[HPforGrownups] Re: More-More Thoughts about Draco

[Sherry Gomes]

No: HPFGUIDX 129729

> Steve:
> > 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.

> Gerry:
> Nasty absolutely. Schoolboy category? I don't agree. Could you explain
> to me why you see the Buckbeak incident as a schoolboy thing? For me
> this incident is so utterly evil. The casual disregard for life and
> other people's suffering Draco displays here are to me examples of him
> being really evil. Nothing schoolboy there.


Just a passing thought here... I get the impression that Malfoy regards 
Buckbeak along the lines of a dog. No respect for him as any sort of 
even semi-sentient being. Just a "pet" of Hagrid's. So although his 
desire to see him executed is certainly malicious, I don't see it as 
homicidal. Evil, yes, in the sense that killing someone's beloved pet is 
evil, yet not in the same plane as killing a person. Yes, he's still a 
nasty bit of work, but not *yet* ESE.

Michelle, my third post of the night, whenever the mods let me play....


Sherry now:

i've probably posted enough comments here that people know I have a soft
spot for animals.  I consider maliciousness and cruelty to animal a terrible
crime.  However, for me, the true nasty evil in the Buckbeak incident is
Draco's desire to hurt Hagrid.  He revels in Hagrid's pain and grief and
makes fun of him over it.  maybe that's not evil in comparison to Voldemort
and death eaters, but it is something cruel and vicious beyond school boy
pranks to me.  And yes, I know, the pensive scene with the marauders and
Snape is equally nasty and the Marauders turn out to be the good guys.  So,
perhaps it could happen to Draco.  But I see Hagrid as someone who is
innocent and naive and can't imagine how anyone could want to hurt such a
gentle being.  If we are ever shown more information about the pensive
scene, of which I don't think we've been given all the details, maybe we
will see there was something more to it, or we will see that the marauders
were a bunch of prats as school boys.  Then I'll have more hope for Draco's
eventual redemption.  Now I only see a boy who takes great delight in
causing harm, even if it is only emotional harm, to someone he perceives as
beneath him.  I don't hold out a lot of hope for such a boy.

Sherry