Werewolves and RL equivalents (was:Re: Snape - a werewolf bigot?...)

[houyhnhnm102]

No: HPFGUIDX 170414

Mike:

> I'm not near as good at this as you are Magpie, so I 
> want to ask your opinion, or anyone else that 
> understands this better than me. Does this little 
> power play remind you at all of a similar power 
> play between James and Lily, with Severus in the 
> Harry role? I know the conditions are different, 
> flirting versus passive-aggressive attitudes, Harry 
> is clueless and not a part of the exchange versus 
> Severus understanding exactly what's playing out 
> and is the object of the exchange (as well as being 
> tormented). And, of course, there is no audience 
> for the Lupin-Snape exchange other than Harry.

> But it struck me that James and Lily were being 
> outwardly disgusted (well, Lily anyway) while inwardly 
> friendly (or more). Conversely, Snape and Lupin are 
> outwardly friendly but inwardly detesting (might be 
> too strong for Lupin, but not Snape) each other. I'm 
> thinking there is some literary term for this reverse 
> parallel, but it's beyond my scope of learning. :-?

houyhnhnm:

First of all, I want to make it clear that I'm 
responding to the "anyone else" and not the "better 
than me". :-)  I'm a total layperson when it comes 
to either literary analysis or psychiatry, but your 
post made me think about the two scenes.  There is a 
similarity that I hadn't noticed before. Both involve 
a drama triangle with covert transactions and switches 
or at least potential switches).  But there are differences, too.

The Pensieve triangle starts out with Snape in the 
role of Victim, with James as Persecutor and Lily as 
Rescuer.  Except that Lily's motives are not pure.  
She may have intervened out of a sense of duty as a 
prefect, but she is also there because she is attracted 
to James. James lays the trap by telling Snape "You're 
lucky Evans was here, Snivellus--" and Snape, who has 
probably noticed Lily's expression twitch as if she 
were going to smile, takes the bait, calls Lily a 
Mudblood and accomplishes the switch.  Lily is now 
the Victim, Snape the Persecutor, and James the Rescuer.
Well done, James!  

The scene in Lupin's office is a little more 
complicated with each character viewing the triangle 
differently. I think both Lupin and Snape see Harry 
as the Victim, but each sees himself as the Rescuer 
with the other as Persecutor.  Harry sees Lupin as 
the Victim (of Snape's poisoning attempt) and himself 
as would be Rescuer, but he takes no action (other 
than telling his friends), so the switch doesn't 
really happen, and the dramatic tension is left unresolved.

I hope I'm not spouting complete rubbish.  It was an 
interesting thought problem, however.  Thanks.