Narcissistic!Snape (was: Whither Snape?) [long!]

[cubfanbudwoman]

No: HPFGUIDX 127325


lealess wrote:
> ... is it possible that Snape is just extremely introverted and not 
> necessarily narcissistic?  He would still be self-referential in 
> most of his dealings with others, but it would be a reference to 
> internal standards, instead of a striving for external validation, 
> that would make it difficult for him to understand or even tolerate 
> others.  His anger could come from being stuck in a situation in 
> which he is not comfortable, i.e., having to be with people, 
> especially those who do not fit his expectations (probably 
> unrealistic) of others.  <snip> 


SSSusan:
I think you're right that Snape is introverted, for certain, and that 
he is uncomfortable in some of the settings in which we find him.  
But hmmmm... why *are* those expectations of others unrealistic?  
Introversion alone wouldn't really explain that, I don't think.  
Where did those standards come from?


lealess:
> Is it possible the only measure he really cares about is an 
> internal one, that he would value justice, decorum, duty, etc., 
> according to the standard he sets for himself (perhaps too high or 
> inflexible) over the external validation of a medal or maybe even 
> Dumbledore's approval?  <snip> Perhaps his internal sense of what 
> is right is what keeps him doing the work that Dumbledore asks of 
> him.  It may also be what sets him against rulebreakers.  


SSSusan:
There may very well be some internal measure that Snape is very 
attached to, which determines the standards which he sets for 
himself.  Just as you don't *necessarily* see narcissist in him, I 
don't necessarily see *not* narcissist in his having an internal code 
of sorts.  Are these incompatible, I guess I'm asking?

OTOH, I'm not sure that I can agree that Snape values his 
own "internal measure" over DD's approval.  I think DD's 
approval/validation is VERY important to Snape. Otherwise, how can we 
explain Snape's backing down when DD challenges him ["Guilty until 
proven innocent, Severus", "My memory is as good as it ever was, 
Severus", the Ford Anglia punishment scene, ...]?  If Snape is sooo 
ruled by an internal code that it overrides anything else, and his 
standards are occasionally different from DD's [e.g., rulebreaking], 
one might expect him to continue to argue his position, rather than 
backing down. 

As for his position about rulebreakers, who was it who said Snape is 
hung up on the rules in a hall-monitorish way?  (I love that.)  Is he 
hung up on them for reasons of principle and high moral standards?  
Or is he hung up on them because he can't stand people getting away 
with things, people sneaking around & doing things?  Methinks Snape 
doesn't care for kids going against his authority.

Siriusly Snapey Susan