Revisiting meta about Draco...

[sweettalkeress.livejournal.com]

Did anyone else pick up on just how much Rowling's commentary about Draco seems to infantilize him? I'm totally serious--the way she writes about him he seems to be only slightly more mature and proactive than Harry! Look at the way she phrases things:

"Much of Draco's behavior at school was modeled on the most impressive person he knew--his father--and he faithfully copied Lucius's cold and contemputous manner toward everyone outside his inner circle.

...

However, Malfoy had his own moments of humiliation at Harry's hands....

...

Much as the Death Eaters disliked Harry as an obstacle and as a symbol, he was discussed seriously as an adversary, whereas Draco was still relegated to the status of schoolboy by Death Eaters who met at his parents' house.

...

At this early stage [of joining the Death Eaters]...Draco barely comprehended what he was being asked to do.

...

Even so, he could not free himself from his conditioning: he repeatedly refused the assistance of Severus Snape, because he was afraid that Snape would try to steal his 'glory.'

...

Even when faced with a weak and wandless Dumbledore, Draco found himself unable to deliver the coup de grace because, in spite of himself, he was touched by Dumbledore's kindness and pity for his would-be killer....Dumbledore was, indeed, killed [by something Draco caused]--though not by Draco's hand. [Rowling then explains that Snape lied and covered Draco's reluctance to kill Dumbledore to Voldemort].

...

Draco survived Voldemort's siege of Hogwarts because Harry and Ron saved his life."


And from Rowling's extra notes:

"Draco never realizes that he becomes, for the best part of a year, the true owner of the Elder Wand.
...
I pity Draco, just as I feel sorry for Dudley." (But, crucially, to "pity" someone is not the same as giving them true sympathy)

I just think it seems like a pattern, you know? Are there any other characters she does this to? Or is Draco a special case?

Comments

[vermouth1991.livejournal.com]

This material is so dreadful and I'm surprised that you're not internally bleeding just from typing this out. :(

[madderbrad.livejournal.com]

Where is this (new?) commentary, please?

I thought Draco grew up much the same as Harry in the books. By book 6 he was an expert Occlumens - superior to Harry, who never really tried to learn, or couldn't get past his hatred for Snape - was crying over the dilemma he was in, etc. In DH he half-heartedly tried to abandon Riddle - what's your take on that? He doesn't confirm their identities in the manor but then at Hogwarts seems quite happy to kill the Trio and is fighting with the DEs - or am I misremembering? - but in any case, certainly seemed to have grown up and was dealing with heavy issues.

The commentary, however, appears to reduce Draco to an inferior countenance, I agree.

And behold one of the hugest hidden plot holes of DH:

"Draco never realizes that he becomes, for the best part of a year, the true owner of the Elder Wand."

So, for 'the best part of a year', Draco Malfoy - treated as a schoolboy by the big bad death eaters skulking around his home - never loses his wand. Is never 'defeated' by his father, or the DEs, in any regard. The 'schoolboy' is never mocked or derided to the point where he is shoved to the ground, loses his wand, etc.

Yeah, I don't think so.

[merrymelody.livejournal.com]

JKR's standards shift depending on which character she's discussing, really.

Like in OotP, Harry's not being able to curse Bellatrix for any extended amount of time is a sign of his Pure Heart, and in HBP, the suggestion that Malfoy's going to curse Harry is presented as justification for Harry unleashing the unknown Sectumsempra; but then in DH, Malfoy's pitiful for being forced by Voldie to Crucio other Death Eaters, whereas Harry does it of his own volition and is then complimented for his gallantry.

I'd wonder if it's almost unconscious, tbh, like she mentions at the end of HBP how Harry always 'despised' Malfoy's 'fascination' with the Dark Arts. Like even on a Watsonian level, that's some pretty giant projecting from a character who's spent an entire book learning how to slice and dice his enemies.

MIRRORVERSE!HP TIME!

[guardians-song.livejournal.com]

In which Mirror!JKR treats Draco like she treats Harry...

"Draco modeled himself on the most impressive person he knew--his father--and faithfully did his best to live up to his father's cool confidence in the face of opposition.

...

However, Draco would suffer setbacks and even humiliation at Potter's hands....

...

Though the Death Eaters found Potter an irritating figurehead and obstruction, the Dark Lord's obsession forced them to regard him as a serious adversary, albeit grudgingly; they did not extend this age-inappropriate respect to Draco, who was treated as a mere schoolboy - when the same could be said of the much-discussed Potter! - by his father's peers, no matter how hard he worked to overcome the obstacles of his youth and (relative) ignorance.

...

Draco, still idealistic, earnest, and naive, did not yet grasp the enormity of the Dark Lord's command...

...

Even so, he struggled valiantly to preserve his pride: he turned down Severus Snape's assistance despite the man's repeated insistence to the contrary, because he wanted to accomplish the deed on his own merits rather than through an "adult's" last-minute intervention.

...

Even when faced with a defeated, broken enemy, Draco could not kill because, despite his commitment to the Dark Lord's service and his own need to reclaim his family's honor, he found himself moved by his fallen enemy's final words.... Though Dumbledore was indeed killed [by something Draco caused], it was not by Draco's hand. [Rowling then explains that Severus saved Draco from Voldemort's wrath by hiding from the Dark Lord the secret of the young man's compassion even to a fallen enemy].

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Potter and Weasley would redeem themselves at the Battle of Hogwarts, where they saved Draco from a botched spell by one of his friends (who, tragically, did not share Draco's unexpected good fortune)."

It's fun to spin things the opposite way while describing essentially the same events. 8P

(Disclaimer: I am not a Draco fan by any means. I am even less a fan of JKR's slanted descriptions of characters according to her playing of favorites. Harry was regarded as a serious adversary? Voldemort's insanity is showing...)

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I just think it seems like a pattern, you know? Are there any other characters she does this to? Or is Draco a special case?
Albus Dumbledore, who was a ~very moral student~ who would condone GENOCIDE out of ~love~.

"And I think that the sensitive, maybe sophisticated adult reader could see that Dumbledore, who had been a very, you know, a very moral student, a model student up to that point, who goes so wildly off the rail suddenly, to think « yeah, genocide, that’ll work ! ». You know — what did he feel for this person ? "

I will never get over that. NEVER.

My uncharitable opinion is that she infantilizes Dumbledore quite a lot in order to get him out of the consequences of his actions. In the books, she has characters regard him as hopelessly naive in 'his desire to think the best of people' - regarding actions for which, if she didn't hammer on the ~too good, too pure for this world~ angle, one might think he had ulterior motives of the manipulative kind. Out of them, she excuses even an apparent advocacy of GENOCIDE as ~because of love~.

Of course, whether a character gets the protective version or the condescending version depends upon whether they're in Gryffindor or Slytherin colors... :P

[nx74defiant.livejournal.com]

Much of Draco's behavior at school was modeled on the most impressive person he knew--his father--and he faithfully copied Lucius's cold and contemputous manner toward everyone outside his inner circle.

A boy wanting to be like his father is pretty normal. Especially if they have a good relationship.

Draco never realizes that he becomes, for the best part of a year, the true owner of the Elder Wand.
...

Because it makes no sense. Ugggg I hate the whole wand thing.

[nx74defiant.livejournal.com]

[Rowling then explains that Snape lied and covered Draco's reluctance to kill Dumbledore to Voldemort].

Because Voldemort is such an understanding boss, "You failed, but that is alright. You tried you best."