And about Snape as an individual, I believe while his brain is destined for greatness, the rest of him isn't. Like you said, he's too proud to let go of his issues, let alone admit them. I can not imagine how much it cost him to talk to Dumbledore when he initially decided to change sides.
What I'm trying to say is, while Snape is obviously a very smart person, possibly a genius regarding certain aspects of magic, he's not a reflective person. I very much doubt he would read poetry or "Crime and Punishment", and reflect.
Take Dumbledore for example. He too is obviously a very smart person where magic is concerned, but he also knows a good deal about humanity, politics, philosophy and and even psychology, and he uses that knowledge in real life to achieve good. This is why Dumbledore is a great man.
Snape, on the other hand, while a very intelligent individual, is not an intellectual. I don't believe he knows the first thing about redemption, let alone a broad understanding of what it requires. He's too practical for that. In all likelyhood, he decided what he has to achieve first and foremost was to become the best spy there is, and poor Harry's feelings is one thing he can't be too concerned with. He sees the world as black and white, in spite of the fact that he's the grayest character in the books.
Another possibility is he resents himself for having a soul and feelings, and sees his one time confessing to Dumbledore as his greatest point of weakness in life, which is why he punishes others for displaying similar feelings on a more frequent basis. Feelings are weakness. Harry and Neville should not entertain them. "Your parents are dead, and will remain dead regardless of your feelings, so stop your whining and focus on what needs to be done" seems to be his message to Harry, and he resents Harry for that (among other things) because it was his feelings to make him change sides and dictate the actions he's taking in the present.
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What I'm trying to say is, while Snape is obviously a very smart person, possibly a genius regarding certain aspects of magic, he's not a reflective person. I very much doubt he would read poetry or "Crime and Punishment", and reflect.
Take Dumbledore for example. He too is obviously a very smart person where magic is concerned, but he also knows a good deal about humanity, politics, philosophy and and even psychology, and he uses that knowledge in real life to achieve good. This is why Dumbledore is a great man.
Snape, on the other hand, while a very intelligent individual, is not an intellectual. I don't believe he knows the first thing about redemption, let alone a broad understanding of what it requires. He's too practical for that. In all likelyhood, he decided what he has to achieve first and foremost was to become the best spy there is, and poor Harry's feelings is one thing he can't be too concerned with. He sees the world as black and white, in spite of the fact that he's the grayest character in the books.
Another possibility is he resents himself for having a soul and feelings, and sees his one time confessing to Dumbledore as his greatest point of weakness in life, which is why he punishes others for displaying similar feelings on a more frequent basis. Feelings are weakness. Harry and Neville should not entertain them. "Your parents are dead, and will remain dead regardless of your feelings, so stop your whining and focus on what needs to be done" seems to be his message to Harry, and he resents Harry for that (among other things) because it was his feelings to make him change sides and dictate the actions he's taking in the present.