[HPforGrownups] Petunia (and Snape)

[Laura Ingalls Huntley]

No: HPFGUIDX 41175


Jenny From Ravenclaw:
> As far as the comparison of Snape and Petunia, I can't go there at
> all.  Snape may not be a nice person, but he is brave, self-searching
> (enough to stop being a DE), and a very capable teacher.

Brave? Well, see this is where I've always thought Snape's character is a bit inconsisent.  Sure, he's "brave" enough to betray V., but IMO the kind of person who takes pleasure in abusing helpless *children* is the worst kind of coward in the world.

But that's just me.

As for self-searching?  Try self-involved.  Personally, I think he just lost his nerve as a DE.  It's not a easy thing to swallow, being evil, you know?  Alot of people just can't do it.  As for the spying, well, did he really have a choice?  Even if he *wasn't* obliged to prove himself loyal to the Good side, his pride pretty much dictated he make up for his DE days by putting himself in danger (much like this same pride makes him feel he has to pay back James for saving his life).  It's not so much that he suddenly became a virtuous, heroic person -- the man just can't stand to owe a debt to anyone.


And I also disagree with the capable teacher part.  Muchly..but I'll get to that in another post ^_^.

Jenny from Ravenclaw:
> Petunia has
> shown us no evidence of real intelligence or ability so far.  After SS
I find it far
> worse that Petunia has actually chased Harry with a frying pan and has
> allowed him to skip meals, wear broken glasses and hand-me-downs that
> don't fit, etc. than Snape's general nasty comments towards Harry,
> because she *was* given the responsibility to raise Harry.  Somehow I
> don't see Snape treating someone as badly if that person was living
> under *his* roof.

Hmm..you think Snape would have been any warmer towards Harry if he had been named his guardian?  I don't think so...at all.

Furthermore...the man has done far worse than nasty comments.  This is the guy who was just about *glowing* with the idea that Sirius Black was about to have his *soul* sucked out.  And don't tell me it was because he thought the man was a murderer and wanted to bring him to justice.  It was for hate.  And spite.  He also wanted the same for Lupin..who was guilty of nothing except having a disease and HE KNEW IT.

Amanda:
>It seems to me that Snape has an internal integrity and code which he
>adheres to, even against his preferences and possibly to his personal
>detriment. 

Personally, I feel that he ought to get his internal code fixed if it's telling him it's okay to verbally abuse his students.  I know this sounds a little odd, but I don't care if he defeats Voldemort single-handedly or cures cancer -- it doesn't mean anything to me as long as he's still Evil and cowardly in day-to-day life.  Any code he has, IMO, is to salvage his all-encompassing pride.

Amanda: 
>Snape doesn't give a damn what anyone thinks. 

Oh, I think he cares alot.  His whole attitude towards the students is that of *superiority*.  He just thinks he's ALL THAT, if you would pardon my slang.  Notice when anyone challenges he superiority, he flies off the handle with rage.  NOBODY better make fun of him or challenge his authority.  That's why he's so DEAD SET on making all the students fear him -- because fear is a (rather unsatisfactory, IMO) type of respect.  My mother always told me when I was little that people who were cruel usually behaved so out of a basis of insecurity.  She was right.

Amanda:
>Snape is, albeit very nastily,
>shepherding. Petunia is squashing. They are nothing alike.

No offense, but I've always felt that this whole "Snape is mean because he CARES" theory is a bunch of hogwash. I mean, give me one piece of evidence.  And the fact that the kids pass his classes doesn't count.  He's the one grading them, isn't he?  And he can't just fail them all (which is what I suspect he'd like to do with every non-Slytherin that walks through his door) because Dumbledore would be very cross with him.  Furthermore, if the students weren't kicked out for failing (in which case there would be *justified* outrage on the part of the parents) he'd just have to put up with the little brats even longer.  There's no reason for him *not* to pass the majority of them to save himself the bother...and as for the ones he really hates...Dumbledore probably, as Harry suspects, steps in and makes him behave fairly.

I don't want to offend anyone..but..I just can't help but thinking that Snape tends to get undue sympathy from some of the listies because..um...*lowers her voice* they have the fuzzies for him. *says this last bit very quickly and rather nervously*

And it's not like I've never been guilty of the exact same thing...In fact, I do it all the time with other characters in other books.  However, think about it.  I've seen several people write about "poor Snape, who was unpopular in school", "poor Snape who was picked on by the big bad jock Sirius and looked down upon by golden-boy James ", and "poor Snape who only did/does the things he did/does because he was jealous and downtrodden."

But you never hear anything about "poor Petunia who was 'horse-faced' while her sister was gorgeous," "poor Petunia who was ignored in favor of her magic-doing, perfect, beautiful sister", and "poor Petunia who only did/does what she did/does b/c she was jealous and always second-best."

And the only reason I can see for this discrepancy is that no one in their right mind would get a crush on Petunia. But Snape..he has a bit of that bad-boy-who-just-needs-to-be-loved vibe going on...which, for some odd reason or another, is just incredibly appealing to us females...we want to tame the big nasty.  I understand.  But in the interest of *fairness* I'd have to say that Snape has a whole team of people who *want* him to be a better person and *want* to find decent motives for his apparent nastiness.  Petunia is not given this benefit of the doubt, which just can't be right.

Personally, I have little patience for either of them.  And while I do agree that, thus far, Petunia has done more damage to Harry than Snape, I feel that this is simply because he was never given the same opprotunities as she.

laura


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