Narcissistic!Snape (was: Whither Snape?)

[Jim Ferer]

No: HPFGUIDX 127382


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.

To suggest Snape has a personality disorder doesn't mean that he
wasn't really bothered by Black and Potter.  They're not exclusive. 
Personality disorders are only labels anyway, useful descriptors of
observed patterns.  And his grudge against Sirius goes way beyond even
Sirius's "attempt" to kill him. Snape's humiliation by Sirius cuts deeper.

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."

Exactly.  We're looking for insight here, not excuses for Snape or
anyone else.

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)."

I agree with Nora's observation, but not necessarily the
characterization of it.  Instead of "arrogance," I'd say
"defensiveness;" and a lack of self-confidence as a cause of that. 
When Snape was a kid, I doubt anyone cared what he had to say, and his
opinions never turned into working his will. Either Potter, or Black,
or somebody snatched away anything he wanted, including his dignity. 
Now that he's an adult with some position of authority, he's
absolutely dead set on getting his way and some payback, besides.  

How do people react when they feel they never got their way, or their
just desserts? Persecuted? When they never felt they belonged to
anything, or were accepted anywhere?  Some become bullies when they
get older; some become spiteful, intolerant, and recalcitrant when
they can [they way they felt they were treated]; some join cults that
appear to offer the acceptance and belonging they never had from more
legitimate sources, or become Goths and hang around the mall making
people uncomfortable.  They do become self-absorbed, narcissistic if
you will.  Whether that constitutes NPD or not I don't know, but it
looks similar to an observer.

Jim Ferer