When Harry Potter fans first met Draco Malfoy, he was a tough, rich boy who was proud to be the son of Lucius and Narcissa. His elitist attitude made everyone hate him from the beginning, setting him up for series-long antagonistic banter.
Malfoy is often given a bad rap for how he acted in the series, but he’s not the only person at fault. Malfoy is a teenager influenced by his parents’ upbringing.
Throughout the series, Malfoy softened. His quips had less sting and he was more afraid of the world around him. By the end of The Deathly Hallows, Malfoy was visibly at-odds with himself. He was questioning his parents and what they believed in, but he still felt trapped. For Malfoy it was hard to forget how he was raised. He had already made decisions that not only affected him but also his peers. How can a person move on from that?
I grew up in a small town in the middle of Ohio. The population was overwhelmingly white and right-leaning. It was a great place to live, and my parents have a sense morality that I strive to have. But I was constantly surrounded by people who thought one way.
When I arrived at college, I met people who had different opinions than myself. Instead of arguing with those people and unfriending them on social media, I embraced the difference in opinions.
When fans are asked who their favorite Harry Potter character is, rarely does Malfoy escape their mouths. But he is mine. I relate to the how he carried himself. He thought his beliefs were right because they were the same opinions of his parents. He is the most complex and dynamic characters in the series because he is constantly challenging himself. Malfoy thinks he is honoring his family’s name by joining Voldemort, but realizes he is impressionable and the adults were taking advantage of that.
Malfoy shows that passively saying, “Oh, it’s just how I grew up,” isn’t a sufficient answer for a person’s beliefs. People change their minds all of the time. As we get older, we experience more. Yes, it’s cliche, but it’s true. Why should people remain stagnant and not change based on life experiences? We shouldn’t. People should be like Malfoy, who walked away from The Battle of Hogwarts changed. Malfoy challenged his childhood ideals and refined them, like we all should do.
Georgia Davis is a senior studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. How has the Harry Potter series helped you in your adult life? Tell Georgia by tweeting her at @georgiadee35.
