I've always liked the portrayal of Draco's bigotry because it did seem so petty and personal, and so very unlike politic Lucius, who quite obviously did not go around the place calling people Mudblood.
It's really kind of funny--it reminds me of an essay I remember writing in, like, tenth grade (OotP year) about "The Function of Pearl" in the Scarlet Letter, talking about how the illegitimate daughter in the story is kind of the personification of Hester Prynne's Scarlet Letter. I think I always think of Lucius a little like that. He's a DE, and here he is trying to be cool, but then he's got this kid who shows all the stuff Lucius knows enough to hide. Lucius is all trying to be, "Ah, I understand you mother was a...telephone operator? How intriguing." And Draco's like, "My daddy says you're a Mudblood. That true?"
Draco does not seem to have any idea of the fact that what he's saying is likely to produce outraged disbelief.
Yes, he probably thinks he sounds really grown up and making sure not to be mistaken for one of those loser kids who isn't fully a wizard. And it's not like he seems to be able to, like, talk to Lucius about his questions about this issue. I can't imagine him saying, "Um, Dad? I know Hermione Granger beats me because I'm lazy and so it's my fault, but how did Harry Potter put you in jail?"
It's significant, I think that in CoS he's all 'HAHAHA a Mudblood died!eleven!' and in HBP we see him amicably accepting comfort from that same Mudblood. He may know and see them (as Myrtle sees them) as kindred spirits in victimhood, he may not know - but even if he doesn't know, it means he didn't ask.
Right, I mean, Draco's priorities are seriously changing all year. Making sure he's talking to the "right sort" probably isn't high on the list at that point. Another thing I like about his conversation with Lucius in CoS is that Draco first brings Hermione up not as a Mudblood but as Hermione Granger, a teacher's favorite with a name. It's Lucius who corrects him, showing the way to classify her in his head as inferior when before she just seemed to bug him for being hard to beat.
'guess not all of Slytherin is evil... but Malfoy's evil overshadowed everyone so much, I cannot be blamed for thinking so! btw, what did you say your name was again? Excellent!'
I'm totally picturing Nott being all, "It's Nott. Theodore Nott. Your lab partner in fourth year? You put my father in jail? I saved you from a Skrewt sting? Any of this ringing a bell?"
It would be really, really interesting to see Hermione learn Draco'd copied her and be sort of flattered.
Yes--and I totally thought of Hermione copying the DEs as well. How does Draco get advice from her and believe she's inferior? Well, you can be a really scary bigot and do that, or you can maybe let yourself believe what you already know (that she's just a smart girl) and just avoid admitting it.
This was a terribly long and involved way to say, great essay! Call me and I will buy you a drink!
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Re: This is the only comment I have ever written to need two parts...-Go me!
Date: 2005-12-03 10:38 pm (UTC)It's really kind of funny--it reminds me of an essay I remember writing in, like, tenth grade (OotP year) about "The Function of Pearl" in the Scarlet Letter, talking about how the illegitimate daughter in the story is kind of the personification of Hester Prynne's Scarlet Letter. I think I always think of Lucius a little like that. He's a DE, and here he is trying to be cool, but then he's got this kid who shows all the stuff Lucius knows enough to hide. Lucius is all trying to be, "Ah, I understand you mother was a...telephone operator? How intriguing." And Draco's like, "My daddy says you're a Mudblood. That true?"
Draco does not seem to have any idea of the fact that what he's saying is likely to produce outraged disbelief.
Yes, he probably thinks he sounds really grown up and making sure not to be mistaken for one of those loser kids who isn't fully a wizard. And it's not like he seems to be able to, like, talk to Lucius about his questions about this issue. I can't imagine him saying, "Um, Dad? I know Hermione Granger beats me because I'm lazy and so it's my fault, but how did Harry Potter put you in jail?"
It's significant, I think that in CoS he's all 'HAHAHA a Mudblood died!eleven!' and in HBP we see him amicably accepting comfort from that same Mudblood. He may know and see them (as Myrtle sees them) as kindred spirits in victimhood, he may not know - but even if he doesn't know, it means he didn't ask.
Right, I mean, Draco's priorities are seriously changing all year. Making sure he's talking to the "right sort" probably isn't high on the list at that point. Another thing I like about his conversation with Lucius in CoS is that Draco first brings Hermione up not as a Mudblood but as Hermione Granger, a teacher's favorite with a name. It's Lucius who corrects him, showing the way to classify her in his head as inferior when before she just seemed to bug him for being hard to beat.
'guess not all of Slytherin is evil... but Malfoy's evil overshadowed everyone so much, I cannot be blamed for thinking so! btw, what did you say your name was again? Excellent!'
I'm totally picturing Nott being all, "It's Nott. Theodore Nott. Your lab partner in fourth year? You put my father in jail? I saved you from a Skrewt sting? Any of this ringing a bell?"
It would be really, really interesting to see Hermione learn Draco'd copied her and be sort of flattered.
Yes--and I totally thought of Hermione copying the DEs as well. How does Draco get advice from her and believe she's inferior? Well, you can be a really scary bigot and do that, or you can maybe let yourself believe what you already know (that she's just a smart girl) and just avoid admitting it.
This was a terribly long and involved way to say, great essay! Call me and I will buy you a drink!
Woo-hoo!