JKR and Occlumency lessons (was Re: Snape and Occlumency)

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 121774


>>Potioncat:
>There have been countless discussions about Occlumency lessons, and 
I've participated in quite a few of them.  We can argue whether it 
was DD's mistake or Snape's fault or Harry's distrust....or something 
else instead. And we all tend to get very emotional about it. 
>But really, what was JKR intending when she wrote these classes? 
What are we learning from them?  How did they affect the characters?<

>>Reed: (in message #121720)
>I think the reason JKR invented those Occlumency lessons was to show
what happens if Harry and Snape are paired together - not as teacher
and student, which is still a comparatively distant relationship, but
only the two of them, forced to cooperate on an important and very
difficult,emotionally challenging task.<
<snip>

>>vmonte: (in message #121727)
>I think that JKR added the occlumency lessons for a different reason.
I think that she needed a way to show a flashback of the past.<
<snip>

Betsy:
I agree with both Reed and vmonte that the occlumency lessons were 
used by JKR to further the plot and do some character exploration as 
well.  Something that struck me while I was reading those scenes (and 
I agree with Reed that they were damn fun to read) was how alike 
Snape and Harry are.  Here are two introverts, well used to being 
scorned and mistrusted by their peers, not overly fond of the 
limelight, gifted with a fairly quick tongue, and not known for their 
empathy, forced into a reluctant cooperation by someone they both 
admire and maybe even love, but who does drive them crazy from time 
to time.

I don't think Harry saw it.  He may have started to after the 
pensieve scene, but the battle at the MoM and Sirius' death will have 
distracted him.  Snape, however?  He may well have.  It will be 
interesting to see what develops in book 6.  But I definitely agree 
with Reed here:

>>Reed:
>For I think that *this* is what the lesson setup is all about. I 
think that Harry's relationship to Snape and their ability to work
together will be crucial to rest of the story and that the occlumency
lessons were a narrative tool to elaborate this thread and bring it
into focus.<

Betsy