Snape, Hagrid and Animals

[lupinlore]

No: HPFGUIDX 143915

Pippin wrote:
>
<SNIP>
> 
> Either Snape's thought processes aren't as logical as we've been 
led
> to believe, or he has a rather higher opinion of Harry than he's 
let on.

Lupinlore:
But when have we ever been led to believe that Snape's thought 
processes are essentially logical?  He is certainly capable of 
logic, as his puzzle guarding the PS/SS shows.  But he is also 
capable of great leaps of emotionalism, indeed near hysterics, when 
it comes to Harry and James Potter.  I don't see why it is 
particularly odd for him to hold contradictory opinions of Harry.  
People do that all the time -- particularly deeply neurotic and near-
hysterical people.


> Pippin:
<SNIP>
> Exactly. Children know perfectly well when Snape has crossed the
> line in his classroom. They don't need a sermon about it, and they 
don't 
> need to see fire and brimstone raining on his head.
> 

Lupinlore:
Ah, but is this still a children's book? :-)  I don't know and I 
don't think it's pertinent, actually.  The question is what would 
make for an ending that brings the story's wheel to a balanced and 
well-written end.  That requires, IMO, an amount of sermonizing 
about Snape in the form, as we have discussed on another thread, of 
a third party intervening to confront, chastise, and yes, humiliate 
Snape in much the same way Dumbledore confronted, chastised, and 
humiliated the Dursleys.  And yes, it requires a certain amount of 
fire and brimstone raining onto Snape's head for his abusive 
behavior toward Harry and Neville.  Allowing him to go unpunished 
for that would be questionable on any number of fronts, literary, 
emotional, and yes, indeed, moral.


Lupinlore