Narcissistic!Snape (was: Whither Snape?)

[cubfanbudwoman]

No: HPFGUIDX 127380


Nora: 
> >Actually, the general diagnosis stands whether it's the Order of  
> > Merlin or Sirius Black.  It's the amazingly violent reaction to 
> > the 'disappointment' that makes one wonder.<
 
Betsy:
> See, this is where I get lost.  As far as Snape is concerned 
> someone who tried to kill him, someone he doesn't believe has 
> changed, has escaped, with the help of a Hogwart's golden boy.  
> Just like last time.  I can't see that his reaction was all that 
> out of line.  And it's exactly this kind of thinking, "Snape's got 
> a personality disorder, he wasn't *really* bothered by Black or 
> Potter," that I was worried SSSusan's post would generate.

SSSusan:
One quick note of clarification, from my point of view.  To me there 
is a difference between using something to "explain away" behavior 
and seeing something which helps to explain it.  For me, thinking of 
NPD does the latter.  

In this situation, in my reading of it, if what Snape was reacting 
to was Sirius' escape, it's not that Black or Potter didn't *bother* 
Snape and it's "just" a personality disorder speaking.  Not at all.  
It's that Snape's reaction was so *extreme* that *shows* the 
disorder.  I know some people feel they would have reacted the same 
way, but I think a lot of other people think Snape LOST it... and 
that's the crux of it for me.  It's the *personalization* of it to 
the extreme.  So on this matter, it's definitely going to come down 
to a reader's opinion over how extreme the reaction appeared to be 
or not be.  

Nora:
> > Snape: his inability or unwillingness to rethink positions when 
> > faced with new evidence... 
> > ...his general arrogance and self-confidence in his own 
> > opinions...
> > ...and the tendency to think that it's all about him (see all of 
> > PoA, for instance).

Betsy:
> Not sure I saw that tendency throughout PoA (or in any of the 
> books for that matter). 

SSSusan:
You don't see these things; I do see these things.  For instance, 
the first item, above.  Snape couldn't see fit to believe in Black's 
innocence because he couldn't calm down & listen; he was so angry 
about what it meant for HIM.  And not just in that moment, either.  
Do we ever see (or have reason to believe) that Snape wanted to find 
out the full details and why DD believed H/R/H/SB?  

This isn't my trying to come down on him and say, "BAD Snape!" nor 
is it "explaining away" Snape's behavior as in "He's not responsible 
for anything he does."  Rather, it's asking, "Why does he do this?" 
and finding a construct which seems to help in making his behavior 
understandable, even if it's not what I'd have done.

Siriusly Snapey Susan