Hagrid the animal abuser/The uses of beasts in fables/ Draco and Hagrid

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 166205

> > >>Alla:
> > And I am really not sure how more specific Hagrid could have 
been.
> > <snip>
> 
> Betsy Hp:
> "Hippogriffs can actually understand English, or at least, insults 
> given in English.  If you direct any towards them they will 
attack.  
> Please note their claws here, etc. etc."  Then maybe follow up 
with 
> a "Would someone like to list the best ways to aggravate a 
> Hippogriff?"  And (and frankly this is the no-brainer portion of 
the 
> lesson for me) bring only *one* hippogriff for the class to 
interact 
> with. 


Alla:

Okay, fair enough. 

> Betsy Hp:
> And yet, I insult my cat all the time and she eats it up.  Like a 
> character in a Jack London book, I tend to cuss my beasties while 
I 
> love on them.  So yeah, I'd have not gotten along with a 
hippogriff. 
> <g> 

Alla:

But if you knew that your cat **will** be insulted at your words and 
may hurt you because of that, you would not have insulted her, no? 

> Betsy Hp:
> <g> 
> 
> Honestly, Draco's words never really struck me as all that 
> insulting.  My sister regularly refers to her bulldog as a 
drooling 
> mutt, and he loves it.  It's kind of what you do with animals.  
That 
> hippogriffs won't stand for it is a little weird to me.  It's not 
> something I'd just nod my head in a "ah yes, no insults" sort of 
> way.  I'd need to know exactly what was meant.  (I'm probably 
being 
> far too Muggle here. <eg>) <SNIP>

Alla:

I think what matters is that these words were insulting for Buckbeak 
and they really did struck me as **very** insulting. Now I read with 
interest the discussion about writing about animals as humans in 
children books, and I am not sure what I think about it yet, BUT I 
certainly think that Hypoggrifs are portrayed as intelligent animals.

Oh, and about RL animals, I think what also matters here is tone. I 
certainly see saying something insulting to animal, but in different 
tone, if it makes sense.

But again, I think Hypoggrifs are exhibiting humanlike reaction 
here, for sure and I think in that case Draco's words are incredibly 
disgusting.

I think it supposed to add the gravity to Draco afterwards actions. 
I think ( and I am not saying you should, it is just what I think 
JKR implies) we supposed to assume that hypoggrifs are sentient 
beings of the sort. Not quite like humans maybe, but like 
Crookshanks IMO.

And Draco **laughs** when he talks about his upcoming execution. I 
cannot express how very disgusting I find it and I also can tell you 
that it was no surprise to me that Draco graduated from helping the 
attempts to execute a hypoggrifs to the preparing the execution of 
the human being in HBP. That was very natural progression for me.



And here is another thing. I am convinced as I mentioned to Magpie 
that there was **nothing** innocent or even careless in Draco's 
behaviour during that lesson. I am convinced of that mainly because 
of his remarks about Hagrid in his first year without even meeting 
Hagrid. If I did not read those remarks, I may have thought 
otherwise. As of it is, I view it as continious grudge towards 
Hagrid. BUT even if Draco was simply careless on that lesson, for 
his behaviour afterwards he in my mind deserves much more than one 
slap from Hermione.

"Harry took Malfoy's shrivelfig as Ron began trying to repair the 
damage

to the roots he now had to use. Harry skinned the shrivelfig as fast 
as

he could and flung it back across the table at Malfoy without 
speaking.

Malfoy was smirking more broadly than ever.

 

"Seen your pal Hagrid lately?" he asked them quietly.

 

"None of your business," said Ron jerkily, without looking up.

 

"I'm afraid he won't be a teacher much longer," said Malfoy in a 
tone of

mock sorrow. "Father's not very happy about my injury --"

 

"Keep talking, Malfoy, and I'll give you a real injury," snarled Ron.

 

"- he's complained to the school governors. And to the Ministry of

Magic. Father's got a lot of influence, you know. And a lasting 
injury

like this" -- he gave a huge, fake sigh -- "who knows if my arm'll 
ever

be the same again?"

 

"So that's why you're putting it on," said Harry, accidentally 
beheading

a dead caterpillar because his hand was shaking in anger. "To try to 
get

Hagrid fired."

 

"Well," said Malfoy, lowering his voice to a whisper, "partly, 
Potter.

But there are other benefits too. Weasley, slice my caterpillars for

me." _ PoA, p.125, paperback.

JMO,

Alla