Snape, Harry, and Dumbledore II: Occlumency

[dzeytoun at cox.net]

No: HPFGUIDX 106053

The discussion about Snape, Harry, and Dumbledore wandered into the area of the infamous Occlumency lessons, which got me to thinking of a different angle on that controversy.  Mostly we argue about whether Snape or Harry was (more) to blame, and often end up saying that the whole thing was doomed from the start, considering the two personalities.

But I want to come at it a different way.  What on Earth did DUMBLEDORE expect?  First, I will say that I don't believe the theories that Occlumency ended because Harry had learned what he needed.  Nothing whatsoever in canon supports that.  Occlumency is presented in canon as a failure and WAS a failure.

But how did Dumbledore expect that Harry would be able to learn from Snape?  Did he think Harry could just swallow everything even after acting out all the first part of the year?

He says that he thought Snape would be able to "overcome his feelings" about James.  But what does that mean?  That he thought Snape would be nicer?  That he thought Snape would be more patient?

I see this as a two-fold failure:

1) In his anxiety, Dumbledore forgot the nature of Occlumency training.  That type of intense, practical education is much more akin to an apprenticeship model than a school model.  In that situation the personal characteristics of the teacher, i.e. their way of giving praise and/or correction, their patience or lack thereof, their general rapport with the students, is a crucial component of their teaching method.  In a sense, personality IS teaching method.  Dumbledore did not adequately consider this in his haste.

2)  More fundamentally, Dumbledore just did not get it.  He simply did not understand the depth of animosity between Snape and Harry.  Ddore admits this obliquely with his "some wounds run too deep" remark.  I think this is in keeping with a weak spot we have now seen in his personality, his desire to believe the best of people and situations.  The big problem is he STILL does not get it.  I don't think even now he realizes the depth of ill will between these two, particularly the depths of Harry's dislike which is now slipping into outright hatred.  This doesn't bode well for the future.

If Dumbledore thought an added advantage of Occlumency might be Snape and Harry coming to a better understanding and place of mutual respect, I think that runs afoul of both issues above.

Any thoughts?

Dzeytoun