or is the idea that Voldemort is the natural result of that kind of bigotry?
You're right, and I agree that Voldemort's idea was a result of the pureblood idea. But he took it to a whole new level and made it a whole new class of his own. The pureblood idea I think is a lot quiert, but Voldemort doesn't just believe that mudbloods don't belong in wizaring society, he thinks they should be massacred; he doesn't just think that mudbloods are lesser than purebloods, he thinks that they're filth. I see the difference between the two as being the extent of the prejudism.
But the attitude Draco's espoused since Book II is Voldemort's, where Muggleborns are "filth" and inferior
Which is why I think it's all about the extent. Draco was prejudist in the first book, but on a totally different level. He instead mudbloods 'the other sort' and didn't seem to hold any sort of hatred or animosity or even disgust towards them. There isn't even any superiority, but an understanding that they don't really fit in. He just doesn't like them and would prefer it if they stayed in muggle society where they were born. Pretty reasonable, if you ask me. And I think he'll revert back to that.
Later, like you said, he came to Voldemort's level, to his extent, which is that mudbloods are filthy, they are lesser, and they deserve to be purged. And I think you're right in that he will lose that, but I think he'll lose it, not in favour of not being at all prejudiced, but in favour of the extent that he was at in first year. I think the prejudism will always be there. But the extent will be lessened considerably and will fall back to first year, where it was compromising and rational. I just don't think that he'll ever be friends with a mudblood, or ever try to be, or ever even want to be.
not that they just don't know Wizarding ways, which is something that Hermione again proves wrong.
I don't think that Hermione really knows anything about wizarding culture. She's read all the books, and she knows the history like she knows the back of her hand. But when you think about it, it's always Ron, who does poorly in class and has never read any history book, that provides the information on wizarding culture. She might know about the Basilisk, and she might know about the schools, but Ron's the one who really gets it, who really understands it, because there are somethings about culture that you can't explain in any book. You need to witness it, experience it, get a feel of it. Which is what Draco says. He doesn't say that they don't know anything, he says that they don't have the proper feel, which I think is the absolute truth. She doesn't have the feel of it. She has the knowledge, she has the facts, but she doesn't have the feeling. I always thought that was what was so distressing for her, because she knew that no matter how many books she read, and she could every book in the world, she will never have that intuitive feel of wizarding society that Ron, and Draco, has. They were born into this, raised and reared into it. They're the ones with the real magic, the magic that comes from belonging, that comes from memories and experiences and upbringing. Hermione is a witch because she has a wand and she can use it. But Ron and Draco are wizards because they were born into a society of wizards, they were raised in the heart of wizarding culture, they were reared since infancy in a world of magic and wonder, where anything can happen. They grew up in the skies flying broomsticks, chatted with portraits of dead ancestors, fudged potions and played pranks, nicked their parents wand and fired jinxes. Their wands are only accessories. Hermione is living, breathing evidence that you can read every book in the world, but unless you're born into a culture, you will never truly fit in. She is evidence that you don't just walk into the wizarding world and belong; you need to have the feel of it. And feel is such an intimate word, but it's so appropriate. It's not about knowing, it's about feeling.
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Date: 2005-12-05 12:36 am (UTC)or is the idea that Voldemort is the natural result of that kind of bigotry?
You're right, and I agree that Voldemort's idea was a result of the pureblood idea. But he took it to a whole new level and made it a whole new class of his own. The pureblood idea I think is a lot quiert, but Voldemort doesn't just believe that mudbloods don't belong in wizaring society, he thinks they should be massacred; he doesn't just think that mudbloods are lesser than purebloods, he thinks that they're filth. I see the difference between the two as being the extent of the prejudism.
But the attitude Draco's espoused since Book II is Voldemort's, where Muggleborns are "filth" and inferior
Which is why I think it's all about the extent. Draco was prejudist in the first book, but on a totally different level. He instead mudbloods 'the other sort' and didn't seem to hold any sort of hatred or animosity or even disgust towards them. There isn't even any superiority, but an understanding that they don't really fit in. He just doesn't like them and would prefer it if they stayed in muggle society where they were born. Pretty reasonable, if you ask me. And I think he'll revert back to that.
Later, like you said, he came to Voldemort's level, to his extent, which is that mudbloods are filthy, they are lesser, and they deserve to be purged. And I think you're right in that he will lose that, but I think he'll lose it, not in favour of not being at all prejudiced, but in favour of the extent that he was at in first year. I think the prejudism will always be there. But the extent will be lessened considerably and will fall back to first year, where it was compromising and rational. I just don't think that he'll ever be friends with a mudblood, or ever try to be, or ever even want to be.
not that they just don't know Wizarding ways, which is something that Hermione again proves wrong.
I don't think that Hermione really knows anything about wizarding culture. She's read all the books, and she knows the history like she knows the back of her hand. But when you think about it, it's always Ron, who does poorly in class and has never read any history book, that provides the information on wizarding culture. She might know about the Basilisk, and she might know about the schools, but Ron's the one who really gets it, who really understands it, because there are somethings about culture that you can't explain in any book. You need to witness it, experience it, get a feel of it. Which is what Draco says. He doesn't say that they don't know anything, he says that they don't have the proper feel, which I think is the absolute truth. She doesn't have the feel of it. She has the knowledge, she has the facts, but she doesn't have the feeling. I always thought that was what was so distressing for her, because she knew that no matter how many books she read, and she could every book in the world, she will never have that intuitive feel of wizarding society that Ron, and Draco, has. They were born into this, raised and reared into it. They're the ones with the real magic, the magic that comes from belonging, that comes from memories and experiences and upbringing. Hermione is a witch because she has a wand and she can use it. But Ron and Draco are wizards because they were born into a society of wizards, they were raised in the heart of wizarding culture, they were reared since infancy in a world of magic and wonder, where anything can happen. They grew up in the skies flying broomsticks, chatted with portraits of dead ancestors, fudged potions and played pranks, nicked their parents wand and fired jinxes. Their wands are only accessories. Hermione is living, breathing evidence that you can read every book in the world, but unless you're born into a culture, you will never truly fit in. She is evidence that you don't just walk into the wizarding world and belong; you need to have the feel of it. And feel is such an intimate word, but it's so appropriate. It's not about knowing, it's about feeling.