bullies? twins, padfoot and prongs

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 118737


Carol earlier:
>  Statements like "Snape was clearly unpopular" are clearly the 
> narrator's interpretation of the scene, which reflects Harry's. The 
> actions and words can, IMO, be regarded as objective truth within 
> the context of the books, but interpretive statements should be 
> taken with a grain of salt. We are not inside the heads of any of 
> the characters in the memory and can only speculate as to their 
> motives, but there's nothing "fuzzy" about the action and the 
> dialogue in themselves--or the fuzziness comes from what Harry 
> doesn't see or the narrator doesn't record, in addition to the 
> interpretive statements previously mentioned.
> 
> 
> 
> Alla responded:
> 
> True, I guess - interpretive statements should be taken with grain 
> of salt, but I would argue that in this case the narrator makes the 
> MOST reasonable interpretation.
> 
> "Students all around had turned to watch. Some of them had gotten to 
> their feet and were edging nearer to watch. Some looked 
> apprehensive, others entertained.
> 
> ....
> 
> Several people watching laughed." - OOP, paperback, p.646.
> 
> 
> So, at least some people clearly ENJOYED Snape's misery. Their 
> ACTIONS showed that. Why? I don't know, but I sure want to know.
> 
> So, what other interpretation will be more objective, in your 
> opinion?


Carol responds:
How about no interpretation at all, i.e., the elimination of the
editorial commentary, such as "Snape was clearly unpopular"? "Several
people" actually connotes a very small number, maybe half a dozen. So
only a few people, including Sirius and Peter but not Remus, actually
laughed. The onlookers are divided between those who look apprehensive
and those who appear to be entertained. (The narrator is reporting
Harry's impressions, based on facial expressions.) The words "some"
and "others" give clear no indication of how many were in each group,
but the reaction could well be evenly divided. It's possible that
Severus didn't have many friends (the Slytherin gang was evidently no
longer there or much reduced), but that doesn't mean he was actively
disliked by half the school. At any rate, I think it's best to let
readers arrive at their own conclusions. The narrator has been wrong
before; I distrust "clearly" as much as I distrust "seemed,"
"appeared," and "knew." Harry's perspective adds color, but it can't
always be trusted. And no, I'm not advocating any conspiracy theories,
just talking once again about narrative technique. 

Carol