[HPforGrownups] Re: More Snape Defense, regarding Snape's childhood. (Long)

[TrekkieGrrrl]

No: HPFGUIDX 122826

> Alla:
> Cannot speak for everybody else, but I most certainly DON'T make
> such assumption. What I do think though that his apparently unhappy
> childhood ( and NO, we don't know for sure that he was abused at
> all, as Charme said earlier - couple of memories don't necessarily
> make unhappy childhood. We don't even know for sure if the boy in
> those memories was Snape) often used as an excuse that Snape is
> INCAPABLE of changing his behaviour and therefore it is OK for him
> to stay that way. Am I being clear? I am not saying that Snape
> necessarily knows how to behave normally, I am objecting to that he
> should not be forced to change such behaviour.

TrekkieGrrrl:
Now, this may be a language issue, as english is not my native language, 
but... "force people to change their behaviour?" If by behaviour you mean 
personality, I can't see how that's doable. It would be forcing a blind to 
see. You can't.

I know that there isn't that much canon proof of an unhappy childhood, but I 
hope we agree that with the marauders around, surely his school days can't 
have been exactely fun?

Also, I think that JKR deliberately put *that* memory in the book so that we 
could see he DID have an unhappy childhood. And excuse me, but saying that 
the boy wasn't him? So the boy shooting own flies wasn't him either? So 
Snape is carrying around someone elses memories? Mebbe.. just doesn't make 
sense to me.

And again, his behavioral patterns *DOES* duggest a boy with a "victim" 
complex, and it *IS* typical of children from households where abuse is 
taking place - be it alcohol/drug abuse or violent behaviour - can fall into 
two groups, those who feel guilty = victims (It's all my fault that my dad 
drinks and hits my mom) and those who gets tough - outwards - either as 
bullies or as the "resident clown" in the classroom.

He has problems with attaching himself emotionally to other people, IMO he 
hides behind his snarky mask, and has probably been doing it since his 
schooldays - again, if you make sure noone likes you and wants to be with 
you, then noone can hurt you by leaving you.

>
> Magda:
> And how many times has someone said oh it's not Sirius' fault that
> he's insensitive or reckless, the poor guy never had a chance to
> mature in Azkaban because he went there when he was 21/22 boo hoo hoo
> poor baby?
>
> Alla:
>
> By that someone you must have mean JKR right? ;)
>
> Magda:
> There are personality traits and mental processes that are hardwired
> by the time you're in your teens and there's not a lot that can be
> done to change them.
>
> Alla:
>
> We differ on that one, because then many people would have stopped
> their personal development in their teens and that would have been
> very sad picture.

TrekkieGrrrl again:

Many people HAVE stopped their personal development in their teens.

Some of them are are addicted to something, a few are not.

Sirius, as an example from the books. As Magda points out, we feel sorry for 
Sirius because he's been locked up in Azkaban. Well, Snape has been locked 
up inside himself longer than that.. IMO, that is.

~TrekkieGrrrl