MY 1st Scene Analysis

JKR words in green my analysis in Silver

(pg 136).At the start-of-term banquet, Harry had gotten the idea that Professor Snape disliked him. By the end of the first Potions lesson, he knew he'd been wrong. Snape didn't dislike Harry -- he hated him.
Potions lessons took place down in one of the dungeons. It was colder here than up in the main castle, and would have been quite creepy enough without the pickled animals floating in glass jars all around the walls. Snape, like Flitwick, started the class by taking the roll call, and like Flitwick, he paused at Harry's name.
Places often help build a theme for books. This dungeon description, almost melodramatic villain-ish, gives the reader, of course, a summarization of Snape's outside persona. And because such a persona is established now-reinforced by his room- gives us trouble later when we learn of Snape's more "humanistic" qualities. It develops character and adds a depth of the novel.
"Ah, Yes," he said softly, "Harry Potter. Our new -- celebrity." Draco Malfoy and his friends Crabbe and Goyle sniggered behind their hands.
The very first words out of his words that Potter hears. Immediately we see his fascination with the "popularity" of Potter- and we see his hate. This image is the one that many fight against when we find out Snape's true intentions (saving Potter, for example).
Snape finished calling the names and looked up at the class. His eyes were black like Hagrid's, but they had none of Hagrid's warmth. They were cold and empty and made you think of dark tunnels.
"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potionmaking," he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word -- like Professor McGonagall, Snape had
(137) the gift of keeping a class silent without effort.
Look at his word choice- "subtle science" and "exact art". When has Science ever been "subtle"? And when is art "exact"? This supposed mixup to two adjectives which could be confused is the perfect characterization of Snape- he speaks in riddles, deals in logic, and by the very fact that such a logical man uses contradicting adjectives keeps us mentally on our toes- its out of our paradigm of his character! And it is so Slytherin- dealing in truth concealed in lies. This sentence- in fact, this monologue- speaks more volumes about his character than any act- because for once, it is not in the opinion of Potter, the voice of the novel, but Snape's.
Its cool- the fact that McGonagall is paralleled this early to Snape (with the fact that they can keep a class silent without effort). It is obvious that they are to be juxtaposed later on.
"As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic.
We see that he deals in a greater magic- not of natural talent- but of skill, hard work, logic. And in a way, don't we stare in wonder when people connect things previously unheard of together logically? For some, (and in Snape's perception, the people in the class- his students) logic is magic.
I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses....
Oh my, this line is loaded with literary devices- we have alliteration of the "s" sound (called specifically siligence)- that alludes to his Slytherin background. The first part "I don't expect you will" could be a hint to some negligence that he has suffered. Perhaps he was promised many important things (well at least to him) and never got them...It at least shows his distrust toward most sources. At the very least it shows the little confidence he has in his students to learn.
Since he has established "Potionmaking" as logic (because you have to know why things work, and things are expected to behavior in a relatively routine way), the "beauty" really shows his admiration for logic. And really it is a beautiful thing, the building of an argument from seemingly random sources, to form a coherent unit...I think it gives everyone who can (it does for me, and I think for Snape) that even though we can't control our life course, we can control what we put together and produce in Potions (or Chemistry, or even a logical argument).
He also gets sensual- what with the parallel construction of bewitching and ensnaring to mind and senses- and such vibrant words as liquids "creeping" through the veins. I'm actually reminded of Walt Whitman's (an American poet) love affair with nature- entire poems talking about actual sensual love with nature. I see a bit of that here. Thankfully for those who are uncomfortable with "sensual love " and "Snape" in the same sentence, he goes back to his usual demeanor in the next sentence.
I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death -- if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."
Use of the word "can" here shows his doubt at the student's abilities to learn, but compared with his other speeches, the verb "can" is not definite. It implies the possibility of them learning the following- highly doubtful, but it could happen. Shows Snape might not be as closed as perceived.
Again, the cool pairing of verbs (doubling as adjectives) to nouns- "bottle fame" "brew glory" "stopper death". They obviously refer to Potter, again speaking in riddles. The "stopper death" thing is interesting, though- the adjective "stopper" suggesting a preventing of death - which could be Snape's very subtle hint to Potter that he was involved in saving his life from Voldemort. (Or- he was involved in making Voldemort "immortal") Snape is (as I do whenever I do something like this) smiling inward at his superior logic. The fact that he is giving Potter hints as to what really happened- again, a characterization of Snape and the ironic tone of the novel.
I hate his use of 'dunderhead' and actually questioned it's usage here. But I watched The Simpsons, and actually heard Mr. Burns use it derogatory, so I have more patience for the use of this word.
More silence followed this little speech. Harry and Ron exchanged looks with raised eyebrows. Hermione Granger was on the edge of her seat and looked desperate to start proving that she wasn't a dunderhead.
Harry and Ron- questioning something- they don't know what, but they are concerned with delivery and the enigmatic speech of Snape. They are concerned, driven a bit to find out why - which could have been one of Snape's aims- to make his students work for answers (see werewolf incident). But look at Granger- she's not concerned with Snape's behavior and how he said it, but proving herself- and as the scene continues, almost to the point of absurdity. See her values are blatant.
"Potter!" said Snape suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"
And if you didn't know before that Potter was being singled out, this is the clue. Think about it- its the first day, when the teacher does not know anyone's name. It helps that Potter is famous, but even so, it draws attention to the fact that his name will cause him to go through extra ordeals (that is, the berating from Snape)
Powdered root of what to an infusion of what? Harry glanced at Ron, who looked as stumped as he was; Hermione's hand had shot into the air.
"I don't know, sir," said Harry.
(138).Snape's lips curled into a sneer.
"Tut, tut -- fame clearly isn't everything." He ignored Hermione's hand.
He says his thoughts- fame clearly isn't everything. Something tells me that due to the fact he has alluded to what happened to Potter earlier, he is again here by choosing mostly poison questions. Though we don't know what, yet.
"Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?" Hermione stretched her hand as high into the air as it would go without her leaving her seat, but Harry didn't have the faintest idea what a bezoar was. He tried not to look at Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, who were shaking with laughter.
"I don't know, sir."
"Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh, Potter?"
Harry forced himself to keep looking straight into those cold eyes. He had looked through his books at the Dursleys', but did Snape expect him to remember everything in One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi? Snape was still ignoring Hermione's quivering hand.
Potter has given himself a reason why he shouldn't remember the stuff Snape asked him- but this reinforces my idea that the stuff he mentioned was directly involved with Potter's past. This is so wonderfully ironic (if we find out it's true).
"What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?" At this, Hermione stood up, her hand stretching toward the dungeon ceiling.
Hermione, from this simple action, just wants to be noticed. That's all. But its because she probably knows the answer, and just wants to tell Snape to get praise, not to give herself inner satisfaction for being informed (which is what knowledge should be all about.) That's why from this point, one can jux. Hermione and Snape (or a younger Snape).
"I don't know," said Harry quietly. "I think Hermione does, though, why don't you try her?" A few people laughed; Harry caught Seamus's eye, and Seamus winked. Snape, however, was not pleased.
"Sit down," he snapped at Hermione.
See his disdain? See her disappointment? Her paradigm has just been rattled- its the beginning of a character development for her- I think.
"For your information, Potter, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite(poisonous plant) . Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?"
Look at the use of the word "you"- since everything else in Snape's speech was supposed to have a double meaning for Potter, this could too. (perhaps foreshadowing events- heck, Snape tries to poison Harry in book 4!) I think that's why Snape's so pissed- the fact that Potter isn't getting his double meaning. Or they could be absolutely random...I don't know.
There was a sudden rummaging for quills and parchment. Over the noise, Snape said, "And a point will be taken from Gryffindor House for your cheek, Potter."
Just a point? Eh, its the first day. Let Dem. off easy....
Things didn't improve for the Gryffindors as the Potions lesson continued. Snape put them all into pairs and set them to mixing up a simple potion to cure boils. He swept around in his long black cloak, watching them weigh dried nettles and crush snake fangs,
(139).criticizing almost everyone except Malfoy, whom he seemed to like. He was just telling everyone to look at the perfect way Malfoy had stewed his horned slugs when clouds of acid green smoke and a loud hissing filled the dungeon. Neville had somehow managed to melt Seamus's cauldron into a twisted blob, and their potion was seeping across the stone floor, burning holes in people's shoes. Within seconds, the whole class was standing on their stools while Neville, who had been drenched in the potion when the cauldron collapsed, moaned in pain as angry red boils sprang up all over his arms and legs.
"Idiot boy!" snarled Snape, clearing the spilled potion away with one wave of his wand. "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?" Neville whimpered as boils started to pop up all over his nose.
"Take him up to the hospital wing," Snape spat at Seamus. Then he rounded on Harry and Ron, who had been working next to Neville.
"You -- Potter -- why didn't you tell him not to add the quills? Thought he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? That's another point you've lost for Gryffindor."
This was so unfair that Harry opened his mouth to argue, but Ron kicked him behind their cauldron. "Don't push it," he muttered, "I've heard Snape can turn very nasty."
Life is unfair. He is teaching this. Literally.