Very solid. No real disagreements, and hadn't thought about the relationship between these characters before.
I have tended to discount Snape's life debt to Harry in light of later developments. I feel like that explanation of Snape's animus reflected a narcissistic, "he's just jealous" view (on the partof Harry/the narrator) that was first shaken by the revelation of the prank (the circumstances in which James saved his life were obviously not going to endear him to SS) and decisively knocked out of the water by Snape's Worst Memory. Snape had good reason to hate James. We no longer need (though we may still want) either envy or sexual jealousy as a motive. I think.
Which doesn't mean Snape doesn't still owe Harry a life debt. However, wouldn't they be even after the Quidditch episode in Book 1? I don't remember how we get the information that Snape thinks he owes Harry a life debt. DD? Maybe the idea of a life debt is a metonym for not owning your own life, lacking autonomy, and thus relates to the "servility" issue you raised. Defining oneself in terms of others? And can this be avoided? (Harry--James, Sirius; Hermione, Ron--Harry).
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2003-08-17 10:14 am (UTC)I have tended to discount Snape's life debt to Harry in light of later developments. I feel like that explanation of Snape's animus reflected a narcissistic, "he's just jealous" view (on the partof Harry/the narrator) that was first shaken by the revelation of the prank (the circumstances in which James saved his life were obviously not going to endear him to SS) and decisively knocked out of the water by Snape's Worst Memory. Snape had good reason to hate James. We no longer need (though we may still want) either envy or sexual jealousy as a motive. I think.
Which doesn't mean Snape doesn't still owe Harry a life debt. However, wouldn't they be even after the Quidditch episode in Book 1? I don't remember how we get the information that Snape thinks he owes Harry a life debt. DD? Maybe the idea of a life debt is a metonym for not owning your own life, lacking autonomy, and thus relates to the "servility" issue you raised. Defining oneself in terms of others? And can this be avoided? (Harry--James, Sirius; Hermione, Ron--Harry).
Thanks for writing and posting this!