What's in a Name? (CHAPDISC - Spinner's End)

[Ralph Miller]

No: HPFGUIDX 142723

Julie:

No strike could be sharper than calling her the foulest name he could muster,
thus hurting her as she has (unintentionally) hurt him. 
<snip>
The idea that Snape called Lily "mudblood" because of inborn prejudice
seems especially odd now that we know he isn't a pureblood, and later
called himself by a title that emphasized that fact (Half-Blood Prince).
And if this really is his worst memory, then the insult shouted out of impulsive anger and humiliation, which he can't take back once his 
anger subsides even if he dearly wishes he could, makes sense. 

RM:

Forgive me if this is just an elaborate "I agree post" but I wanted to make
sure I'm reading Julie's point correctly. I have always thought that:
1) If this is the sharpest insult he could muster and
2) He hurt her in using it and
3) He didn't have the inborn prejudice then
this becomes his worst memory not because he was humiliated, (evidently
the marauders did that to him as often as they could), but because he hurt
Lily with what he knew was a foul insult when he really had feelings for
her, making himself look like a jerk in front of her. I think Snape is very
aware of how he appears to her after this incident and it crushes him. 

RM.