Draco's Personality

[Geoff Bannister]

No: HPFGUIDX 165007

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, MadameSSnape at ... wrote:
  
> In a message dated 2/14/2007 11:02:07 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
> avitaldrucker at ... writes:
> 
> > Sherrie, Malfoy's not as bad as you think he is. He has come from the  wrong 
> > family and therefore tries to become a Death Eater (I think) in the 6th  book, 
> > but his heart's really not in it. Remember the part right before  Dumbledore 
> > dies when Malfoy lowers his wand a fraction of an inch? That shows  that 
> > Malfoy would probably go on the Order of the Phoenix's side if not for  his parents 
> > and the fact that Voldemort will kill him without hesitation if he  does.

Sherrie:
> I don't think he's irredeemable - I just don't LIKE him.  For the  record, I 
> also don't like Ron Weasley or his brother Percy.  Actually, some  of the time 
> I don't much like Harry.  Don't much care for a lot of the kids  - if I were 
> a Hogwarts professor, I'd probably have a lot of Snapish attitudes,  honestly. 
>  
> My point (besides the one on the top of my head) was that I wasn't  saying 
> that Harry should be punished because it was DRACO he hit with the  spell - he 
> should be punished for using it, period.

Geoff:
One of the things I always like about the Harry Potter books is that there 
are many characters who display a variety of  attitudes and outlooks and 
are not stereotyped into `goodies' or `baddies'. Unlike a lot of fiction, it's 
not the white hats versus the black hats but distinguishing which shade 
of grey hats the characters are wearing. :-) 

I have to admit that, although Dumbledore has vouched for Snape in the 
past and he appears to be on the side of the angels, I cannot stand the 
man. If possible I avoid threads involving him like the plague, He reminds 
me so much of a teacher I had when I was in my First Year at secondary 
school. Great was the loathing with which I loathed him.

As for Ron, I have occasional misgivings about him. There are times when 
he lets his temper get the better of him and I suspect that he can get very 
physical when annoyed. He also can be quite jealous even of Harry – 
perhaps especially of Harry.

Draco. Ah yes, Draco. I have in the past said that, speaking from my own 
viewpoint as a Christian, I would agree with Sherrie that he is not 
irredeemable. If there wasn't an opportunity of redemption for all of us, 
then we would be in a sad state. Everyone has a chance unless they 
deliberately and specifically refuse to take the offer. I also have to admit 
that I have an irrational liking for him; don't ask me why because I can't 
quantify it. 

As avitaldrucker says, Draco comes from the wrong family. He is an only 
child, apparently with little contact with others outside Hogwarts, and 
has had nothing but Death Eater propaganda and superiority pumped 
into him. He has been denied the chance to really develop his own world 
view. As a teacher, I can remember pupils who came from similar 
backgrounds and who spouted the same discriminatory and closed mind 
dogma. Hopefully, the events of HBP might have prised open the door of 
his mind sufficiently to let a blast of down-to-earth common sense in.