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

[festuco]

No: HPFGUIDX 129765


> Geoff:
> Bear in mind though that when Draco said this, he was 12.
> 
> I know from my own personal experience and that of dealing with guys
> of that age over many years that young gentlemen of 12 can be very
> bloodthirsty in their thinking; and they don't always think through
> the consequences of what carrying out their fantasies would mean.

I have the same experience. Bloodthirsty in their thinking: until
something bad actually happens. Then for almost all of them reality
kicks in, and they discover there is a big differenct between the talk
and the actual result of a classmate, or even someone they don't know
being really hurt. What we see with Draco is the exact opposite: 

Draco's famous words are after the attack on Nearly Headless Nick and
Justin Finch-Fletchly. There is a lot of fear in the castle. Does that
give him a wake-up call? Does that make him feel that there is a
difference between not liking muggle-borns and seeing them coming to
harm? No, he likes what is happening. He hopes it will get worse. That
is not a boy parroting his daddy's views. That is a boy showing a
truly rotten side of himself. 

As for Snape versus Draco:

George:
Draco, on the
other hand is parroting what he has been told by his family, by
friends of the family and also by the attitudes which Snape -
someone to whom he apparently looks to as a model - has demonstrated
in his sight and hearing. 

Gerry 
As far as we know, Snape never shows any anti-muggleborn prejudice. He
dislikes his students for themselves, not for their background, except
Harry, whom he dislikes because of James, and also for -in Snape's
eyes - being like James himself. 

Snape abuses his power in the class-room, absolutely true, but he
never wants any of his students to come to actual physical harm. AND
Snape displays personal courage to do the right thing. He did not have
to show his Dark Marc to Fudge, yet he did. He did not have to save
Harry's life in PS, yet he did. He did not have to warn the Order that
Harry thought Sirius was in danger, (and thus saving Harry's life
again) yet he did. 

Draco, on the other hand, uses all the opportunities he has to abuse
his power. And does nothing else. Did he have to set up Harry for the
midnight duel in PS? No, yet he did. Did he have to give hints that
Sirius was responsible for the death of Harry's parents in PoA,
goading him to go after Black himself? No, yet he did. Did he have to
fake his injury and let his dad use this as evidence against Buckbeak?
No, yet he did. Did he have to join the inquisitorial squad, and
having joined, did he have to abuse his power? No, yet he did. 

Mind you, I won't say a thing against Draco for impersonating a
dementor (PoA), or for him making the buttons in GoF. These I consider
real pranks. Not very nice, the first one absolutely not sporting, but
certainly not evil. 

I don't buy the 'he is only 12 argument.' At twelve, away from his
parents, he can think on his own. Lucius certainly will have installed
feelings of blood-superiority in him, but relishing in other people's
misery is something which comes from Draco's very own emotional
make-up. And what we see through the books is that he not only holds
to his views, he acts upon them, whenever he gets the chance. That,
for me, makes him evil. The combination of his thoughts, feelings AND
actions. It is not the big evil that LV is, and the DE's do, but it is
a petty evil he displays here. But with the potential and the
inclination to move forward to the real thing. And I think there is a
much bigger chance that he will like the real thing, than that he will
step back and suddenly develop a conscience. 

Gerry