(The zen of digging snarky bastards.)
May. 21st, 2004 08:31 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
reenkaSometimes it bothers me that JKR has a hate-on for Draco. Sort of like sometimes it bothers me when people have too much (what's too much? I don't know!) of a love-on for Draco, in so far as they worship him in all his dubious-yet-snarky glory. And then I read an old post of Cassie's, and everything was clear with my world.
I think the confusing thing, all in all, is that I love Draco, but I don't always -like- Draco. Sometimes I think he's a cute rug-rat. If he were my younger brother, I would make his odious little life a living hell (muwahahahah) and tease him endlessly about his being bloody obvious about fancying Potter (come on, boy, grow some subtlety). The boy has no shame. No shame, I say. Someone needs to slap him upside the head a few times.
I personally don't care if people are vile & unsympathetic (or martyr-like & pure of heart), as long as they're entertaining, as far as courting my affection goes, in which case I will covet their company and possibly do them various personal favors. Realizing this, I feel low and kind of dirty, but I stand by my claim that the greatest crime is to be boring & unfunny, ahahah. I'm not entirely kidding, by the way :> Yeah, there's a reason why Oscar Wilde is pretty much my hero.
It doesn't really matter -what- kind of loser you are, if you're a sport about it. Draco... is pretty much the furthest thing you can get from a sport, ahahah. He's not even a dance. He's like an elaborate, rather overly long play. And we all know Draco likes to talk on and on (about himself). If I liked feeling superior and laughing at people, I'd probably be his friend (I think that's where the older sister thing comes from).
Apparently, well, he does have friends, but that's typical of people who band together to laugh at the people who laugh at -them-. Cliques of meanies in school were like that-- they weren't all that nice to each other either, I'm sure, but they were nicer to each other than to the "others". It's not that they have to like each other oh-so-much to stick together, 'cause obviously if they were having deeply meaningful friendships they'd be a little more fulfilled and self-confident than to need to bother anyone else. It seems like self-suffient cliques just support each other and shut out the rest of the world, rather than band together to annoy people who annoy them. That would be my guess about the difference between Harry, Ron, Hermione & the rest and Draco and his "bunch". Harry & Ron & Hermione are very... insular. Complete, it seems to me.
Poor Draco, blah blah, so needy, blah blah.
JKR probably doesn't like him partly -because- he's needy-- the exact same reason so many canon!Draco fans like him. Harry, her favored child, is self-sufficient and independent, isn't he? He can and does use help, but he doesn't really require it-- he rushes in while trying to -escape- the assistance of those who'd protect him somehow. And of course he fails spectacularly in book 5 with this tactic, but still. Growing up, he was all... self-nurturing, almost. Like a little wolf-cub, all alone even though he grew up with a "family". He needs love-- and he eventually gets love, but he doesn't really -ask- for it. In many ways, he doesn't even know how to take it.
Some people, you know... resent the people who demand love. I don't know if I do... I guess it annoys me somewhat. I think love is... free. It's just distasteful to me to associate it with some "greater" or "lesser" need.
A lot of pathetic "villains" in fiction wanted love, which they interpreted as attention. I think that's the mistake they make. Harry hates too much attention but he does want love-- thus he's more discriminating. When one just decides one -must- have love-as-attention... things tend to take a turn for the grotesque. One becomes a clown, saying anything, doing anything that'll have an -effect-. Like, look at meeee! I'm so special! Look at meeeeeeeee! And of course, who'd look at someone like that? Most people would look away, reminded of their own secret desires and insecurities. So I'm guessing that aspect of Draco, which can attract some people, could actually be unattractive to JKR, say. Being too needy.
I would probably like Draco more if he had more lines, too, where he was allowed to be more snarkily amusing (or at least... more self-deprecating? not sure), because honestly that is what I treasure about people. A sort of ease with themselves. Like, if you're going to be evil, have fun with it! JKR seems to know all about having fun with "good" (see, the Gryffindors are wild impossible rug-rats, aren't they), but not so much about having fun with evil, except a limp sort of fun which doesn't seem all that fun.
All in all, I suppose funny people can get away with anything, even eating kittens, as long as they're entertaining about it. The whinyness doesn't really work with that. I hate feeling -pity- for Draco, feeling sorry for him because he got such a rough shake. That's just kinda sad. You might as well feel sorry for everyone, 'cause everyone (in the Potterverse) got a rough shake in one way or the other. Plus, pity... isn't fun. Pity is... why I don't like Neville too much. Suddenly, the fandom was all, "awwww, poor boy".
In my little fantasy world, Draco doesn't want anyone's pity or compassion. He doesn't want anyone to smile at him or pat him on the head and say, "awww, poor boy, yeah, that Potter sucks rotten eggs for what he did to youuuu". I'm sure he pities himself quite enough for 10 people. Whininess is indicative of self-pity, isn't it? "Oh, woe is me, no one but no one feels my Angest And Pane, not even the Almighty Author!" Eurgh.
I refuse to pity him. I like imagining a future where he no longer pities himself, either. Where he just kind of goes, "okay, let's just have fun with this, shall we? Maestro! Cue my entrance muzak!"
And 10 years later, Draco makes his entrance, when there's nothing to disturb Harry's attention from him. No Voldemort, no war, nothing (I think he'll always be an obsessive little bugger). I know Draco always loved a grand entrance. And so, he will make his gesture, I'm sure, with the carefully honed wit and possibly a measure of self-awareness. To be more self-aware than one's enemy is a great weapon, and words are really the only weapons Draco has against Harry, who has all the raw power. Poor boy needs to sharpen his arsenal some.
I grew to love Draco probably in large part because fandom makes him so... snarky/funny, so adorable. In canon, I think, he's... only at ease while in his own element, it seems, so his humor around Harry is... I dunno, juvenile. *sigh* I love Cassie's little vision of Draco's future evil ennui, and it fits with this sense of comfort with themselves any entertaining evil-doer should have. Maybe that's why people like Bellatrix, I dunno. Hm. All in all, Draco's more like a yipping little dog (weasel?), after all, Trin was right :D
Perhaps, in the end... one can look at Draco (in a meta sense) as the author's disfavored son. He's not bright and bold like Harry is. He's not self-reliant and ever-so-brilliant like Hermione is. He's not fiendishly loyal and somewhat selfless and passionate like Ron is (or rather, he's selfishly loyal and passionate, heh). It's like he got the raw end of the bag of birth-gifts, and was left needy and small and under-developed, crying and crying for more. He tries so hard, but he can never quite even -understand- what's wrong, because he's not brilliant enough. He can't use sheer fire and -power- because he's not strong enough. And he can't let go because he's not bold enough. So he's... a left-over, a shadow. How could JKR love him?
Okay, I'm making myself sad now -.- Poor shmuck. Wah. *feels urge to cuddle Draco*
I'm not immune, what can I say.
I think the confusing thing, all in all, is that I love Draco, but I don't always -like- Draco. Sometimes I think he's a cute rug-rat. If he were my younger brother, I would make his odious little life a living hell (muwahahahah) and tease him endlessly about his being bloody obvious about fancying Potter (come on, boy, grow some subtlety). The boy has no shame. No shame, I say. Someone needs to slap him upside the head a few times.
I personally don't care if people are vile & unsympathetic (or martyr-like & pure of heart), as long as they're entertaining, as far as courting my affection goes, in which case I will covet their company and possibly do them various personal favors. Realizing this, I feel low and kind of dirty, but I stand by my claim that the greatest crime is to be boring & unfunny, ahahah. I'm not entirely kidding, by the way :> Yeah, there's a reason why Oscar Wilde is pretty much my hero.
It doesn't really matter -what- kind of loser you are, if you're a sport about it. Draco... is pretty much the furthest thing you can get from a sport, ahahah. He's not even a dance. He's like an elaborate, rather overly long play. And we all know Draco likes to talk on and on (about himself). If I liked feeling superior and laughing at people, I'd probably be his friend (I think that's where the older sister thing comes from).
Apparently, well, he does have friends, but that's typical of people who band together to laugh at the people who laugh at -them-. Cliques of meanies in school were like that-- they weren't all that nice to each other either, I'm sure, but they were nicer to each other than to the "others". It's not that they have to like each other oh-so-much to stick together, 'cause obviously if they were having deeply meaningful friendships they'd be a little more fulfilled and self-confident than to need to bother anyone else. It seems like self-suffient cliques just support each other and shut out the rest of the world, rather than band together to annoy people who annoy them. That would be my guess about the difference between Harry, Ron, Hermione & the rest and Draco and his "bunch". Harry & Ron & Hermione are very... insular. Complete, it seems to me.
Poor Draco, blah blah, so needy, blah blah.
JKR probably doesn't like him partly -because- he's needy-- the exact same reason so many canon!Draco fans like him. Harry, her favored child, is self-sufficient and independent, isn't he? He can and does use help, but he doesn't really require it-- he rushes in while trying to -escape- the assistance of those who'd protect him somehow. And of course he fails spectacularly in book 5 with this tactic, but still. Growing up, he was all... self-nurturing, almost. Like a little wolf-cub, all alone even though he grew up with a "family". He needs love-- and he eventually gets love, but he doesn't really -ask- for it. In many ways, he doesn't even know how to take it.
Some people, you know... resent the people who demand love. I don't know if I do... I guess it annoys me somewhat. I think love is... free. It's just distasteful to me to associate it with some "greater" or "lesser" need.
A lot of pathetic "villains" in fiction wanted love, which they interpreted as attention. I think that's the mistake they make. Harry hates too much attention but he does want love-- thus he's more discriminating. When one just decides one -must- have love-as-attention... things tend to take a turn for the grotesque. One becomes a clown, saying anything, doing anything that'll have an -effect-. Like, look at meeee! I'm so special! Look at meeeeeeeee! And of course, who'd look at someone like that? Most people would look away, reminded of their own secret desires and insecurities. So I'm guessing that aspect of Draco, which can attract some people, could actually be unattractive to JKR, say. Being too needy.
I would probably like Draco more if he had more lines, too, where he was allowed to be more snarkily amusing (or at least... more self-deprecating? not sure), because honestly that is what I treasure about people. A sort of ease with themselves. Like, if you're going to be evil, have fun with it! JKR seems to know all about having fun with "good" (see, the Gryffindors are wild impossible rug-rats, aren't they), but not so much about having fun with evil, except a limp sort of fun which doesn't seem all that fun.
All in all, I suppose funny people can get away with anything, even eating kittens, as long as they're entertaining about it. The whinyness doesn't really work with that. I hate feeling -pity- for Draco, feeling sorry for him because he got such a rough shake. That's just kinda sad. You might as well feel sorry for everyone, 'cause everyone (in the Potterverse) got a rough shake in one way or the other. Plus, pity... isn't fun. Pity is... why I don't like Neville too much. Suddenly, the fandom was all, "awwww, poor boy".
In my little fantasy world, Draco doesn't want anyone's pity or compassion. He doesn't want anyone to smile at him or pat him on the head and say, "awww, poor boy, yeah, that Potter sucks rotten eggs for what he did to youuuu". I'm sure he pities himself quite enough for 10 people. Whininess is indicative of self-pity, isn't it? "Oh, woe is me, no one but no one feels my Angest And Pane, not even the Almighty Author!" Eurgh.
I refuse to pity him. I like imagining a future where he no longer pities himself, either. Where he just kind of goes, "okay, let's just have fun with this, shall we? Maestro! Cue my entrance muzak!"
And 10 years later, Draco makes his entrance, when there's nothing to disturb Harry's attention from him. No Voldemort, no war, nothing (I think he'll always be an obsessive little bugger). I know Draco always loved a grand entrance. And so, he will make his gesture, I'm sure, with the carefully honed wit and possibly a measure of self-awareness. To be more self-aware than one's enemy is a great weapon, and words are really the only weapons Draco has against Harry, who has all the raw power. Poor boy needs to sharpen his arsenal some.
I grew to love Draco probably in large part because fandom makes him so... snarky/funny, so adorable. In canon, I think, he's... only at ease while in his own element, it seems, so his humor around Harry is... I dunno, juvenile. *sigh* I love Cassie's little vision of Draco's future evil ennui, and it fits with this sense of comfort with themselves any entertaining evil-doer should have. Maybe that's why people like Bellatrix, I dunno. Hm. All in all, Draco's more like a yipping little dog (weasel?), after all, Trin was right :D
Perhaps, in the end... one can look at Draco (in a meta sense) as the author's disfavored son. He's not bright and bold like Harry is. He's not self-reliant and ever-so-brilliant like Hermione is. He's not fiendishly loyal and somewhat selfless and passionate like Ron is (or rather, he's selfishly loyal and passionate, heh). It's like he got the raw end of the bag of birth-gifts, and was left needy and small and under-developed, crying and crying for more. He tries so hard, but he can never quite even -understand- what's wrong, because he's not brilliant enough. He can't use sheer fire and -power- because he's not strong enough. And he can't let go because he's not bold enough. So he's... a left-over, a shadow. How could JKR love him?
Okay, I'm making myself sad now -.- Poor shmuck. Wah. *feels urge to cuddle Draco*
I'm not immune, what can I say.
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Re: >:O Random responses
Date: 2004-05-21 10:00 pm (UTC)I don't like liking people just because they're underdogs. Like, there should be more to it than that. You should be able to like someone no matter if they're popular or losers-- just because you like how cool they are or whatever. So I'm ashamed of my Draco-pity, but usually I do avoid it. I -love- him, like I said, so it's hard not to feel bad when I think about it, but generally I'm like "DORK!!" y'know. I can't -help- the love because... whether it's inspired by fanon or canon, it doesn't matter-- it's all Draco in my head at this point. Intellectually, I do know the difference, obviously, but I don't know if my heart does. Or, something like that.
I'm with you on Neville prolly being coolest in real life, but it annoys me how everyone rallied behind him just as it annoys me when anyone rallies behind -any- character with any suddenness or overwhelming zeal. I dunno, I'm disturbed by flare-ups of fanatic admiration for people. I like it cool, or whatever. ^^;
I think we'll never see eye-to-eye on Draco 'cause my appreciation for him isn't like... rooted in canon, at least 65%. I think at least 70% of my Draco love is owed to Maya & Aja & Ivy & Silvia & Trin and so on. Y'know? And my own writing of him all the bloody time. You write someone for 2 years? You try remaining cool to them :> heh. So. I don't pretend to any actual... er... rationality here, ahahahah.
Hmmm. Viva le nice and boring people, huh.
Well.
I am mean and evil, thusly I don't like boring (ie, normal, average, dull) people.
MUWAHAHAHAH I SUCK!!!1 >:D
*SMITES*
...Also... geenrally, boring-normal-unfunny people don't like me either. Also, I don't like Superman (boring & unfunny, though abnormal). He's like, not really abnormal anyway, he just plays it on tv. Or something..... Hm. I like spice. I was talking about affection, not like... respect or admiration, even. It's not like I think they need to choke on their cereal and diiiiie. Just. Er. They can sit over -there- and I can sit over -here-. But I'm obviously antisocial anyway :>
Re: >:O Random responses
Date: 2004-05-21 10:51 pm (UTC)From how JKR has dealt with certain people (like Draco) in the books, I feel like she thinks of them less as characters/people and more as story devices. I guess you need background characters unless you're writing about people stuck on a desert island, but if someone's been around for a few years, it'd be nice to get some depth. And now I get into my rant about how OoTP showed that she's now too famous to be edited and that sucks because she does have all this talent, but... *beats her personal dead horse*
I really should have realized that you love meta-Draco. *feels foolish*
As you have no doubt realized, not-so-sekretly under my Draco-love, there is a big, steaming pile of Draco-hate, BUT then under that is another thin, delicate, crunchy layer of Draco love. Then comes the gooey center.
:D
Re: >:O Random responses
Date: 2004-05-21 11:12 pm (UTC)Wheeeee, the gooey center!!! (.......yeah.)
Arguing with me is semi-fruitless once you get really down to it... or no, not fruitless, yet msot likely frustrating 'cause actually I do see the opposite side of whatever I'm saying, even if I don't verbalize it. I often don't verbalize just because I'm lazy and also sometimes I say things just because they sound good ^^;
I vacillate on the whole "Draco is a plot device, not a character" issue, 'cause when I say this to most canon!Draco-lovers, I get kinda roasted. ('Cause clearly he has so much subtextual presence.) Y'know. I'm like, deaf to subtext, that's what it is, really. And possibly minor characters don't tend to come alive for me especially if they seem to be a stereotype of some sort. What do you know. -.-
The jury is out on whether I think JKR has talent.
Clearly though, I LOVED OoTP so I can't really talk, can I :>
Re: >:O Random responses
Date: 2004-05-21 11:43 pm (UTC)ag! I *promised* myself I would stop beating this dead horse. damn. ok. done.
You know, you just gave me visions of "how Draco was potty-trained." You know how so many parents are all "you made a poo-poo! Good job!" I am trying to imagine that in the Malfoy household. Or would the house-elves just take care of it all? Somehow the image of Lucius getting pee on him will not go away.
Re: >:O Random responses
Date: 2004-05-22 12:03 am (UTC)now I'm seeing it as well. The pee-on-Lucius thing. Oh, the joy (for I truly do hate Lucius, ahahahah). Possibly, y'know, the house-elves encouraged that sort of thing (and then they had to iron their hands a lot), 'cause... they hate Lucius too, don't they. "Lil Master Draco, your father would -love- to see how much progress you've made..."
I enjoyed the book 'cause of Harry. I mean, I wasn't sitting there judging it as great literature, I was sort of SQUEEEEE, HARRY. (and WOE, HARRY and AWWWW, HARRRYYYYYY). I think my complex became...... more involved after OoTP :>
AHAHAH I AM SO DEEPLY WRONG AND TWISTED. and yet :>
...
Date: 2004-05-22 12:08 am (UTC)I seriously believe you should sketch potty-training!Lucius&Draco, ahahahahah. Oh, I would die :D :D!!