What is Snape knows

[nrenka]

No: HPFGUIDX 125122


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "mooseming" <josturgess at e...> 
wrote:

> Mooseming:
>
> Snape may know about the prophecy but that doesn't mean he BELIEVES 
> or TRUSTS it, he may even resent it. 

I would say that this is an eminent possibility, but here is a slight 
variation: there's a difference between 'knowing' something 
(Dumbledore told me) and KNOWING something (I saw that rat myself!).  
That's certainly a thematic problem, the question of "Do I rely on 
this person or do I need to actually have the proof myself?".  Ron 
believes in Dumbledore, so he 'knows' that Snape is trustworthy, but 
Ron knows that he does not KNOW that Snape is trustworthy.  This is 
the problem when you do not bother to actually explain to people why 
they should believe things, but go 'trust me'--you rely on a 
different category of knowledge.

And Snape certainly strikes me as the type to have some similar 
problems, because of...

> I believe the key to Snape's behaviour is his arrogance. 

<snip>

> Contrastingly arrogance is an exaggerated sense of one own 
> importance. Exaggerated because the world does not reflect this 
> view.  The arrogant have not made their peace with the world.

<snip>

> The arrogant will always be angry with others for not seeing them 
> as they see themselves whilst simultaneously fearing that others 
> perceptions are right.  This conflict may drive them to prove their 
> own view and over achieve, which in turn inflates their self 
> importance which is not sufficiently acknowledged, which drives 
> them etc etc. Alternatively they may refuse to join the battle and 
> withdraw to a position of `I would win but playing the game is 
> beneath me', they are apt to change allegiance if they feel they 
> are under appreciated. Never resolving their true value in the 
> greater world, the arrogant remain isolated, they have difficulty 
> in accommodating the perspective of others and tend to be 
> egocentric.

There has been in the past (curses, Yahoomort!; out of memory?? or 
else I really could find this one, with a little time) some excellent 
discussion of Snape's actions in PoA (specifically the drive to catch 
Black) in these terms; Snape wants to prove to Dumbledore that he is 
worthy of DD's consideration by catching the traitor son (Black); and 
there is an eminent possibility of reading PoA as showing those 
motives driving Snape to some decidedly skeezy behavior (the stuff 
with Fudge).

[But really, all throughout PoA, Snape seems to act as if the stuff 
with Black is all about *him* and that past incident we really don't 
know enough about.  When you assume...]

I would say that Snape's PoA attitude towards Hermione in the two 
incidents where he shuts her up is also indicative of a certain kind 
of arrogance.  He is *so* convinced of his rightness that he cannot 
stand to be contradicted, cannot take a moment to hear another 
viewpoint--it enrages him.  I read his treatment of Harry first class 
in a similar vein: he *knows* already what the kid is going to be 
like; better nip that in the bud.

<snip>

> Snape, with all his insecurities, would be both threatened by Harry 
> and Neville because they are perceived as more important than him 
> (could even BE more important than him) and dismissive of them 
> because they are clearly beneath him. 

I think this well encapsulates some of the bizzare dynamic.

That said, I don't think Snape knows the prophecy.  I suspect he 
knows of it.  I suspect he's been *told* that yes, Harry Potter is 
very special.  But I don't think he has let himself really believe 
that, or fully process what it means (perversely, I give Snape credit 
here--I think he's a smart guy, which is why this strikes me as a 
deliberate thing rather than a 'oh, he just can't do it'--won't 
rather than can't).  He's a little too caught up in his own 
understanding of the world.  I hope it doesn't whack him in the 
rear.  Too hard.

-Nora goes off to play with the 600-year old books