View Full Version : What was Snape's motivation in Potions?
In chapter 8 of PS/SS - The Potions Master - Snape seems to concentrate on Harry right from the start ...
Was Snape trying to show Harry up?
Was he trying to show the class he was in control?
Was he in fact just setting the right tone to people like Malfoy he didnt like Harry?
I think it can be viewed in many ways ... I think the most interesting is perhaps he went over the top in trying to show he disliked Harry ... he seemed to be relentless ... like he was making a point ....
I think this would be consitant if indeed Snape does have a secret desire to help Harry - but is also someone who is a double agent ... and needed to show Malfoy Jnr his distaste so that Malfoy could pass that back to Daddy ...
I agree with your last paragraph that Snape acted way over the top but I am not so sure it was for Draco Malfoys benefit.
Snape hated James Potter with a vengence - well if someone dangled anyone upside down and possibly removed their underwear in front of a laughing crowd that person would hate them too. So after all this time when Harry walks into his classroom he is visibly reminded of James as Harry is the double of his father - except for the eyes of course.
So I am thinking that Snape was feeling guilty at what happened to his parents and also with loathing because Harry looks so like James that he is reminded of the bullying he received at the hands of James and his friends.
Later on when the dislike for Harry because he looks like James would wear down, Harry seems to be going around breaking school rules and getting away with it. Again Snape would be reminded of James Potter and Snape also seems to be a stickler for the rules.
I think that Snape is too good a spy to need to be nasty to Harry just so that Draco will inform his father.
Weasleyfanforever
15-12-2004, 13:58
While I agree that Snape's loathing of James is definatly genuine, I do think that that he had ulterior motives from the beginning. I think it is a good possibility that he was showing everyone that he hated Harry, so that they would know if asked. We have to remember that Draco isn't the only one that has DE for at least one parent. I really like the idea that he has always been so cruel to Harry during lessons to make him remember what was going on, and more specifically what he was teaching at the time. I think that Snape really does dislike Harry because of his father, but he knows that Harry is basically their last chance. In order to help Harry, and maintain his cover, He has to show that he dislikes Harry as much as possible, but he also has to be helping him without anyone, even Harry knowing it, and I think this works perfectly....
Yah this was my thoughts when I read it ...
I think Crabbe and Goyle's 'rents were death eaters (addressed in circle!) - so yah, Snape knows of at least 3 DE kids in the room - and if he set the tone straight away - the message going back to the DE circle would be Snape had a strong dislike of Potter ... as such he is still viable as a DE turned Spy for Voldemort ...
I think he almost went over the top in making the point he disliked Harry ... just didnt seem to sit right ...
I dont understand why Snape would feel it necessary that he has to show he dislikes an 11 year old boy so strongly. What does it prove? It doesn't show that he is being a good spy and it doesn't show he is being a good double spy either. If he were to do it to show to Lucius Malfoy and the other Death Eaters that he disliked Harry, that would seem to me that Snape wasn't really in their circle that he was below them socially and was "trying to get in with the gang" so to speak.
From what I have noticed, Snape has only shown true dislike for Harry and Neville. He is cold towards Hermione calling her an insufferable know it all etc. but I think that is because he is a bully and likes to pick on them. Which is ironic since he was bullied at school.
I think it is a mixture of showing his power and sometimes people can get carried away, Nagini. You asked why he would need to show Harry up so much when Harry is an 11 year old boy. I think that he not only wanted to show off to the Slytherin kids because their parents are DEs, but he also saw so much of a young James in Harry that he got carried away with his own emotions and didn't give Harry a fighting chance.
I also like the other thread that addresses the idea that perhaps Snape is trying to show Harry some clues to help him down the road . . . who knows.
I dont understand why Snape would feel it necessary that he has to show he dislikes an 11 year old boy so strongly. What does it prove? It doesn't show that he is being a good spy and it doesn't show he is being a good double spy either. If he were to do it to show to Lucius Malfoy and the other Death Eaters that he disliked Harry, that would seem to me that Snape wasn't really in their circle that he was below them socially and was "trying to get in with the gang" so to speak.
From what I have noticed, Snape has only shown true dislike for Harry and Neville. He is cold towards Hermione calling her an insufferable know it all etc. but I think that is because he is a bully and likes to pick on them. Which is ironic since he was bullied at school.
I think Snape was really having worries about how he dealt with this first impressions thing ...
I still think that he has a reason to be beholden to Harry - but also has the double spy thing - I think he was panaking as to exactly how he approached this rather important meeting ...
He needed to ensure that if any of the DE kids were asked about Snape and Harry - that their responses were that he showed contempt and ill feelings - was nasty etc ... was still fighting the good DE fight ...
It wasnt as case of trying to be popular to the DE kids - it was about making sure they fed back the right type of feedback - that showed he was still DE ...
IMHO of course :p
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