Snape (still): a reply to just criticism

[Edblanning at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 33819

--- In <A HREF="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/post?protectID=103083047007127180218149051101243100163098100046209130">HPforGrownups at y...</A>, <A HREF="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/post?protectID=113064250078158116172056066108114253071048139">Edblanning at a...</A> wrote:>

<snip> 

>> However, I'd like to expand a theory I mentioned once before. What 
>>if Snape 
>> never was really a 'bad guy'? What if he's always been battling the 
>>two sides 
>> of his nature? I agree with jchutney that Snape may see Dumbledore 
>.as a 
>> surrogate father. I think he probably wanted to do so whilst at 
school. If 
>> so, he must have been constantly disappointed by Dumbledore's 
apparent 
>.favouritism for those troublemakers, Potter and Black.

>Can you give some examples of Dumbledore's constant favoritism 
>towards Potter and Black? Does you mean that Snape went through 
>seven years at Hogwarts trying to find a way to make a connection 
>with Dumbledore as a father figure, only to be pushed away because 
>Dumbledore preferred James and Sirius? Or are you saying that 
>Snape's perception while at school was that Dumbledore as Headmaster 
>let Potter, etal. get away with things, even if that was not the case?

>Potter/Black certainly caused trouble, according to McGonagall, at 
>least. And, in order to be recognized as troublemakers, obviously, 
>they had to get caught a fair amount of the time. (If their pranks 
>remained anonymous, they would not have had the reputation they 
>seemed to have developed over the years they were at Hogwarts.)

>I don't know of any evidence that Dumbledore constantly let them get 
>away with things. I think it more likely that Snape felt that they 
>never got enough punishment or a severe enough punishment and that 
>may have colored his vision of whether or not they were Dumbledore's 
>Pets. His view may have been reinforced by the fact that James 
>became a prefect and then Head Boy. Snape could perceive this as 
>favoritism, but, IIRC, Dumbledore doesn't unilaterally choose who 
>will fill those posts. And, if a misbehaving student is caught, it is 
>up to the Professors, as well as the Headmaster to mete out 
>punishment. That was not Snape's business. 

I felt this thread had run its course, but since you ask me a direct 
question, it is only courteous to reply.

At the end of my theory, (not quoted) I point out that this is only a 
hypothesis and therefore, by its nature it is not proven. I simply find it a 
working model that makes some sense, although there may be others which make 
just as much sense. For instance, Elkins takes quite a different stance on 
Snape, which I, from my pro-Snape stand point, dislike but accept as just as 
likely as my own.

No,I cannot give examples of *Dumbledore's constant favouritism*. (I actually 
said, *apparent*).
First, I was speculating about Snape's perceptions, not Dumbledore's.
Secondly, I do think that the fact that James the known troublemaker became 
prefect and Head Boy could be construed as favouritism. I'm afraid I didn't 
follow the *Head Boy* thread posted recently, but I am unaware of how these 
appointments are made and have always assumed that Dumbledore's opinion would 
be the deciding factor. I can imagine a deal of opposition to the appointment 
of James in the staffroom.
Thirdly, I am going by analogy. Yes, there are perhaps special reasons why 
Harry has such license from Dumbledore, but he is given license to the point 
of being encouraged, if only tacitly, to break rules. Enough messages are 
given by various characters, including, of course Snape, about the 
similarities between Harry and James and their behaviour, that, to me at 
least, it suggests there may be some parallel in the their relationships with 
Dumbledore. If James et al were caught and punished for everything they did, 
I'd be very surprised. If Dumbledore didn't know a lot of what they got away 
with, I'd be equally surprised. 

As I've said, I was just tryng to find an explanation for how someone could 
make such a radical change of allegiance, without resorting to some kind of 
'conversion experience', which to me  would weaken the character and diminish 
the 'choice of action' theme. In my scenario, which I know I haven't 
explained very well, the character remains the same, whilst making  and 
living with the consequences of different conscious choices, rather 
converting from 'bad' to 'good' and thus having a course of action presented 
to him as the only right path.

Respectfully, Eloise.


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]