Pensieve objectivity (was : Looks aren't everything!)

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 86831

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "M.Clifford"
<valkyrievixen at y...> wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Doriane" <delwynmarch at y...> 
> wrote:
> > "serious_schwartz" wrote:
> > we tend to color our own memories. > 
> 
> Del wrote:
> > *I* am of the opinion that a Pensieve scene is perfectly, even 
> *magically*, objective. 
> 
> Valky:
> I am 100% absolutely *for* the affected penseive theory. I will tell 
> you why .
> The memory Harry first visits in Dumbledores penseive is of 
> Dumbledore *sitting juror*. Personally I cannot imagine a more 
> objective combination of Dumbledore and jury duty. Hence on this 
> occassion Harry experienced as much an even tempered and calm 
> perception of the situation as we can imagine Dumbledore is able to 
> muster. I assume most listees would agree that is quite a lot. 
> 
> As I recall Harry came from this pensieve visit feeling quite 
> normal, not so with the Memory from Snapes childhood.
>  
> 
> In Snapes memory we go to the exact opposite extreme. We see Snape, 
> our least rational and calm character in a situation where he is 
> inflamed to the most possible instability we can imagine Snape might 
> muster. Again most listees would agree, yes? Quite a lot?
> 
> As I recall Harry came from this experience beyond perturbed. His 
> reaction was extreme deep and obsessive. Very Snape like behaviour I 
> purport. Whereas after witnessing a father condemning his pleading 
> young son to the doom of Azkaban Harry emerged with a DD like 
> reaction of calm curiousity. 
> 
> Yes I am saying that not only is the pensieve affected but also the 
> veiwer. The memory visiter is temporarily filled with the emotional 
> state of the memory. The canon strongly suggests it to me.
> 
> As well in a final supporting statement we must remember that memory 
> is MORE than the image. It IS also the emotion, the touch, the odour 
> and the sound. Emotion is a part of memory and is rightly recorded 
> along with all other sensory perception. It MUST be present in the 
> pensieve. 
> 
> Any objectors?

Carol:
As I mentioned before, Harry is *outside* the action as a silent and
invisible witness, seeing not only James, Sirius, Remus, and Lily but
Snape himself from the outside. He is *not* inside Snape's mind,
seeing from his perspective or feeling his emotions. Is his stomach
tied in knots as he rushes to get all he knows onto that DADA exam? Is
he worried that he's forgotten something as he studies the exam
questions he's already answered? Is he humiliated and enraged as he's
hung upside down? No. These things are happening to Snape and he is
only watching and listening, reacting to what happened from his own
perspective. The Dumbledore scenes (in which he is also present as a
spectator and can see Dumbledore along with the others) had no
personal significance for him at that time, whereas the Snape scenes
involved people he knew or wanted to know, the father he had so
admired revealed as less than perfect and the teacher he hated
revealed as a (mostly) sympathetic figure. A subjective memory would
have placed him inside Snape's head and would have had him reading and
answering the exam notes, thinking Snape's thoughts and feeling his
feelings. That doesn't happen. The feelings are Harry's own, not Snape's.

Carol