Sympathy for Draco Malfoy - A scared boy in a man's world

[✩]

NOT AT ALL!

[[deleted user]]

Oh wow--I once wrote an entire in-depth paper on this subject. It was in 2004, though, so we didn't have all the books yet. I was playing devil's advocate because my friend kept standing up for Draco, so I wanted to see if she had a point. I set out to open my mind, and by the end, with all the evidence I had found in the books, only further convinced myself that Draco was a complete jerk. Again, though, this was only 2004. I think he changes throughout the books and acts out of fear rather than hatred. He'll never be as brave as Harry, of course, but I think he becomes somewhat more noble in the end.

If I knew where I could host the paper online, I'd send it to you! I've just got a Word doc, though.

[Benja]

Nah he was a coward and a jerk to all.

[[deleted user]]

I grant that he is a coward and a jerk, but do you not see any change in him as the books progress? Like the great remorse he showed over Crabbe's death? The fear and reluctance he felt at committing a terrible act that would earn him Voldemort's good graces forever? The obvious duress he was under when he realized the danger his family was in? He continues to be a coward, but I can't fault someone for that, and I know Dumbledore couldn't. But I think as he grows up, he changes. He accepts that he is a coward and was wrong in his actions. In that brief snippet we see in the end, he and Harry exchange a nod and I think almost a smile. His father would never have behaved that way--showing respect to anyone he views as inferior to him. I think what we saw in that exchange shows that he got off the fast track he was on to becoming his father. We don't know, of course, but I'd guess he probably became a fairly decent person in adulthood.

Edit: Also, starting in book 6, he seems to have lost all interest in bullying Harry at all. His actions toward Harry are in retaliation to what he (rightfully, perhaps) views as an attack. All he cares about is saving his family from this crappy situation they've gotten themselves into.

[Jacque]

I felt so bad for him and then I realized it may be just an act, or it may just be an act, or momentary weakness. But then the seventh book made me realize he IS a victim and the only reason he was such a prick was because he was raised to be that way but didn't really know why.

[Harshi]

don't forget that he lowered his wand before snape killed dumbledore

[Hannah]

Draco is one of my favorite characters.

[Hannah]

I also don't think Draco was ever a "baddie" in the true sense of the word. He was never downright evil like Bellatrix. He never killed anybody. He was a bully but that was because he was raised that way. Draco underneath was a fragile person who felt unloved.

[Lady An]

Draco always was my favorite character..over Harry and Ron. I'm so sorry for him..I think theres a bit of kindness in his heart..and he has to become in a Death Eater 'cause no choice, Voldemort manipulates him to try to kill Dumbledore..but he couldn't. He reveals a tormented soul with that kind of pressure.

[Sparrowlicious]

I dislike bullies.
Of course Draco's character wasn't as simple as 'just a bully' but you know ... *shrug* even the complicated bullies are still bullies. A bully who has a tough life is still a bully.

[Anna]

Sparrowlicious wrote: "I dislike bullies.
Of course Draco's character wasn't as simple as 'just a bully' but you know ... *shrug* even the complicated bullies are still bullies. A bully who has a tough life is still a bu..."

Exactly, Sparrowlicious. His life was sad, but he still had a choice as to how he should behave.

[J]

It was a lot easier to hate Draco in the first five books. Then he was just this annoying little brat. He still could have made better choices, like when Dumbledore offered him a chance at the end of the sixth book. But he does become a better character, and it does get harder to hate him (although I'm sure I could if I tried).

[Hannah]

Catia wrote: "I DONT FEEL ANY SYMPATHY FOR HIM!! lol... he is just a BIG cry baby..."

Wow! And you wouldn't feel like crying if Voldemort was going to KILL you and your FAMILY?! What do you expect from him? Not everyone can be perfectly brave all the time. I'd like to know why you think you would do anything better?

[Tana Lovegood of Dumbledore's Army✞~]

Yes, I feel sorry for him. He was raised to be that way and your parents can influence you and his parents were just bad role model! He began to get better in the books and was truly sad when his friend died ((Crabbe? Goyle? Both? Idk)) If anything:

“There is little time, one way or another,” said Dumbledore. “So let us discuss your options, Draco.” “My options!” said Malfoy loudly. “I’m standing here with a wand — I’m about to kill you —” “My dear boy, let us have no more pretense about that. If you were going to kill me, you would have done it when you first disarmed me, you would not have stopped for this pleasant chat about ways and means.”“I haven’t got any options!” said Malfoy, and he was suddenly as white as Dumbledore. “I’ve got to do it! He’ll kill me! He’ll kill my whole family!” “I appreciate the difficulty of your position,” said Dumbledore. “Why else do you think I have not confronted you before now? Because I knew that you would have been murdered if Lord Voldemort realized that I suspected you.” Malfoy winced at the sound of the name. “I did not dare speak to you of the mission with which I knew you had been entrusted, in case he used Legilimency against you,” continued Dumbledore. “But now at last we can speak plainly to each other… no harm has been done, you have hurt nobody, though you are very lucky that your unintentional victims survived… I can help you, Draco.” “No, you can’t,” said Malfoy, his wand hand shaking very badly indeed. “Nobody can. He told me to do it or he’ll kill me. I’ve got no choice.” “Come over to the right side, Draco, and we can hide you more completely than you can possibly imagine. What is more, I can send members of the Order to your mother tonight to hide her likewise. Your father is safe at the moment in Azkaban… when the time comes we can protect him too… come over to the right side, Draco… you are not a killer…” Malfoy stared at Dumbledore. “But I got this far, didn’t I?” he said slowly. “They thought I’d die in the attempt, but I’m here… and you’re in my power… I’m the one with the wand… you’re at my mercy…” “No, Draco,” said Dumbledore quietly. “It is my mercy, and not yours, that matters now.” Malfoy did not speak. His mouth was open, his wand hand still trembling. Harry thought he saw it drop by a fraction.

Draco might seem a little selfish thinking that he had no choice because Voldermort would kill him but he was also thinking about his family because he really did care about them..

[Hannah]

Hannah wrote: "Victoria wrote: "Come on! He doesn't even deserve pitty ! Even if he was encouraged to be a death eater he could have chosen to do otherwise. If he wasn't such a coward he could have accepted the h..."

Great point.

[Hannah]

Carrington wrote: "Oh wow--I once wrote an entire in-depth paper on this subject. It was in 2004, though, so we didn't have all the books yet. I was playing devil's advocate because my friend kept standing up for D..."

I would love to read this!

[Megan]

I hated Draco in the first three books, but by book four, he was one of my favorites. You can tell in the last two books that he isn't truly a complete jerk (though, he is close to it). He's better than his dad, and can't kill Dumbledore, because he knows it isn't right. So, yep, I definitely do have sympathy for him.

[Ruby]

I have sympathy for him because you can see that he's not actually evil but there's this guy named Voldemort who's telling him that he will literally kill him and his family if he doesn't kill Dumbledore. He was raised wrong and he did grow out of it, but my only remark is that the kid should have grown out of being a prejudiced jerk sooner, not when he was made to kills someone. He's mostly in the gray, but I think that he is much closer to being an okay person than being a terrible person. He has some flaws that show him to be a less-than-great person, like the fact that he was totally okay with being prejudiced against muggle-borns and seeing Harry dead and so on. He's way too selfish and mean to people because he thinks himself better than them. Overall, I think he's a scared teenager who was raised wrong who grew out of it before it was too late. Then again, he still kept doing not great things after the sixth one; it would have helped if he had woken up and smelled the pumpkin juice before Voldemort started terrorizing.

[Trekbmc]

I don't believe in Spider-Man but the elephants have pet blenders!!!!!!!!!

You Muggles won't understand

[Arachne]

In the first book, Draco couldn't be more unlikeable, in my opinion. Yet though, as the series goes on, I too feel sympathy for him. I believe he was a good boy after all. He was just forced to follow his father's footsteps and he ended up being trapped in a world of evil. He was just too scared to try to escape.

[Katy]

In the first five books he was a spoiled, mean kid. But by his sixth year I think he was trapped and didn't have any choices. The people like his parents who got sucked into Voldemort's circle couldn't leave without almost certainly being killed. He was trapped by the choices his parents made. I think the things that happened to him in the last two books forced him to think differently about things and eventually brought about a positive change, although it seems like some of his arrogance remained.

[Pallavi]

yes I do feel sympathy for Draco Malfoy but he isn't blameless. I would have been a lot kinder to him if in last book he hasn't tried to bring Harry to Voldemart. He was bullied and his whole childhood was defined by Lucius Malfoy's views and opinion but I also want to add that it is our choices that show who we truly are. Draco Malfoy is not evil he is just a misguided boy in time of war but all his other schoolmates are also barely adults. Regulus A Black defied Voldemart at age 18 , Sirius Black left his home to be on the right side . If Draco would have come to Dumbledore he would have helped him and his parents

[FelicityRawlings]

Amanda wrote: "his story makes me want to cry. i feel so badly for him because i feel that its his parents fault because they're scared that they force him to do this stuff. TinaBee: yes i am SO HAPPY that he did..."
I totally agree