Evil Snape

[Renee]

No: HPFGUIDX 154341

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "pippin_999" <foxmoth at ...> wrote:
>
>
> Pippin:
> I think we're agreed that Harry's insistence on his version
> of events, in the face of Hagrid and Hermione's doubts, stems as
> much from his hatred of Snape as from his eyewitness evidence. 
> Otherwise he would have as many questions as they do.

Renee:
I'm not sure about the "in the face of ... doubts". Steve answered the
part concerning Hagrid's doubts. As for Hermione, if you interpret her
"well... yes" after Harry calls Snape a murderer as doubt, you're free
to do so, but I think this evidence is rather flimsy. Otherwise, we
agree about Harry's insistence on his version of events. Actually, the
one who is most incredulous, is Lupin...  

Pippin:
> And I think we agree that Harry's hatred of Snape comes from his 
> personal issues. But there's a reason that Harry never brought up
> those issues when he was discussing his suspicions of Snape 
> with Dumbledore. He knew that it wouldn't strengthen his case
> to remind Dumbledore that he doesn't like Snape. 
> 
>  In other words, Harry knows it  would make him sound weak 
> and self-serving. It just never occurs to him that it  might actually 
> *be* weak and self-serving to suspect Snape. That's not anti-
> Snape bias, IMO, that's pro-Harry bias, otherwise known as
> arrogance.

Renee:
It seems to me that this is really juist a quibble about the meaning
of words. You say it's arrogance, I stick with bias, which I think is
not the same.   

Pippin: 
> And isn't that really why we want so much for Harry not to be wrong?
> Because we too are just a little bit lazy and as Harry would rather be
> spared thinking critically about Snape, so we would rather have our 
> fictional heroes be untarnished when it counts, so that we, and our 
> children, do not have to think about what they are doing, and 
> can just  stand up and cheer. 
 
Renee:
Believe it or not, I don't mind Harry being wrong. I never liked his
judgmentalism, and untarnished heroes aren't particularly interesting.
His main flaw just doesn't fit my definition of arrogance.