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

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 127386


Pippin:


We already know that Snape has a personality disorder. He's a
sadist.

It doesn't add anything to my understanding of the character to put
narcissism on top of that, particularly since we already have the
pathologically conceited Lockhart. 

I wouldn't say Snape is pathologically conceited -- if he had
saved Harry's life and turned in the notorious Death Eater Sirius 
Black, he would well deserve Harry's thanks, and an Order of Merlin
second class. Hey, even Lockhart's got one of those.<g>

Sadism explains  why Snape threatens Sirius and Lupin with 
Dementors at least as it well as it explains  why Harry thought
of sending Dudley home as something with feelers. 

As for why Snape followed James and Sirius out on to the lawn, it's
typical of the kids who seem to draw bullying that they don't avoid
their tormentors as much as they could. They have (speaking as an
ex-victim) a rather self-destructive tendency to stand on their 
rights, and get thumped for it. They get some gratification in 
standing up for themselves, but unfortunately it gratifies the bully
too, since what the bully wants, it turns out,
is a victim who will fight back, but not well enough to win.

It seems to me far more straightforward to see Snape as a fragile
ego,  struggling to avoid admitting that he can't defend himself.
than as a hyperinflated one. Lockhart, when he knows he's 
outgunned, has no shame at all about running away.
*That*'s* Narcissism.

Pippin:
> > And if we all agree that it would have been idiotic of Snape to
> > listen to Sirius  when he was told about how to get into the
> > willow, then was it really irrational of Snape not to want
> > to listen to Sirius in the Shrieking Shack?
>
Nora:
> I would generally consider it perhaps not irrational, but certainly 
> irresponsible for a teacher of authority, with this personal 
> relationship and some kinds of responsibilities to Dumbledore, to
not 
> be willing to, when he is in complete control of the situation, 
> listen to another perspective before acting.  It's not only Sirius 
> he's not listening to, he's shut Lupin up and he makes especial 
> effort to scream at Hermione.  Why is he so interested in shutting 
> her up after the events in the Hospital Wing, as well?

Pippin:
Why do you say Snape was in complete control? He wasn't -- he got
knocked out! 

Snape had every reason to fear that Sirius or Lupin might be trying to
put him off his guard so they could enchant him.  Death Eaters
Don't. Need. Wands.

Was it conceited of Snape not to want to listen?
I don't think we give due credit to the wizards' ability to confound
the will. We are too steeped in our Western liberal notion that
thought is free and inviolate. Well, it ain't, not in 
the wizarding world, anyway.

Bill:"Well, the main thing is to try and convince as many people as
possible that You-Know-Who has returned, to put them on their guard."

Lupin: "..most of the Wizarding community are completely unaware that
anything's happened and that makes them easy targets for the Death
Eaters if they're using the Imperius Curse."

In the Wizarding World, it may indeed hurt to listen.


I think Snape  may see this as Hermione's Achilles heel, the one form
of magic she knows about but has always discounted.She understands 
that magic can rob people of their freedom; I don't think she
understands that it can steal even the *idea* of freeedom. She appears
to think she would know if she were confunded. She's unable to
understand why the House  Elves don't want to be free and she hasn't
exactly made a secret of her campaign to free them, so Snape would 
certainly know about it. (Incidently, this blind spot could explain
Hermione's lack of curiosity about the Occlumency lessons and
Voldemort's manipulation of Harry's dreams.)
 
Was it conceited of Snape to follow Lupin to the Shrieking Shack?
He thought Lupin was  alone. But once he realized Harry, Hermione
and Ron were there too he could hardly  abandon them and go to get
help.

 I really can't square Narcissistic!Snape with the man who grips the
back of his chair as he asks how McGonagall can be sure someone
has been taken by the monster, or the one who saved Harry's life
first year and has never yet brought it up to him. Not once.

Pippin