~~ hello mr. darwin.

[reenka]

How silly is this? But I was inspired (this keeps happening to me. It's never what I -should- be inspired by, I think that's why it happens).

Reading this, by yeats (generally pretty good but not what I’d call -brilliant-), I came across this:

The Malfoys had been Darwinists before muggles had come up with a name for it; those who were not suited for survival should not be allowed to do so.

The Malfoys as Darwinists (i.e., `survival's bitches'). The idea has sweetness. So atrociously Muggle and yet it appeals to my penchant for a melding of history, science & literature. It would be a strange sort of story that would try to see Draco through the lens of histories much more sophisticated and pedigreed even than he is: existentialism, Darwinism, Jungian psychology (Draco as Oedipus has been overdone, I feel), nihilism even.

This reminds me of talking to sistermagpie about how there's no one to -see- Draco in any sort of objectively observant light, no one who could be trusted to have insight-- the pov question is a bitch, really. And yet perhaps one could experiment with third-person-omniscient, something I haven't seen done with any success. Naturally, no Malfoy would see -themselves- as Darwinian, but obviously they are-- as are Slytherins in general. It’s delicious, really.

Interestingly, I see Dumbledore as something of a cross between a political socialist and a psychological Darwinist. He is rather old-school, that Dumbledore, isn't he. All this makes me think of A.S. Byatt and her lovely historical-academic love-stories steeped in clippings from journals and newspapers and letters, full of quotes and tangents. The possible philosophical/theological/scientific development and education of Draco Malfoy is a fascinating subject that I’ve only seen ethrosdemon even begin to tackle, in `war: vates primus', with his growing interest in the kabbalah. I can oh-so-definitely see him as a Satanist, in the Crowley sense, I mean, not the Christian one. In fact, I don't see why you can't bring "real-world" analogs to the "Dark Arts" into hp fic-- though I’ve never seen it. I do realize there's tons I haven't seen, but still.

Draco: The post-modern Darwinist Satanist Type-A Gen X fuck-up. hee.
~~

EDIT - also. I adore penelope_z's writing. I do. Wah. There's not enough of it. I've only now gotten around to reading `Kissing the Beehive', which is kind of sad, considering. It does that thing to me. You know. That thing where I'm so happy because the writing is just so beautiful, even though it's all... er... psychedelic and sad and disturbing. Fuck fluff (at least today). This is what it's all about, man. Every fluff-fic I have ever read (or written) can basically kiss this fic's arse, simply because it can never be this poignant or insane or beautiful or deliciously surreal. I am biased, this is true, but I'm just saying.....

I can't even pick out a sentence to worship. They are all worshippable. I am style's bitch and I like it! Ooohhh, baby, HARDER.

Do I thus want to kill the fluff so that only the beautiful angsty babies survive? Eh. I dislike labels, anyway. But dude. This is hot stuff for a style whore like myself. *swoony sigh* Sometimes I like fluff, but I never adore fluff with this full-fledged fluttering passion. Fluff deserveth passion not. Or something ^^;

Also: ailei rocks very very very hard. In that YESYESYES sort of way :D

Comments

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

oooh, you're right!!
i mean, i just didn't think it through, i guess. they -would- think they are, but that's sort of not facing the situation, which is that they're -not- surviving atm. on the other hand, perhaps draco's -hope- would be that he could listen to his slytherin/darwinist nature (if he had one) and realize that he should just -survive-, and voila!! death-eater-be-gone!

i mean, he's enraged at the people (harry) who hurt his father, but... would he really want to get himself in equal danger in order to help him out? what if the best way to help lucius is not to be a death eater (i mean, it doesn't take a genius, does it). he could still have a personal vendetta against harry, he could still plot & scheme, but survival dictates not being on the other side (on -any- side) of the coming war. i can totally see how a number of slytherins would abstain from the conflict (while remaining in character)-- a more amoral version of switzerland.

i think my -hope- is that draco is darwinist. i want him to survive, and i think he has the potential to make that choice for himself, certainly. i haven't seen this in fic, actually, but it makes perfect sense to me-- that his very selfishness would protect him from getting in too deeply, somehow. he could be too selfish to die for a cause, very easily, and soon enough it'll become obvious that this is a clear danger required of him to face.

so yes. the malfoys haven't been very -good- at being darwinian, but they certainly have the set-up to get better, don't they? you could just kind of... see how it'd all fall into place with the right prodding. i think possibly, draco is less inherently mesmerized by this will to power than lucius is-- less adept at it, anyway. so i can see that he'd be less idealistic, less -ingrained- and thus more open to letting his selfish need for survival overtake everything else.

in a way, the pureblood way is archaic, brittle, but hidden within everyone is an elasticity that comes merely with being human. draco could realize that he's on the verge of being the last of his kind-- and then he'd be between a rock and a hard place, and he'd have to -pick-, not a side, but an attitude.

heeeeeeeee. i'm excited because this is sounding plausible to me.
finally, an answer that doesn't require him to love harry, to hate his father, or to join the side of "Light"!!

*GLEE!!!!*

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

Hee! This is the thing with Redeemed Draco in canon for me--to me it's always seemed the most plausible way for him to go. Not because he joins on with the Gryffs or loves Harry but because his instinct for not getting into things over his head should kick in. Draco has never ever shown any desire to be part of something bigger than himself, which one would have to do to be with Voldemort. I also don't think he buys the Pureblood idea as a truth, as so many people think. I don't think he's so deep in denial that he doesn't accept that Hermione is a powerful witch and smart as well. I think he'd like to see her put down below him for whatever reason--Muggleborn is fine. In fact, I've become more and more interested in the fact that Lucius, even when he's basically in private, uses the term "Muggleborn" and it's Draco, in public, who says Mudblood. Lucius dresses up his racism as something that sounds more reasonable whereas Draco seems to get it's just a way of telling someone they're dirt. Hermione makes him feel like a Mudblood and he calls her that. It really does read as if his time at Hogwarts has disillusioned him about the superiority of Purebloods and it's more IC for him to see the way things really are and just be on the lookout for what's in it for him.

So anyway, yes, I think he'd think it was great if the world declared that Draco was superior because of his family but he doesn't strike me as a fanatic who actually believes this is his destiny. The only thing we've ever seen him really join was Umbridge's squad and there he seemed to want Harry to know he didn't really buy any of it and was just doing it to bug Harry. I can't imagine him wanting to be anywhere but on the sidelines making sarcastic comments. He's never shown anything but fear when it came to Voldemort--he runs from him in the forest, flinches at the sound of his name in OotP. In fact, what does he think about it in that scene, come to think of it?? He's already met with Crabbe, Goyle and Nott about the article where Harry names their dads as DEs. He's the claiming that with the Dementors gone "Dad and the others" will be out in no time, but then why is he upset by Harry's joke about Voldemort being "a mate of [his] Dad's?" It's the perfect opportunity for Draco to call down the wrath of Voldemort on Harry's head or make ominous references to his own friends in high places, but he just seems disturbed by the idea. Does he believe Lucius has been wrongly accused? Is Voldemort just sort of a boogey-man to Draco? I don't get it.

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

i really shouldn't be so happy and excited about the idea of selfish-git!draco who insults because he -means- it. but heeee, i am anyway~:) awwww, my baby (i mean, i know he's maya's baby, but i have him every third weekend of the month).

the relationship draco has to voldemort in his head kind of interests me, now that i think about it. i think he's undecided-- or rather conflicted. that is, he knows voldemort is the Big Bad and he seems to know his father is with him (he knows what side he's on, etc), but i don't think he himself has any personal draw towards voldemort. i mean, he's several things-- his father's Master, the scary evil man (You Know Who-- i really really wonder if draco grew up with his father "out" as a death eater to him-- i doubt it, i mean, why would he trust draco to keep his mouth shut?), just something that confuses him-- he doesn't particularly understand the immediacy of why would his father dig voldemort, since -he- just thinks voldemort's scary.

i dunno, it just seems natural for him to have conflicting feelings. v. is powerful and slytherin and important (all good things), but draco is someone who goes on gut instinct a lot, too, and no one gets a gut-instinct-level "good vibe" from voldemort-- although i doubt draco has -seen- him, contrary to all the "voldie comes to dinner" stories. i just think he's heard the stories and he -has- seen him once and that had freaked him out but good. so i guess he's like, "well, let potter & my dad deal with it, i'll just have the run of the school as my rightful position" or something.

i can understand a draco seen as a somewhat politically apathetic teenager. he just wants his piece of the pie. or snitch. that approving twinkle from the people that count.

potter on his knees.

eheheheheh :D :D