[HPforGrownups] Re: Snape: What is he up to?

[Carol Bainbridge]

No: HPFGUIDX 44259

I hope my reply to this thread isn't too late -- work has seriously 
interfered with the more important aspects of my life, like participating 
in HPforGrownups.  Anyway...

>"bugaloo37" wrote:
> > <snip> After learning about the werewolf incident and James'
> > rescue of Snape,  I still do not feel satisfied that this is the root
> > of Snape's ambiguous relationship with Harry.  <snip>  I do not
> > see the unrequited love scenario as being a plausible explanation
> > either <snip>  I just got to thinking <snip> - are there anymore
> > theories out there concerning Snape's ambiguous relationship with
> > Harry other than the childhood grudge or unrequited love theories?

I feel the same way.  I am not satisfied with any of the explanations 
proposed so far dealing with Snape's ambiguous feelings toward 
Harry.   They all make sense, but only to a point for me.  Something is 
still missing.

Rosey wrote:
>We know that Voldy wanted to kill Harry & James, and not necessarily
>Lily, so that makes both Harry & James special if Voldy wanted to
>specifically kill them. So, what if this "special" thing, and also
>the fact that they are both talented at quidditch and popular, makes
>Snape so jealous? He may have been popular at school, but only with
>the slimy Slytherins. IMO, No-one from any other houses would have
>gone within a 10-mile radius of him.
>
>My thory - James was, and Harry is, everything Snape wasn't. Cue the
>jealousy.

I agree that jealousy plays a role in Snape's attitude/feelings toward 
Harry, but I don't think it has to be about Quidditch or even any special 
talent.  I'll bet it does have something to do with popularity, though.

Ksnidget said:
 > What Snape wants most (recognitions, celebrity, fame, honors)
 > he doesn't get.  Those that are getting them, particularly if
 > they may not deserve them, are very annoying to him.  And he
 > is do damn honest to just play nice to the people he can't stand.

I don't know about Snape being terribly honest; I see him as bitter and 
rather petty.  Even so, I think Ksnidget is right about the rest of 
it.  Snape reminds me of the person who works hard, does well (very well) 
and still doesn't get the kind of attention he thinks he deserves.  What I 
think he lacks is charisma.  Some people have it, some don't.  James Potter 
clearly had it, and Snape clearly doesn't.  Charisma isn't something you 
can work at and improve on.  It's either there or it isn't.  That could 
help explain some of Snape's resentment.  He might have been better at his 
studies than James, but still didn't get the kind of attention or 
recognition that James got.  He simply isn't terribly likable.  I get the 
impression that James was a more fun-loving guy (Marauder's map, etc.), 
while Snape doesn't have much of a sense of humor.  Now here comes Harry, 
James' son, who has already achieved fame, and not through any effort on 
his part, but rather from something that happened when he was a baby and 
can't even remember.  Harry is also likable, just as James was.  This has 
to be really annoying to Snape.

bugaloo37 said:
>why does Snape go out of his way to protect Harry?  Is he doing this,
>as Dumbledore has surmized to repay a life-debt to James Potter?
>This is a very simple solution to the question.  But for some reason,
>I have a hard time accepting it.

I do too, mainly because it is much too simple and I don't see Snape as a 
simple character.

bugaloo37 continued:
>Is Snape saving Harry to save
>himself?    By this I mean, does he have the same secret knowledge
>that Dumbledore has in regards to Harry's special abilities which if
>cultivated could be used to defeat Voldemort?  <snip> I am
>merely stating that Snape may recognize the special abilities of
>Harry (especially since he was able to withstand Voldemort when he
>was just a mere baby) and realize that he could be the WW best chance
>for defeating Voldemort.  I know it looks like I have settled the
>debate at least for myself, but I would like to hear any other ideas
>that are out there.

This makes sense to me. For one thing, I think it fits in with the 
Slytherian's Machiavellian mentality.  It doesn't matter if Snape likes 
Harry or not; if he sees a way to make use of Harry and his abilities to 
defeat Voldemort, then he will, especially if he'll look good for doing 
it.  If he helps protect Harry, he may think he will be appreciated for 
that.  Even if Snape doesn't *know* what Harry's special abilities are, he 
still may believe that Harry could be a good "tool" to use against 
Voldemort.  He must, however, believe that whatever those abilities are, 
Harry doesn't need to be "trained up a bit" in order to use 
them.  Otherwise he wouldn't keep trying to get Harry expelled.  So, while 
some of this does make sense, some of it is still problematic.



Carol Bainbridge
(kaityf at jorsm.com)

http://www.lcag.org