[HPforGrownups] Snape's Loyalties

[Charlie Moody]

No: HPFGUIDX 73726

On Monday, July 28, 2003, at 01:55  PM, Arya wrote:

> Snape tells Harry to "clear his mind of all thought" both to begin
> Occlumency and when he goes to sleep at night.  Now, we don't know
> much about Occlumency except for what Snape tells us.  So maybe,
> Occlumency, often practiced to summon up thoughts and memories, is
> actually most difficult to defend against if your mind is open and
> empty--allowing anything to be clearly seen as it is probed--the
> opposite of what we are led to believe as Snape "guides" Harry to do
> to defend against it.
>
> ...So Snape has his alibi for WHAT and HOW he is teaching
> Harry and he also has reason to urge Harry to "practice" this
> clearing at night which is really opening the pathway for Voldie.

Me (Charlie):
It seems counterintuitive, I know, but bear with me.

First, as it's explained in OotP, Occlumency is intended to protect the 
mind
& its contents from 'unauthorised access' - specifically by the Vole.  
While
JKR gives the subject scant attention once she sets up the concept, a
knowledge of psychology can help us out.

Assuming, hypothetically, that one can tune in to another's thoughts, 
one
needs something to tune *to* - and the easiest thing to tune *to* is 
the target
mind's internal conversation.  The undisciplined mind is 
(hypothetically)
always chewing on something, and most of what we think of as thinking is
actually not thinking at all, but an endless, circular 'conversation' 
in which
we rabbit on about what just happened, what's happening now, what might
happen next.  Theoretically, such a busy mind can't really be paying 
attention
to anything, but must exist in a constant state of pre-occupation as it 
whirrs
away endlessly like a hamster on a wheel.  Such a mind leaves countless
opportunities for invasion and/or influence because the whirlwind of 
chatter
stimulates a whirlwind of shifting emotions.

A mind that is still, OTOH, provides no such opportunities - it is 
instead like a smooth wall that offers no hold for the climber.  Such a 
mind is difficult to compromise by any means.  Because a clear, 
uncluttered mind is acquired (rather than arising spontaneously), its 
pursuit both disciplines the mind and strengthens it.

Hypothetically.

Along the same lines, we find obsession:  in this case, dwelling 
continually on an image, an act, a memory, whatever.   Such minds are 
bent in a particular direction already, and it takes very little to 
move them farther along the same road.  (This would account for Snape's 
knee-jerk reaction to Harry, after years of obsessing on his sense of 
injury at the hands of (at least one of) the Potters, BTW).  This 
constant focus, energised as it is by strong emotions like rage, 
resentment, shame and fear, is tantamount to self-brainwashing, and 
leaves the mind highly reactive (and therefore extremely vulnerable) to 
anything that taps into this.  A skilled and ruthless manipulator such 
as the Vole would be greatly advantaged in dealing with such a mind.

It is, theoretically, possible to block access by developing an 
obsessive focus on something that makes no sense, but this has very 
limited usefulness because of the pitfalls inherent in obsession, as 
mentioned above.

As for Snape's choice of teaching methods re:  occlumency - he is 
strengthening Harry's mind by forcing him to detect and resist 
invasion, and by encouraging him to clear his mind;  I think this is 
sound, though I would strongly urge a more pro-active inculcation of 
serenity, were I Harry's teacher.


On Monday, July 28, 2003, at 01:55  PM, Arya wrote:
> If I were Snape and I wanted to secretly urge Harry to find out more
> about this mysterious door, room, etc, then I would tell Harry that
> is none of his business.

If I were Snape, and wanted to do as you suggest, I'd say nothing to 
Harry about it at all, and let him think that the 'lessons' were all he 
needed.  With his mind already bent toward the door, the rest would 
'just happen' without me appearing to get my hands dirty.

> Any thoughts??

Me:
No!  (Hypothetically, that is...,)
--
Charlie (who get downright tutorial sometimes)