Harry/Snape similarities (was Angry people)

[Woodward, Deirdre]

No: HPFGUIDX 83055

*start of snip* 

Del writes:
But still, when I look at Snape and then at Harry, I find the similarities frightening.

*end of snip*

Are you kidding me?  The idea of Harry and Snape being similar in any but coincidental ways is so outrageous that I can only think you are being deliberately provocative.  
 
The two characters are hero and foil, and, as such, are a study in contrasts.

Harry is an orphan raised by relatives who, while they dislike him, dote on their son.  Harry feels in his own heart that his parents loved him dearly.  Snape was raised by parents whose fighting and parental techniques left him permanently scarred.

Harry didn't know he was a wizard until he was 11.  Snape, we can presume by his position as head of Slytherin, is wizard-born.

Harry arrived at school knowing no one and in 60 days makes close and lasting friendships.  Snape is described as a loner, and to this day has no friends mentioned in the books.  He alienates almost everyone he comes into contact with.

In COS, Harry is disliked by fellow classmates because they fear his powers.  Harry responds by feeling bad for himself but focuses on his homework, stays out of people's way, and eventually shows his schoolmates -- through an unselfish act of heroism -- that their distrust of him was unfounded.  Snape is disliked by his classmates and his fellow employees, and his response is to study the dark arts, belittle people, and thoroughly earn his reputation as a mean, angry person.  When given a chance, Snape attempts to rig outcomes to his advantage (Quidditch match in SS/PS, awarding and taking away house points without real reason).

Harry is kind to his fellow classmates, although at times he certainly attempts to circumvent the attentions of the Creevys.  Snape is mean to most people, except fellow Slytherins.

Harry likes working in groups and has a network of friends who care deeply about him.  In the development of those friendships, Harry encounters conflict and is willing to resolve that conflict so the friendship continues.  Snape works in a group of people but doesn't appear to have any friends.  Snape is a proven traitor to his friends.

Harry is skilled in flying and in charms. Snape refereed one game but there is no other mention of his broomstick ability. I believe that at one point, Snape denigrates charm work (I think -- I will need to look this up). Snape is skilled in potions, a subject in which Harry struggles.

Harry stands firm in his beliefs.  Snape is a once and possibly twice turned traitor.

Certainly, there are times when Harry is angry, thoughtless, and unkind.  But those aren't his personality traits, those are his weaknesses.  We see him in those states and expect him to overcome them as part of his character development.

Snape, on the other hand, is angry, thoughtless, and unkind *because* that's his personality.  When (if) we see him in kinder states, we expect him to revert back to being mean because that's his character development.

There are no frightening similarities between the two characters.

Deirdre



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