Showing posts with label Things to think about. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Things to think about. Show all posts
A couple of months ago, J.K. Rowling released a statement saying that Draco Malfoy was not 'concealing a heart of gold under all that sneering and prejudice' despite what fans of the character may believe. She also described Draco to have 'all the dark glamour of the anti-hero,' which may be the reason why fans gravitate towards him. Now while I respect and admire J.K. Rowling, I have to disagree with the way she describes and views the character of Draco, and here's why.
I have to confess before being introduced to the world of fanfiction, I never really thought much of Draco Malfoy. The character depicted as a bully, an antagonist. He was cruel and full of sinister in my eyes. I always thought he'd grow up to the ultimate villain. But then one day, a good friend of mine introduced me to Harry Potter fanfiction. These stories - alongside their authors - captured the untapped potential of Draco Malfoy's character. The limited spotlight on his character in the books - from a rather ambiguous third person narrative - gave room for exploration. Draco was such a complex character with so much depth and unresolved tension. That untapped potential did not go unnoticed by fans. Fanfiction did something that J.K. Rowling did not do. It gave Draco a true shot at redemption. In these stories, Draco kept his dark gritty persona and yet evolved. Rather than 'concealing his heart of gold', he began to grow as an individual forming his own moral consciousness - usually with a little help from Hermione Granger, but that's another story entirely. The journey to retribution itself was interesting watch because it did not come easy. In natural fashion, Draco stumbled along the way between the line of the light and dark, but eventually evolved into a character that sided with moral justice and the light.
In my personal opinion, I believe it was easier for Harry to be good because he was destined to be. Plus his family was killed by Voldemort, so of course he would want revenge - to rid the world of the evil that destroyed his family. As for Hermione Granger - the brains of the golden trio - she was fighting to prove herself amongst and against the pureblood community. She needed to stand up to herself, to fight for her survival and her heritage as a muggleborn. Ron on the other hand grew up in a family full of wizards who saw equality amongst all wizards - regardless of their blood. He grew up with that same mentality as well as it was part of his upbringing. But Draco Malfoy was entirely different from any of these character. His situation was so much more complex. Draco grew up in a family, surrounded by pureblood propaganda supremacy . He was taught that muggles and muggleborns were inferior to him. What made him special and important was his pureblood heritage. That meant everything. He grew up surrounded by all these thoughts - day in, day out. His struggle towards the light would be more dire, more troublesome. But that is what would make the journey so fruitful and intriguing!
Every single character has several dimensions to them. The ability to be good and the ability to be bad. Sure, Draco had a damaging childhood. His entire life had been influenced by principles his parents had taught him. But surely that didn't have to dictate the rest of his life. People can change. Grow. Become more than what they are. J.K. Rowling dismissed the idea that people are complex and not truly one dimensional. Draco was a complex character with so many layers to his soul. There was so much left to be explored. Again this untapped potential did not go unnoticed by fans. Maybe there are some who like the dark villianous character of Draco Malfoy, but I believe the redeemed Draco captured by fanfiction is what drew many fans to come to like the character. That's certainly what happened with me!
So what do you think of Draco Malfoy? I'd love to hear more about what you think on this topic!
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The Oscars are known for their recognition on visual storytelling, and for the fashionable attire. It's what journalists and showbiz enthusiasts look forward to every single year. But how many people have been paying attention to what the speakers at the event were saying? Some of the speeches given this year by the winners were absolutely golden. And yet - I haven't heard or seen anything much about them since. So in honour of those incredible speeches from this year's Oscar winners, here's their moment of glory!
When I turned 22 almost two weeks ago, I couldn't help but reminisce on past birthday's. In those young years, I remember the excitement that each birthday held as I turned a year older, and the anticipation of gifts and birthday wishes from friends and family alike. I remember being roughly 10 years old, and declaring to the people around me that I was 10 and a half. I also remember being terribly annoyed if anyone said anything otherwise. But yet somehow as we get older, we find ourselves reluctant to state our ages - with no mentions of in between fractions. We feel glad and blessed if we look younger than what we actually are, as opposed to older. As time passes we vividly embrace those memories that bring us closer to so called detrimental nostalgia, that stops us from seeing the positives yet to come. Here comes my theory called the Peter Pan Effect.
Last week, I had the pleasure of meeting Malorie Blackman at a book signing - with one of my good friends Mariam - taking place during the Birmingham Literary Festival. As soon as I found out about this event, I knew I just had to go. Several years ago, I picked up a book from the library called Noughts and Crosses, and to date it has been one of the most socially powerful books I have ever read. Not only does the series directly address the topic of racism in a rather unusual way, but it's the only book I've come across in the young adult genre that deals with the topic at all. Maybe one of the reasons why this topic is never really approached directly is because, it can be pretty difficult to discuss, and really hard to execute. The story of Noughts and Crosses however did a perfect job of illustrating the impact racial discrimination can have on an individual and society itself. It was a perfectly executed story - which I can imagine must have been one hell of a challenge! Is it any wonder Malorie Blackman was chosen to be our current Children's Laureate?
I love to write, because there is nothing more exciting and infuriating, as organising your incoherent thoughts and putting them to paper. I love to write, because there is always a challenge involved in the process, weather its perfecting a particular sentence, finding the right adjectives to describe the atmosphere, or creating the perfect setting to describe a particular scene, for the characters you've crafted together in the depths of your mind. I love to write, because in my over active imagination, I dream up a different reality to my own life, and characters that either resemble or differ from the people I know in my everyday life. I love to write, because I get to meet and craft new characters who I've never known before. I love to write, because exploring these characters through the actions they take, and the way they conduct themselves in their fictional realities, can be so entertaining and fulfilling. I love to write because my imagination can take me anywhere; its a place where I am able to create fictional worlds, where almost anything is possible - just believing is key.
I love to write, because it is a chance for me to explore my thoughts and feelings, in a place far away from judging eyes and hushed whispers - a place where I am heard and where my voice is always key. I love to write, because I'm able to document the ever changing thoughts and emotions I find myself entangled in. I love to write, because it's my way of making sense of the world, through exploring the nature of people and their characteristics, by seeing their relationships develop between other characters, their passions and attitudes towards the things in life, and their interest in the world around them. I love to write because it gives me the opportunity, to speak to millions through the words of language, and share a platform of discussion with the unique minds of many. Without words after all, how on earth would we be able to communicate?
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