Bad Slytherins/ Good Slytherins

[juli17 at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 129717


> Neil:
> I think one reason why people don't see the evil of Draco is that it
> is not related to huge, clear-cut incidents. We see it in some
> actions, parts of conversations. You have to pay attention, but for 
> me JKR did an excellent job in convincing me Draco is not nice.
> 
> imamommy:
> What clinches it for me is Draco's attitude in CoS.  He openly 
> says "You'll be next, Mudbloods" and to his cronies he expresses the 
> desire that Hermione will be killed.  That's pretty extreme for a 12 
> year old.   

Julie:
 Agreed, and you bring up a point about Draco that may explain part
of the sympathy some feel toward him, as well as why some hope 
he can still be redeemed. That point is that he is a child. Well, he
is now a teenager, but he's still not fully grown. I think many of us 
harbor the belief that troubled children, even *bad* children, can
be turned around with enough effort and understanding. At least 
we want to believe that if we give troubled children enough love 
and compassion, if we counsel them and teach them better ways 
to cope and to relate to others, then their lives can be salvaged 
before they reach a point of no return. 

Granted Draco and his ilk receive no such treatment at Hogwarts 
(which is another somewhat troubling subject entirely), but I 
think until he actually does something irredeemably evil, or 
until he reaches majority age with no perceptible change in 
attitude, there will probably be many (myself included) who 
aren't willing to write him off entirely. 

So I won't call Draco "evil" just yet, though he is certainly
headed straight in that direction. (And my own prediction
is that JKR probably will not alter that direction.)

Julie 


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