[HPforGrownups] Q: why readers love Snape (Was:Draco/ Snape parallels)

[Edblanning at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 33330

In a message dated 12/01/02 17:45:46 GMT Standard Time, 
vencloviene at hotmail.com writes:


> So, I guess, my question is: why readers so badly want Snape to be 
> different from the fellow we see in Rowling's books? Especially that 
> the original character is so fascinating in his own right?
> 
> 

Thanks for clarifying my question, Ana, you put it much better.

I think that in real life, Snapes probably exist (dreadful thought!). In 
fiction though we're much more used to the unpleasant character who is 
transformed (usually redeemed through the heroine's love) or the ugly 
character  whose character/ heroism is such that looks become irrelevant.

In Snape, however we have a character who is both physically repulsive and 
deeply unpleasant, yet through the hints of past heroism and assumption that 
he is basically 'on the right side' kindles our interest and curiosity. How 
do we deal with him? Perhaps, since the whole package is so hard to take, we 
have to ignore part of it.

If we take away one aspect of the character, he becomes easier to catagorise 
and I think that possibly we then find parallels that we subconsciously 
relate to.

Removing the nastiness, so that we just have to deal with the physical 
repulsiveness, well there are all those frogs who turn into handsome princes.
And what about the Beast? Nasty *and* ugly until transformed by Beauty's love.

Removing the physical aspect, we are left with an arrogant, rude, selfish man 
who has no regard for those around him (but with a hint of an interesting 
back story , at least part of which we can be sympathetic to). Now this seems 
so ridiculous, even to me, that I hesitate to voice it, but doesn't it sound 
like Mr Darcy? ( attempts to suppress image of Alan Rickman emerging from 
Hogwarts lake clad in a clinging, wet shirt!  I don't know how international 
that image is, but the British female readership will get it). He then joins 
the ranks of other rather difficult men with troubled pasts, who come right 
in the end under the influence of the right woman (?Mr Rochester, ?Maxim de 
Winter)

As Gabriele points out, it's that  redeeming love thing. A strong theme in 
literature (and opera) and don't we always think that we can change men for 
the better?

Perhaps we're just all hopeless romantics. By the way, does Snape have any 
male fans?


Eloise, who really thinks she is old enough to know better and is now also 
wondering why she has no inclination to try to take the avowedly handsome 
Sirius in hand)




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