OoP: What Snape is really doing out there...

[Sydney]

No: HPFGUIDX 66109


Donna wrote:
 
> 
> However, I was thinking on your response at work and I thought of a 
> reason Snape, as an Occlumencer, would want to build up a stock of 
> unhappy and angry memories. In OOP it's never stated that Snape has 
> rejoined the DEs though he is getting info on Voldemort's moves.  
> 
> If he's any way close to V, he can't use his Occlumency to totally 
> block V from reading his emotions. He wouldn't want V to know he can 
> do this.  Snape would want to block any memories of his work for the 
> Order, and at the same time feed V memories of his (Snape's) hatred 
> for Harry, Dumbledore, mudbloods and blood traitors, that he 
> (supposedly ) can't quite supress, even though Snape is undercover at 
> Hogwarts. He's trying to show Voldemort that he's having trouble 
> looking like a reformed DE.
> 
> This might explain why Snape applies for DADA every year and is 
> turned down by Dumbledore. Voldemort can pull out genuine negative 
> emotions Snape is feeling toward D, and so fool V easier than if 
> Snape had to manufacture anger when he didn't really feel angry.
> 
> Even people on the list who like Snape (and I am one), have had 
> trouble with his "I see no difference" comment to Hermione.  It may 
> be that it was said not only because Slytherins were around, but that 
> someday he would have to prove his loyalty again to V, and the 
> comment is vicious enough to not only convince V, but could be used 
> when Snape wanted to give V a laugh.
> 
> If you believe this theory then Snape is almost never truly out of 
> control.
> 

Oooh, I love this theory and posted it myself on another message board
yesterday.  Snape's relationship with his anger has always been very
peculiar, he's certainly been nursing his wrath to keep it warm-- but
in contrast with Sirus he's always given the impression of being in
control of it.

I think Snape's Occulomency technique (otherwise known as lying) is
very similar to Method acting.  Actors train themselves to replay
highly emotional memories to themselves over and over again, so they
can actually reproduce the feeling, not merely pretend it. Snape has
essentially been preparing for the spy 'role' for the last 16 years.

This is not to say that his 'Vindictive Death Eater' character is not
an important part of himself.  No actor makes a role out of whole
cloth.  For Snape the role is so critical, and the audience so
demanding, that he's pretty thoroughly messed up his brain and delayed
his development in perfecting it.

This is why so many actors are as seriously messed up as Snape is...

--Sydney