Snape and Draco again was I see no difference

[wynnleaf]

No: HPFGUIDX 160911

: 
> zgirnius:

> I have encountered a few people who claim only to have understood 
> that Snape's comment was hurtful, and why, after reading Hermione, 
> Harry, and Ron's reactions, and thinking about it. Such people, 
> obviously, do not find the logic of the argument convoluted, since it 
> coincides with their first impressions of the scene. (Though I may, 
> of course, have presented it poorly).
>
wynnleaf
I'm curious as to *why* people think this was such an insulting
comment.  In other words, why was Hermione so hurt by it?  

Consider this.  If Hermione's hand had been grossly enlarged, and
Snape had looked at it and said, "I see no difference," where would be
the insult?  If he had meant by the comment, "that hand is no
different from the way it was," then his comment could only be
construed as ridiculously dense.  But not an insult, because it's too
obviously incorrect (*if* Snape meant that the hand was no different
from the way it had been before).

The reason "I see no difference" is insulting is because the
implication is that Hermione's teeth are so big anyway, that Snape
sees no difference.  But no one would use that as an insult unless 1.
the person thought Hermione's regular teeth ugly and therefore the
comment would point out that her regular teeth were ugly, too.  Or 2.
the person knew that Hermione was particularly sensitive about her
teeth.  Otherwise, saying "I see no difference" and meaning "your
teeth are no different from the way they were" has no impact -- it's
an insult "without teeth" (intentional pun).  

But I can't see Snape either already knowing that Hermione is
sensitive about her teeth, OR Snape considering her teeth so ugly that
telling her that her enlarged teeth are no different would hurt her
feelings and be an insult -- rather than simply ridiculous.

See what I mean?  Someone with very yellowed, ugly teeth -- far, far
uglier than Hermione's doubtlessly pearly white teeth -- would
probably never even know that Hermione considers her regular teeth too
big, and *Certainly* Snape wouldn't think they were ugly.  So where is
the supposed impact -- in *Snape's* mind -- of the insult?  If he was
saying this as an insult, he might as well (from his perspective) have
said that her teeth were purple or had gold stars or whatever --
because Snape couldn't have known that Hermione would consider a
comment about the size of her teeth an insult.

Okay -- so where does that leave us?  It takes the trio and the
narrator reminding the reader that Hermione is sensitive about her
beautiful white, but slightly larger teeth, in order for us to feel
her injury at Snape's remark.

So what did Snape say it for, if it wouldn't make sense for him to
attempt to insult Hermione this way?  Possibly he *did* mean, "I see
no difference.  This isn't any worse a hex than the one on Goyle."  

I don't know -- it's a bit strange all around.  This is the only
instance of Snape making that kind of personal insult about someone's
looks -- *if* that's what it was.  And if that's what it was, it's --
of all bodily parts he might insult -- one of the two most odd things
to insult (that and someone with slightly oily hair), since his own
teeth are soooo much worse than the slightly larger white teeth that
Hermione's so sensitive about.  

Remember -- Snape's supposed insult has zero impact if it's not
directed at something Hermione cares about, or if it's not got a
slight element of truth to it.  But I don't think Snape would never
think that Hermione's regular teeth have anything truly wrong with
them, nor can I believe he knew she was sensitive about her teeth.

Just compare it to how a similar remark would sound if one of her feet
had grown very large -- "I see no difference" would not have hurt her
feelings, it would simply have been ridiculous.  Because Hermione
isn't sensitive about having big feet.

wynnleaf