The length of the Pensieve Scene

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 116805


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "delwynmarch" <delwynmarch at y...>
wrote:
> 
> This might have been discussed before, but I'll readily admit that I
> don't read most Worst Memory threads, because they always go back to
> discussing the same old themes.
> 
> My question is : why is the scene described in Snape's Worst Memory 
> so long ?
> 
>...edited....
> 
> Is it just for *our* information, us the readers ?
> 
> Is it because Snape isn't familiar with how a Pensieve works, so he
> doesn't know how to cut exactly where it matters, and he ended up
> leaving a lot of unnecessary material around the real matter of his
> memory ?
> 
> ...edited...
> 
> And again, for all we know, maybe the fight was not even the real
> important point of the memory.
> 
> Anybody has any idea ?
> 
> Del

bboyminn:

Think of a memory... now expand on that event. That shows you that an
event memory can be variable. On different occassions when you
remember a specific event, the size of that memory, the amount of
information varies with how deeply you allow yourself to remember.

So, I suspect memories are put into the Pensieve in the same way. The
expanse of a particular memory depends on the detail to which a person
want to remember it. Say you remember a time you went fishing. On one
occassion, just the briefest flash of the memory may be enough to
satisfy you, at other times, you may daydream about that event for hours.

The point I am making is that memories are drawn from the brain based
on the immediate intent of that person. When Dumbledore drew his
memory of the Court scenes, his mind may have been on a specific court
hearing. Whereas, alternately, he could have chosen to remember and
withdraw the thoughts of the trial in it's entirety which would
include many hearings. 

When Snape withdrew his memory of that specific event, it may have
been critically important to his memory to include the 'I was just
minding my own business' part. That's not so relavant to what Harry
might see, but it's very relavant to Snape's emotions surrounding the
event.

Short version - I think the length of the Pensieve event is related to
how, what, and how much the /drawer of memories/ related to the event;
how much he chose to withdraw.

Shortest version - the /drawer of memories/ choses whether he wants a
snapeshot or a chronical.

Just a thought.

Steve/bboyminn (was bboy_mn)