Neville and stuff (Was: In Defense of Snape)

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 123241


Dungrollin wrote:
> > I've found some canon to suggest that fear is actually a good
motivator, and particularly for Neville:
><quote snipped>
> 
SSSusan responded:
> Motivated by fear or by revenge, do you think?
> 
>  
> Dungrollin replied:
><snip>  To be honest, I think that one could argue for both
interpretations, but since I proposed that his DADA improvement was
motivated by fear, I'll argue against revenge.
> 
> Is Neville a vengeful character?  Does vengeance occupy a large part 
> of his psyche?  Lets look at some examples.
><excellent examples snipped>

> I can't think of any other examples except for one, which, to my 
> mind, clearly shows Neville not to be vengeful.  In the DoM, faced 
> with his parent's torturer: "STUBEFY!" Neville shouted again, 
> pointing his wand at each Death Eater in turn.  "STUBEFY! STUBE-"
> 
> Stupefy???
> 
> Then Bella (apparently) kills Sirius, "SHE KILLED SIRIUS!" bellowed 
> Harry.  "SHE KILLED HIM – I'LL KILL HER!" and Harry chases
> after her and tries to crucio her.  That's more like it. 
> *That's* wanting revenge. 
><snip>
> I've certainly never interpreted Neville's character as
> vengeful.  Courageous and loyal, yes (see above, the fight at the 
> Quidditch match), vengeful, no.  The others in the DA were also 
> motivated to work harder by the DE's escape, - even Zacharias
> Smith - and I doubt that revenge was uppermost in their minds.  
> Neville just had a better understanding than the others of what DEs 
> running around loose meant, as he should.  He was afraid.  Nothing 
> shameful in that, I'd be terrified. <snip>

> So why doesn't it work in potions lessons?  Why doesn't the fear
> he feels for Snape motivate him to try harder in potions.  Why does 
> someone with the courage to shout stupefy through a broken nose and 
> point a wand that isn't going to work at a group of adult DEs 
> (including one or more that tortured his parents mad) have a boggart 
> in the shape of the potions master?  
> 
> Aye, there's the rub. <snip>
>

Carol responds:
I agree with you. It's not revenge that motivates Neville. I think
it's determination and courage, the kind of courage that involves
overcoming real and valid fear. Neville has finally realized that his
real enemy is not and never has been Snape. It's Bellatrix and her
followers (the Lestrange brothers and Barty Jr.). One down (his sould
removed by Dementors) and three to go. 

I don't want to see Neville become vengeful, maniacally bent on murder
like sirius Black in PoA. I don't want him to cast a Crucio or an AK
and become *like them.* But I do want to see him find his courage and
his competence and fight manfully (not PC, sorry) in the cause of
right against the woman whose cruelty has caused him lasting harm--and
who Crucioed *him* in MoM.

I do think he's motivated in the DADA lessons by fear, or rather the
determination to overcome fear. And after his face-to-face encounter
with Bellatrix in the Mom, I very much doubt that his boggart is still
Professor Snape.

Carol