The Unloved Son (was Re: Could I be wrong about Snape being evil?)

[damselfly318]

No: HPFGUIDX 156683

Mari:
Hello all, I've been following the list for a while, since I started
re-reading all the books, but this is my first post.  I am especially
enjoying this line of debate.

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Sydney" <sydpad at ...> wrote:

> Did Snape know Occlumency before he joined the Death Eaters?  I think
> he tells us himself that he didn't:
>
> "Then you will find yourself easy prey for the Dark Lord!' said Snape
> savagely. 'Fools who wear their hearts proudly on their sleeves, who
> cannot control their emotions, who wallow in sad memories and allow
> themselves to be provoked so easily - weak people, in other words -
> they stand no chance against his powers! He will penetrate your mind
> with absurd ease, Potter!"
>
> Of course you could read this as Snape NOT talking about himself, but
> if you do, I think you read fiction in an entirely different way than
> I can even comprehend, so there's not much point debating.  To me this
> is transparently Snape telling Harry how he was recruited-- wallowing
> in sad memories and rage, and Voldemort walked right into his brain.
> It's, like, symbolism or something.

If you view Snape as speaking about himself there, then I think
Snape's hatred of Harry takes on a new dimension.  Perhaps Snape
consciously relates his loathing of Harry to his problems with James,
but considering what the Occlumency lessons revealed to Harry and
Snape about each other -- especially the similarity of their
apparently abusive childhoods -- what if Snape's real, possibly
subconscious reason for hating Harry is that he sees his younger self
in Harry.  I grant there are lots of differences, but the strength of
Snape's loathing makes me consider that often the things we are most
vocal about hating in others are the things we most despise in ourselves.

I'm not willing to defend the theory with my life or anything, but I
find it intriguing.

Mari