Snape & Harry

[James]

No: HPFGUIDX 68351

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "M.Clifford"
<valkyrievixen at y...> wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Scott Santangelo 
> <owlery2003 at y...> wrote:
> > Wow - there is a huge divergence of opinion on this topic.

Certainly is

 One 
> thing I'd like to point out (probably already has been - sorry!) is 
> that Snape brings his professional behavior down to student level 
> (juvenile grudge) and has a significant knowledge base, whereas Harry 
> comes into the story at the ignorant, clueless student level. Snape 
> has the luxury of berating, belittling, punishing and generally 
> tormenting Harry from his position as teacher. Harry can only build 
> up a thick skin and bear it - who wouldn't grow resentful and 
> defiant? 
> > 
> > Naturally, I'm "blaming" Snape, not just because I think that's the 
> way it's written (tons of canon fodder), but because he went to 
> Hogwarts with an eager expectation and real thrill, only to confront 
> the unfamiliar political realities of the WW and his own mysterious 
> past. Snape never gave him a chance and dumped on him from day 1! 


I think the key to this point is what Harry means to the adults he
interacts with.

Harry - and this is made blindingly obvious (so I am probalbly
treading on toes here) - is the spitting image of his father.   Add to
this the hero-worship he holds his father in (until the pensive), as
witnessed by the reaction to, amongst others, his aunt when she has a
go at his parents.  And throw in (and I cannot overstate this) the
fact his father is not there.

Snape was victimised by James and Sirius.  He carries (like many of us
- ok maybe just me) a resentment towards his school tormentors, and
who walks into his classroom.  Harry.

Now he cannot criticise James as he is dead.  In walks this kid,
highly regarded by his boss, who imidiately makes the house Quiddicth
team.

When at school Snape was the powerless squit, and James the all
conquoring hero.  Now he has the power.

He ses James in Harry.  He transfers his resentment of an unassailble
character (James) who died heroically and is beyond reporoach on the
image of the man he hated.

Sirius does the same - Molly keeps saying that Harry is not his best
friend returned.

Harry basically needs to tell Snape he is his mother's son as well.
And that he is not his father.

Snape knows deep down Harry is not James - and saves him as early PS.

But every time he looks at this embatled youth he sees his tormentor
(litterally) and cannot get over this.

In the words of Isaac Asimov 'never underestimate the human ability
for petty, self distructive behaviour.'

As Harry said his father is every bit as arrogant as Snape thinks and
trats him as.

Classic transference, and the sort of deep plotting and
charicterisation that makes the series so re-readable.

Not apologising for Snape - understanding his humanity.