JKR's lesson on prejudice

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 180492

> Geoff:
> From my perspective, I think this is a case of six of one and half 
a 
> dozen of the other. The more I go back and read the initial 
contacts
> between Draco and Harry, the more I see the results of their 
> pre-conditioning. The more I lament the outcome.
> 
<SNIP>


Alla:

I snipped rather randomly, but I think I am replying to your other 
points as well. Oh well, anybody can go upthread and read them :)

The bottom line for me though is whether you (hypothetical you) can 
find anything that you can LIKE in anything what Draco said to Harry 
in that scene.

I am not talking about Harry not knowing everything about Draco 
(although truly even at the end of book 7 I cannot see anything very 
likable about him, but that's just me), because of course he does 
not know everything about him.

My only point was very strong disagreement that Harry's INITIAL 
dislike of Draco was based on prejudice, that's all.

What I am trying to say is that I do not see any reason WHY Harry 
would like Draco based on him badmouthing his friends.

That's all I am saying - that Harry's initial dislike of Draco was 
very understandable and very real thing, to me of course.

I do not see anything PREJUDICIAL about it. For example, say Draco 
did something nice to Harry, or even was perfectly neutral to him, 
did not do anything whatsoever. And then we would hear Harry's 
thoughts - Oh Oh this kid is a Slytherin, I do not want to be 
friends with him.

THAT in my mind is prejudice, absolutely. But Harry's dislike is not 
based on that, no? Harry's dislike based on Draco's badmouthing 
Hagrid and then Ron. And by the way, what does Hagrid's and Ron 
friendly treatment of Harry has to do with evaluation of Draco's 
behavior?

I mean, that's the point, no? Harry liked them and Draco badmouthed 
them, badmouthed them with no real offenses of theirs whatsoever.

Again, what IS prejudicial in Harry's dislike then?

Here is another example. I absolutely think that I am prejudicial 
against Kreacher. I wanted little twit's head cut off very badly.

I mean, I am an intelligent person and I totally get that what 
author wanted to convey here is not what I am getting out of the 
books, but I cannot help myself. Why? Because every time I read 
about Kreacher, all I can think about is how badly Sirius suffered 
in OOP and little shmack went and contributed to Sirius' dying.

Accordingly despite me understanding in my head that Kreacher was 
being mistreated by wizards and Sirius, I cannot bring myself to be 
sympathetic and I feel that Harry was being WAY too sympathetic than 
little twit deserved.

But but despite me feeling that way Kreacher WAS being mistreated if 
I read the book objectively, was he not?

Same thing in this scene, I am not asking how somebody can love 
Draco's behavior in this scene, this is an emotional reaction and 
does not have to be explained IMO.

Just as me liking Sirius' and hating Kreacher does not have to be 
explained.

But what I AM asking is how one can say that HARRY is the one who is 
prejudiced in this scene (and I am only talking about this scene 
now) if one reads the scene dispassionately.

Harry did not spout insults on Draco, Draco did on his friends and 
if Harry disliked it, that's prejudice on his part? I do not think 
so, but that's just my opinion obviously.


JMO,

Alla