

In our overly liberal society we have fallen into the trap of thinking
that anything that can be explained can be justified. For example, a
juvenile is caught commiting a crime, he gets into court, and the
first thing his lawyer does is point out that the kid lives in a bad
neighborhood, he's influenced by gangs, he doesn't have a father
figure, his mommy doesn't hug him, etc... etc....

These things do explain how and why the kid did what he did, which for
some liberals is enough to excuse the kid, but this knowledge doesn't
justify or excuse what he did. It's not societies fault that he mugged
an old lady, that is a choice he made, and it is a choice that many
kids in his same position did not make. So, the mere fact that it can
be explained doesn't mean it can or should be excused.

The same is true of Draco, we can look at his history and background,
his family and social situation, and we can see what makes Draco who
and what he is, and even have legitimate sympathy for him because of
it. But those circumstances and our sympathy over those circumstances
while they explain Draco, they don't justify or excuse his actions.

JKR, in my view, has not painted Draco as evil, but she has painted
him very much with the potential for evil. In the last book, JKR left
Draco standing on at a precipice, teetering on the edge. Up until now
Draco has been mean and nasty, but I still say it has all been in
'schoolboy' catagory. Draco now has sufficient motivation to do
something truly dark and dangerous. His quarrel with Harry has now
become deeply personal in that it rocks the very foundation of Draco's
existance. Imagine, or at least imagine Draco imagining himself as
poor; without social status or wealth. To someone like Draco, whose
very existance is founded in social status and wealth, that is a fate
worse that death.

Up through the last book while JKR has confirmed that Draco is a mean
nasty lout, she has refrained from allowing Draco to act with truly
evil intent. I think the general flow of the story could allow Draco
one truly dispicable act, and still have room for redemption. But we
are nearing the point where Draco will fall over the edge and commit
an act so terrible that he can never pull back from it, he can never
be redeemed. In a sense, it is this moral uncertainty that makes Draco
such an interesting and appealing character.

Doesn't your mothering instinct give you the uncontrollable urge to
try and 'fix him'?

-Strategic Alliances-

I've already spoken about how disfunctional I think Draco is. Sadly,
in this sense, he is very much like Voldemort, and that is not a good
sign. In some sense, Draco is so completely convinced of his own
superiority, that any plan he has is instantly valid because it was
conceive by a superior being, himself. No need to refine it or work
out the details, or consult anyone else, just forge ahead with the
perfect plan. A perfect plan like attacking Harry on the train; pure
genius (he said sarcastically).

Part of Draco's social disfunction is related to the nature of
friendships. I don't think Draco is capable of true friendships, the
best he can create is strategic alliances. He may still learn to
overcome this as part of his redemption, but so far it eludes him.

When Draco met Harry in the robe shop, he is not seeking or offerring
friendship, but is evaluating Harry to determine if there is a
potential for a beneficial strategic alliance. What's your surname?
What do you think about 'those people'? Are you one of 'our kind'? My
father has wealth and status, and your's? Are you my equal at
Quidditch? Do you associate with underlings? In other words, are you
worthy of me, and what can you do for me?

Next we see Draco on the train, now he knows who Harry is, and he
knows the strategic value of befriending him. When they meet again,
Draco isn't simply introducing himself, everything he says is related
to building himself up and putting others down. He points out to Harry
the strategic value of the two of them forming an alliance.

To Draco, friendship for friendship sake, in his value system, doesn't
make sense, and he can't imagine why anyone would even consider being
friends with a Weasley. There is absolutely no strategic value in
that. Oh yes, perhaps there might come a time when one might lower
himself to being friendly to a Weasley if it could get you something
you wanted, but to actually be friends ... really, what's the point?

In Draco's mind, he gains status by associating with the famous 'boy
who lived'. Further, by offerring to help Harry make his way in the
wizard world, Draco is creating a debt that he can call on when he
needs Harry's assistance. Draco is not offering Harry friendship,
because someone raised in Draco's disfunctional environment doesn't
understand friendship. What Draco is offerring Harry is a self-serving
alliance couched in the guise of an alliance that serves Harry.

Harry on the other hand, can't understand friendship in Draco's
format. To him, Draco's idea doesn't make sense. To Harry, friendship
is a rare and valuable commodity to be treasured and guarded, and he
simply can't risk that precious treasure just to protect Draco's feelings.

We must ask, do you really think Grabbe and Goyle are Draco's friends?
Draco keeps them around because their presence serves him, and Grabbe
and Goyle keep Draco around because it serves them. It's a mutually
beneficial strategic alliance. One that either of them would drop in a
second if a better deal came along.

As a side note, people have wondered how two dullards like Crabbe and
Goyle could get into Slytherin. How can anyone consider them
ambitious? Well, they very wisely aligned themselves with Draco, and
even though they lack any brains, they can very easily ride Draco's
coattails to a place of wealth and status in the wizard world. Seem
pretty ambitious, and even more so, cunning to me. They are playing on
their strategic alliances and working the resources they do have to
their best advantage; its' just good business.

Conclusion-
Sympathy for Draco is legitimate and vaild as long as it is used to
understand him, but not to excuse him.

Draco is so socially disfunctional, that he doesn't understand true
friendship. Friendship is about benenfit; no benefit, no friendship.

Draco is not evil, so far, but he has shown the potential for evil,
and now he has the motivation he needs to cross the line and do
something truly dispicable and even irredeemable.

A few more thoughts on Draco.

Steve/bboyminn