[HPforGrownups] Re: Snape: was Neville: was re: Authority and rule-breaking

[Horst or Rebecca J. Bohner]

No: HPFGUIDX 16687

> > I don't know...I don't think I can view Snape in a positive light.
[snip]
> > after his shocking display of lieing, (sp?) was so disgusting!

> When did he lie? I've combed that whole sequence in detail, and Snape is
> operating on the truth as he knows it.

Good point.  And when it comes to evaluating Snape I think we have to
remember, or at least try to remember, that Snape is simply not privy to a
lot of information that we, the readers, know about thanks to sharing
Harry's POV.  And that includes Harry's innocence (or at least innocent
motives) in a lot of cases where he gets nailed by Snape, or threatened by
Snape, for breaking Hogwarts rules.  How can Snape know anything about Harry
except what he sees with his own eyes -- much of which involves
disobedience, insubordination, etc. and is thus pretty damning?

Agreed that Snape is a lot nastier than he has to be, and it isn't pretty
(that cold "I see no difference" to Hermione makes me cringe just as much as
the next person, believe me).  But I really do think that there is going to
be some sort of devastating revelation about Snape coming down the pipe,
perhaps as early as the next book, that forces the reader to re-evaluate
even his harshest actions.  And I suspect that when Harry finds out about
it, he's going to have to look at Snape in a new light.  As will we.

I'm not reading fanfic or wishful thinking back into this, either:  JKR has
been setting us up for the idea that Snape is not what he appears to be, and
that he is being greatly misjudged by Harry, right from the beginning.  See:
entire plot of SS/PS, the.
--
Rebecca J. Bohner
rebeccaj at pobox.com
http://home.golden.net/~rebeccaj