Indeed, I strongly dislike canon Draco, and the whole ferret scene was one of the most gratifying for me, evil though it makes me sound to say that.
But I wasn't really surprised at the villifying of Lucius in fanfiction, because it's a standard kind of thing to do - in order to redeem the son, you have to make the father more evil. Because mistreating your offspring sows the seeds for them to rebel against you. And I agree that Lucius does not crush Draco with his high expectations, and spoils him in a way that benefits them both - as in, getting Draco on the Slyterin team presumably makes Draco happy and upholds the family honor. It's not as if Draco really never wanted the position, or buying his way onto the team was considered unworthy by his father.
The evidence for the contary view, I think, comes from episodes like the one in CoS where Lucius tells him off for not doing as well as Hermione. I mean, obviously he has expectations for his son - but I don't believe that Draco has lower expectations for himself. Maybe. I'm no authority on this topic.
Um, but, primarily, Draco in canon strikes me as very, very childish. He does the things he does not out of some deep-seated conviction about what is right for him, he merely parrots - he was raised to look down his nose at halfbloods and he goes on with it because it makes him feel superior. He plays annoying and mean-spirited tricks but he never does anything that is actually *evil*. One can only assume that Lucius is steering him that way.
And I don't think he imitates his parents because they've intimidated him into it, but because they have spoilt him, and, from his position, there's really no disadvantage for him in being what they want him to be.
Which is why, to redeem him, you need a catalyst, something to make him rethink his life, because in canon he's too narrow-minded a character to change his views just by philosophying on morality.
no subject
But I wasn't really surprised at the villifying of Lucius in fanfiction, because it's a standard kind of thing to do - in order to redeem the son, you have to make the father more evil. Because mistreating your offspring sows the seeds for them to rebel against you. And I agree that Lucius does not crush Draco with his high expectations, and spoils him in a way that benefits them both - as in, getting Draco on the Slyterin team presumably makes Draco happy and upholds the family honor. It's not as if Draco really never wanted the position, or buying his way onto the team was considered unworthy by his father.
The evidence for the contary view, I think, comes from episodes like the one in CoS where Lucius tells him off for not doing as well as Hermione. I mean, obviously he has expectations for his son - but I don't believe that Draco has lower expectations for himself. Maybe. I'm no authority on this topic.
Um, but, primarily, Draco in canon strikes me as very, very childish. He does the things he does not out of some deep-seated conviction about what is right for him, he merely parrots - he was raised to look down his nose at halfbloods and he goes on with it because it makes him feel superior. He plays annoying and mean-spirited tricks but he never does anything that is actually *evil*. One can only assume that Lucius is steering him that way.
And I don't think he imitates his parents because they've intimidated him into it, but because they have spoilt him, and, from his position, there's really no disadvantage for him in being what they want him to be.
Which is why, to redeem him, you need a catalyst, something to make him rethink his life, because in canon he's too narrow-minded a character to change his views just by philosophying on morality.
~Chresimos