Imperius Resistance & Occlumency -Revelation

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 123324


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "justcarol67" <justcarol67 at y...>
wrote:
> 
> 
> > Betsy:
> > I'm not sure I understand this, are you saying that if Harry sees 
> > someone murdered, his emotional reaction to that would somehow 
> > give Voldemort power?  Because Harry did see Cedric murdered and 
> > during the battle at the MoM I don't think that memory was ever 
> > called up.



> Carol responds:
> It does come up and it's one of the moments when Snape gets angry
> with Harry. "You are handing me weapons!" he says, indicating that 
> Harry *should* be resisting and isn't. Sorry I don't remember which 
> chapter it's in, but Snape is very definitely displeased that Harry 
> has let him see such an important and powerful memory and is trying 
> to get across to Harry that such a memory in the hands of Voldemort 
> would be a very dangerous weapon.
> 
> Carol

bboyminn:

I think the problem that is occuring in this scene is that Harry can't
see the harm in the mental images (thoughts & memories). They are,
afterall, his own memories and he can see them whenever he wants too.
So why is this situation any different? ...other than Snape can see
them too.

It is clear however that when Harry sees a memory that he feels is
personal and private, he can cut it off.

Let me diverge for a moment, and I hope teachers will back me up on
this, a teacher's true job is not explanation (the transfer of data),
it's revelation; to bring about a revelation from within the student.
In a sense, the lessons that come from within ourselves are the
lessons we learn best. So a teachers job is not simply to explain, but
to bring students to that "Eureka! I get it!" point.

Harry can't see the harm in those curious images, so he only cuts off
those selective memories that he doesn't want people to see. What
Snape is trying to tell (explain to) Harry is that he must completely
close his mind. 

He can't risk selectively choosing images, because he can't know in
advance what thoughts and memories Voldemort will be able to exploit.
In addition, for Harry to have seen the beginning of a memory, also
means that his interrogator has seen that first glimpse of a sensitive
memory, and can therefore use it against him. The fact that Harry cut
that particular memory off would be an indication that it was a memory
that had power and potential to be used against him. So, it's best to
not let any memories out, because that guarantees that your
interogator will not have any weapons to use against you.

The problem is that Snape is explaining this in the most blunt and
demanding way. He is flat out, angrily, telling Harry to do it. But
Snape is making no effort to push Harry to the point of revelation. He
is not taking the time to teach Harry this vital and critial point
until Harry reaches that "I get it!" moment. Not 'I get it' as in
"Yes... yes... I hear what you are saying, so shut up about it', but
that internal blinking on of the light of revelation where Harry
internally from his own mind becomes enlightened to the idea.

Snape's blunt and demanding teaching style is understandable given the
animosity between them, and I'm sure each of them is frustrated by the
fact that, specifically and in general, the other party certainly
doesn't 'get it'. 

I suspect that if Harry and Snape were on more benevolent terms, Snape
would indeed patiently (in his own Snapely way) take the time to push
Harry towards revelation. But under the circumstances Snape bluntly
tells Harry what to do, but fails to explain the situation to the
point that Harry fully understands. I'm sure Snape thinks,
subconsciously, that Harry gets it, but is being stubborn and
deliberately uncooperative, or just plain lazy. 

Because of their mutual animosity, their hard feeling push them
farther and farther from /revelation/ just when revelation is exactly
what is needed most.

Just a thought.

Steve/bboyminn