[HPforGrownups] Draco and Harry initial meeting WAS : Re: JKR's lesson on prejudice

[Sharon Hayes]

No: HPFGUIDX 180550


> > > Alla:
> > >
> > > Well, again Draco is not in Slytherin yet, isn't he? I am only
> > > talking about their initial meetings before they were sorted.
> >
> > Geoff:
> > Ah, but.....
> > '"Know what house you'll be in yet?"
> > "No," said Harry, feeling more stupid by the minute.
> > "Well, no one really knows until they get there, do they,
> > but I know I'll be in Slytherin, all our family have been -"'
> >
> > ( PS, "Diagon Alley", p.60 UK edition)
> >
> > Enough to trigger Harry's alarm bells, I suspect.
> >
>
>
> Alla:
>
> Ah, but......
>
> Actually no, let me say that much - that COULD have been exactly the
> statement that I was looking for to show that Harry's dislike of
> Draco at least partially based on prejudice, IF.....
>
> when Draco said this Harry knew anything bad about Slytherin.
>
> Hagrid says his Slytherin is no good thing approximately four pages
> after exchange that you quoted occurred.
>
>
> So, I am afraid not enough to trigger Harry's alarm bells, since at
> this point Harry has no alarm bells to be triggerred.
>
> I am quoting the exchange right since you started till Hagrid saying
> his thing. And narrator tells us that Harry disliked the boy ONLY
> after he starts making jabs on Hagrid.
>
> Those are roughly pages 77-79 of PS/SS amer.paperback and no, I did
> not type them all up right now - it was much earlier.

Geoff:
Yes, I've picked the wrong spot. I'm really tending to base my thinking
on the train exchange because I think that most of the intense rivalry
and dislike between the two boys stems from that seminal point where
Harry refuses Draco's hand.

I don't see that as prejudice but as the slightly ruffled reaction when
a first contact with someone new goes wrong. I can remember a similar
situation years ago when I met a new teaching colleague and he said
something in the first couple of minutes which raised my hackles and
it was a long time before we really felt at ease working with each other.

Sharon:
Honestly guys! Isn't it obvious that all that apparent hatred, angst and rivalry between Harry and Draco is masking sexual tension? Dumbledore isn't the only one who's gay if you ask me. It's so obvious ;-)