Throughout Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Draco Malfoy and Harry
Potter have an interesting dynamic to their relationship. When Draco initially
invites Harry to be his friend, hoping to align himself with a famous, powerful
wizard, Harry declines, choosing instead to stick by Ron Weasley, who Malfoy in
every way perceives as being below him. Harry adds insult to injury by
responding to Draco’s cool “You don’t want to go making friends with the wrong
sort. I can help you out there,” with an equally chilling “I think I can tell
who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks” (108-09). This sets in motion a
rivalry that lasts throughout the remaining novels in the series, and the
reader sees how Draco and Harry’s paths continue to diverge until they eventually
serve as pawns for either side of the second wizarding war in Deathly Hallows.
This first
meeting and the entirety of Malfoy and Potter’s interactions in The Sorcerer’s Stone, however, are indicative
of a more playground rivalry than one based on ideological warlike differences.
Their fight on the quidditch pitch, for example, is the result of very boyish,
teasing behavior, with Malfoy stealing Neville’s Remembrall and playing a glorified
game of Keep Away from Harry. After Harry bests him and catches the Remembrall
before it hits the ground, Malfoy is embarrassed and determined to prove his
ability over Harry’s, telling him “I’d take you on anytime on my own” before challenging
him to a duel that night (149).
I think most
of the conflict between Harry and Malfoy in the first novel is built on Malfoy’s
jealousy of Harry and his friends. A coward who is never without his cronies,
Malfoy is stunned that Harry declines his invitation of friendship so curtly,
having been brought up to believe he and his family were superior to families
like the Weasleys. In an effort to save face, Malfoy tries at every turn to
embarrass Harry, who has no prior knowledge of his magical ability but still
manages to defeat Draco in his challenges. This is even more humiliating for
Malfoy, who again was raised to believe he was the greatest in all things,
especially flying. Their rivalry is solidified in Harry’s victories, and their
dynamic in this book sets the tone for their continued relationship for the
rest of the series.
Throughout the series, Draco Malfoy has always struck me as an incredibly interesting character. He is, from the start, a foil of Harry. He is a spoiled character, hailing from a prestigious lineage, and able to "'bully father into getting me [a broom] and smuggle it in [to Hogwarts] somehow'" (Rowling 77). He holds preexisting judgments of characters before getting to know them, viewing Hagrid as "'sort of a save'" (78) and his family as "much better than others", when regarding the Weasley's. He is prideful and a bully, though also cowardly, using Crabbe and Goyle to enact havoc as opposed to himself. Compared to Harry, who is humble and polite, Malfoy acts as everything Harry is not.
ReplyDeleteI do agree that Malfoy's initial rivalry with Harry manifests through embarrassment, with Harry seemingly choosing Ron over Malfoy. Malfoy then attempts to induce some chaos in Harry's life, but Harry continuing to overcome him only seems to cause Malfoy more grief. He views himself as better than others, but also can not accept when others seem to pass him. Because of this, Malfoy continues to serve as a rival, and bully to Harry and his friends.