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I'm all wibbly over ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
colin_creevy going postal over on ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
nocturne_alley. Wah. I have decided to take my wibbliness and channel it into .
I can't help but notice that while JKR considers Hagrid one of her favorite characters, he seems to be one of the least popular characters in fanfic (unless there's some big site called hagridshug.com out there I'm just not aware of). In canon Hagrid's a big giant of a man with an even bigger heart. He's simple and has been manipulated because of it, but he also has flashes of true cleverness. He loves animals, and it's just so sweet how he looks at ugly, sometimes vicious animals and thinks they're cute. The movie obviously loves him too, as evidenced by the awful group hug at the end--where on earth did that come from?
But you know, I just don't buy it because Hagrid has little or no patience with the vicious little animal in his class, Draco. Canon!Draco really does reminds me of an animal. He's been a ferret once, obviously, but I lean more towards the Little Dragon comparison myself. Because dragons are scaly with sharp teeth and nails and they breathe fire, but this one is little--he's not intimidating or scary. He's a pipsqueak but he can certainly cause pain.
Hagrid clearly doesn't like him. He dislikes him more personally and more aggressively than any other teacher. He tells Harry all the Malfoys (and Slytherins) are bad, he threatens the obviously frightened Draco with expulsion if he doesn't go into the Forbidden Forest (I've heard it argued that innocent Hagrid didn't know Draco was afraid because he himself isn't afraid of the FF but I think that pushes the bounds of reason even for Hagrid) and he teases Draco about being a ferret to get him to shut up in class. Obviously Draco's done plenty to Hagrid in return, but it's clear that Hagrid, who is the teacher, does not like this kid and sometimes has impulses to hurt him, if only in small ways. I have a hard time reconciling that with the idea that this is the guy who likes nasty creatures. He doesn't think twice about skrewts that sting, burn and bite but has no patience for Draco doing the same, metaphorically speaking.
Think of Buckbeak (whose gender I can't remember). Hagrid tells the kids not to insult the thing and Draco does. Well, actually I don't think Draco really meant to insult Buckbeak so much as show off for the class. I got the impression he didn't think Buckbeak would know he was being insulted because he was still cooing to it nicely. Regardless, the thing responds not with a growl (which one would have expected) but by slicing Draco's arm open. Yes, Draco insulted it. But this is what Draco does. His behavior is as predictable, instinctual and survival based (imo) as the Hippogriff's. That doesn't mean what Draco did is Hagrid's fault, but if Buckbeak's violent reaction should be understood I think Draco's should be too. Even though Draco's the one who's human it appears that Buckbeak is operating on a pretty high level here, since he's responding to an insult. Once Draco's attacked, like any other animal, he wants the hippogriff destroyed and Hagrid hurt for once again putting him in a position to be humiliated. I suspect other students, those without a personal stake in Malfoy or Hagrid, probably just found it irritating that the whole situation occurred and weren't all that concerned about Buckbeak being put down. After all, it's not like Draco hurt the thing. I wouldn't want to go to the class after that.
So this makes me rethink exactly how Hagrid likes nasty animals. Because he doesn't seem to get attacked by them himself. On the contrary, they usually love him, even if they might murder others. I think what Hagrid likes is tame animals (even if they're only tamed to him) that are more like himself--something big but very gentle and affectionate towards him. And that's just not what most wild animals really are. This is what he likes in students as well. It's not that I can't understand why he doesn't like Draco--given the kind of teacher he is, Draco is his worst nightmare in a student. But still, this is the guy who's supposed to go for that. He just loves the giant animal with fangs until he gets through to it. Draco he doesn't like before he even meets him (he already has a bad opinion of Malfoys). It's not like Draco hasn't shown that he has the capacity to be fiercely loyal and loving with regards to his family and his house. But Hagrid's managed to provoke him as surely as Draco provoked the Hippogriff.
Sometimes I think this inconsistancy is supposed to speak well for Hagrid: he can tell the difference between an animal who doesn't know any better and a boy who should. But again, I don't buy it. Because it's always easier to show compassion and empathy for animals, especially those we like and those onto which we can project personalities that flatter our own egos. A nasty boy may be more difficult to get through to, but in the end that makes him worth it.
colin_creevy going postal over on nocturne_alley. Wah. I have decided to take my wibbliness and channel it into . I can't help but notice that while JKR considers Hagrid one of her favorite characters, he seems to be one of the least popular characters in fanfic (unless there's some big site called hagridshug.com out there I'm just not aware of). In canon Hagrid's a big giant of a man with an even bigger heart. He's simple and has been manipulated because of it, but he also has flashes of true cleverness. He loves animals, and it's just so sweet how he looks at ugly, sometimes vicious animals and thinks they're cute. The movie obviously loves him too, as evidenced by the awful group hug at the end--where on earth did that come from?
But you know, I just don't buy it because Hagrid has little or no patience with the vicious little animal in his class, Draco. Canon!Draco really does reminds me of an animal. He's been a ferret once, obviously, but I lean more towards the Little Dragon comparison myself. Because dragons are scaly with sharp teeth and nails and they breathe fire, but this one is little--he's not intimidating or scary. He's a pipsqueak but he can certainly cause pain.
Hagrid clearly doesn't like him. He dislikes him more personally and more aggressively than any other teacher. He tells Harry all the Malfoys (and Slytherins) are bad, he threatens the obviously frightened Draco with expulsion if he doesn't go into the Forbidden Forest (I've heard it argued that innocent Hagrid didn't know Draco was afraid because he himself isn't afraid of the FF but I think that pushes the bounds of reason even for Hagrid) and he teases Draco about being a ferret to get him to shut up in class. Obviously Draco's done plenty to Hagrid in return, but it's clear that Hagrid, who is the teacher, does not like this kid and sometimes has impulses to hurt him, if only in small ways. I have a hard time reconciling that with the idea that this is the guy who likes nasty creatures. He doesn't think twice about skrewts that sting, burn and bite but has no patience for Draco doing the same, metaphorically speaking.
Think of Buckbeak (whose gender I can't remember). Hagrid tells the kids not to insult the thing and Draco does. Well, actually I don't think Draco really meant to insult Buckbeak so much as show off for the class. I got the impression he didn't think Buckbeak would know he was being insulted because he was still cooing to it nicely. Regardless, the thing responds not with a growl (which one would have expected) but by slicing Draco's arm open. Yes, Draco insulted it. But this is what Draco does. His behavior is as predictable, instinctual and survival based (imo) as the Hippogriff's. That doesn't mean what Draco did is Hagrid's fault, but if Buckbeak's violent reaction should be understood I think Draco's should be too. Even though Draco's the one who's human it appears that Buckbeak is operating on a pretty high level here, since he's responding to an insult. Once Draco's attacked, like any other animal, he wants the hippogriff destroyed and Hagrid hurt for once again putting him in a position to be humiliated. I suspect other students, those without a personal stake in Malfoy or Hagrid, probably just found it irritating that the whole situation occurred and weren't all that concerned about Buckbeak being put down. After all, it's not like Draco hurt the thing. I wouldn't want to go to the class after that.
So this makes me rethink exactly how Hagrid likes nasty animals. Because he doesn't seem to get attacked by them himself. On the contrary, they usually love him, even if they might murder others. I think what Hagrid likes is tame animals (even if they're only tamed to him) that are more like himself--something big but very gentle and affectionate towards him. And that's just not what most wild animals really are. This is what he likes in students as well. It's not that I can't understand why he doesn't like Draco--given the kind of teacher he is, Draco is his worst nightmare in a student. But still, this is the guy who's supposed to go for that. He just loves the giant animal with fangs until he gets through to it. Draco he doesn't like before he even meets him (he already has a bad opinion of Malfoys). It's not like Draco hasn't shown that he has the capacity to be fiercely loyal and loving with regards to his family and his house. But Hagrid's managed to provoke him as surely as Draco provoked the Hippogriff.
Sometimes I think this inconsistancy is supposed to speak well for Hagrid: he can tell the difference between an animal who doesn't know any better and a boy who should. But again, I don't buy it. Because it's always easier to show compassion and empathy for animals, especially those we like and those onto which we can project personalities that flatter our own egos. A nasty boy may be more difficult to get through to, but in the end that makes him worth it.
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