Does Snape Favour the Slytherins/Snape's Motivations

[Andrea]

No: HPFGUIDX 47315

--- shane dunphy wrote:
> >Actually, I'm not sure we can conclude that Snape does actually favour 
> >Draco
> 
> Agreed.  I don't believe that any intelligent reading of the canon could

> conclude that he does.

Well, that's a bit of a sweeping statement, isn't it?  You certainly can
make a very plausible argument that he doesn't favor Draco, but I hardly
think concluding that he *does* is a sign of lack of intelligence or close
reading.  Draco is the ONLY student Snape is ever explicitly shown to be
nice to.  Granted, this may partially be because Harry *doesn't* like him,
but I hardly think this is the only reason.  The first description of the
Potions class states that Snape was criticizing everyone (not just
Gryffindors, either), "except Malfoy, whom he seemed to like."  Draco is
the one who is drawn on as an example ("[Snape] was just telling everyone
to look at the perfect way Malfoy had stewed his horned slugs") and can
get away with things in class that no one else can.

Yes, we've learned that JKR doesn't like to leave things as they seem on
the surface and to delve into the depths of possibilities, but that
doesn't mean we can simply discount the things she HAS shown us, even if
we think they're just masking a deeper purpose, until SHE has shown them
to be false.  You can make a very intelligent case for Snape favoring
Draco, and an equally intelligent one for him having some ulterior motive.
 Neither should be discounted until the rest of the series is out.


Andrea

=====
"Reality is for people who lack imagination."

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