(More than) a smidgeon of Snape/Lily

[judyserenity]

No: HPFGUIDX 34825

Well, I posted the following response to the forum about 22 hours ago, 
and it *still* hasn't shown up.  So, I'm reposting.  My apologies if 
it shows up twice. 


Tabouli noticed that I subscribe to the "Snape Loved Lily" theory, and 
said:
> Congratulations, Judy - your wisdom and sound deductive powers have 
> just won you a free berth on the Good Ship LOLLIPOPS (Love Of Lily 
> Left Ire Polluting Our Poor Severus)!  .... However, 
> as Captain, it is my duty to warn you that taking the "pure 
> speculation" line may impede your chances of promotion...< 

Reporting for duty, Captain Tabouli!  Actually, I have been aware of 
the Good Ship Lollipops for some time now.  The only reason I haven't 
asked for a berth was that I was trying to figure out how to wrangle a 
deluxe stateroom. 

When I said that I was presenting "pure speculation", I meant that the 
theory [that Snape left the DEs because of Lily] taken as a whole goes 
far beyond canon.  It assumes that Snape loved Lily AND Snape was not 
yet working for Dumbledore when Voldy decided to go after the Potters 
AND Snape knew that Voldy was going after them, etc.  Having to string 
together a whole chain of suppositions like that makes the theory less 
likely.  If we look at just the claim that Snape was (and perhaps is) 
in love with Lily, that I'm quite convinced of.  Yeah, I know someone 
on this list said that's "too Jane Austin", but didn't JKR say Jane 
Austin is her favorite author? 

It turns out that I *had* read your LOLLIPOPS Biography (it's post 
28782, for anyone who wants to find it.)  However, I forgot that you 
proposed Lily as the reason why Snape went to Dumbledore's side.  I've 
believed for a long time that Snape loved Lily (since before I joined 
this discussion board), but I'm not sure when I started thinking that 
Lily was the reason he left the DE's. So, I don't know if I got that 
theory from you, or just from reading the books. 


Tabouli also said: 
> [I think] that the plot to murder 
> the Potters (rather than strangers and sundry Muggles) was what 
> shocked Snape into realising what he had become.  Too close to home. 
> Imagining Lily's pain brought home the fact that he'd already helped 
> to inflict that same pain on other people....<

Yep, this is exactly when I think, too.


While still on the topic of everyone's favorite former Death Eater 
(heck, he's probably the *only* former Death Eater!), Tabouli said: 
> I mean, look at Snape!  Are those symptoms of self-loathing or what? 
> Neglecting his appearance, taking out his bitterness and resentment 
> at the world on his students, perfectionism, [etc]...
> ... I wonder, actually, whether Snape and Harry's (and even
> Voldemort's!) childhoods might not have had quite a bit in common. 
> I've certainly heard that severe mistrust of people and bullying the 
> weak and defenceless, notably torturing pets and the like, are
> classic symptoms of a child being abused by his/her carers.<

Now that you mention it, Tabouli, what Snape shows are signs of 
*depression*.  (Please, no one bring up the "half dementor" theory 
again!)  Very interesting.  I should have noticed that before, but I 
don't think I had. 

This doesn't tell us whether Snape was abused, though. It's very hard 
to work backwards from adult symptoms and try to deduce childhood 
traumas.  In fact, it's pretty much impossible.  Responses to trauma 
are too variable and there is too much of a physiological component to 
most symptoms for this to be accurate.  By the way, the best estimates 
are that about 1/3rd of abused children grow up to be abusers 
themselves, which means that most abused children *don't* become 
abusive.  "What proportion of abusive adults were abused as children?" 
is in fact a different question from "What proportion of abused 
children will grow up to be abusive adults"?.  Off hand, I don't know 
know the answer to "What proportion of abusive adults were abused as 
children?" 

Of course, it's possible that JKR has a history of abuse as part of 
Snape's backstory, regardless of how it usually works in the real 
world.

Gee, I feel like I'm writing an serialized essay entitled "Why Snape 
is actually a lovable guy, in one million words or less."  (I bet this 
group has collectively generated *at least* a million words on Snape, 
by the way.)  

I really need to go to bed.

-- Judy