Calling Tonks Nymphadora, and Snape's button pushing in general

[leslie41]

No: HPFGUIDX 152108

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "steven1965aaa" 
> Steven1965aaa:
> 
> I just see this as a manifestation of Snape's nasty personality.  He 
> has a knack for finding someone's weakness and then just repeatedly 
> drilling in on it.  For example, constantly reminding Sirius how he 
> can't leave the house and help, calling Ron the boy who can't 
> apparate, saying "I see no difference" regarding Hermione's "teeth 
> extensions", his digs to Harry re: his dead father, goes without 
> saying re: Neville.  This is just another example --- he knows Tonks 
> doesn't like her first name, so he makes sure to use it; he sees what 
> he perceives to be a weakness in the form of the new patronus and 
> does not fail to mention it.

Yup, that seems to me to be Snape all over.  HOWEVER, I think that in 
many if not most cases what's revealed as a result is not only 
Snape's "nasty personality" (for which we have abundant evidence 
otherwise) but a weakness in the object of his scorn.  

Sirius Black is a hothead.  We all know that.  Snape is the one who 
makes that most obvious to us.  I would venture to say that had Black 
been rational enough to stand up to the minor taunts of an old school 
nemesis, he would not have gone and gotten himself killed.  

Nymphadora Tonks is lovelorn.  This is not necessarily a character 
weakness per se, but it is rather inconvenient and not quite 
disciplined of her to act the way she does during what is ostensibly a 
very dangerous period for the order.  You'll notice Harry willfully 
pushes Ginny away when he realizes that he has serious work to do 
regarding Voldemort.  Tonks becomes visibly weak and clingy, and dumps 
her problems on yet another member of the order (Molly). If her 
patronus is weak, SHE is weak.  That's not good.

There's always that person in our lives who attempts to get us to 
crack, and most often it's a show of character NOT to crack, to be able 
to coolly stand up to that person.  Once that day arrives, and we can, 
often times we find ourselves the recipient of that person's respect.  
Thus, the Severus Snapes in our lives actually make us better and 
stronger people.  The people in the books with the greatest strength of 
character don't let Snape get to them.  Remus Lupin, for example.  

Harry at this point is much like his godfather.  Undisciplined.  
Frazzled.  A hothead.  The ONLY way for him to get the better of Snape 
is to discipline himself, to close his mind.  To NOT feel hatred.  

Which is, of course, what Snape has been trying to teach him to do for 
years.