Respecting the Dursleys( was:Re: Hi everyone -- banning the books)

[sistermagpie]

No: HPFGUIDX 159598


> Pippin:

> When he bullies we don't see him taking pleasure in scaring or 
hurting 
> people the way Draco does --  Dudley does it to impress his gang 
and keep 
> them entertained. Maybe that was the point of naming the victim 
Evans? 
> It could be Dudley's not as different from James as you might 
think.

Magpie:
I'm not sure what you mean about either Dudley or James here.  They 
do indeed take pleasure in scaring and hurting people--isn't that 
what bullying mostly is?  Impressing and entertaining your friends 
is also a plus, something I don't see as much different in Draco, 
but this just seems an odd distinction to make.  Canonically, 
bullying seems to be one of Dudley's favorite pastimes that he does, 
imo, do for fun--Harry is his "favorite punchbag" at 11.  That he, 
like James, seems less personally desperate to wound as Draco does 
at times doesn't make him enjoy bullying less. 

Draco also has what's described as a vague obsession with the "Dark 
Arts"--dark, scary things appeal to him, though he's just as afraid 
of them as attracted to them, it seems.  The other main difference 
between Draco and these other two when focusing on this one aspect 
of their personalities seems to me to simply be that Draco, unlike 
the other two, gets hurt or humiliated back--that's what brings out 
the more serious need to hurt others.  When he's more secure in his 
position of power he gets more pleasure out of it--he is like James, 
Dudley and Snape, taking pleasure in hurting or scaring others. Of 
the three James and Dudley are far more successful at bullying--and 
are ironically the less conflicted characters.

-m