Snape's "mind set?"

[ats_fhc3]

No: HPFGUIDX 44197

Okay, I think I'm quoting Erasmas, but freya122000's name was on 
this too, for some reason. So, if I'm quoting the wrong person, just 
straighten me out

>i_am_erasmaswrote:
>  I belive that everything Snape does, he does with a purpose.  
> 
> I'm really having a problem trying to understand what books all 
the 
> Snape apologists have read. It couldn't possibly be the same ones 
I 
> read.

It is. Unless the British version of Snape is different from the 
American version.

> 
> I love the depth of Snape's character, but I think he is a 
> reprehensible person. Probably very brave, definitely cunning, 
likely 
> admirable and deserving respect for the sacrifices he has made and 
> will continue to make, but how do people actually like him?

I suppose his is admirable, but I've never seen anything actaully 
admirable about him. Well, he's smart. You could admire that. As to 
how we actually like him...obviously, he is not good-looking. 
However, personalities can make up for looks. Not in this case, 
though. It's just that mysterious, tall, dark-haired stranger thing. 
He has a shady past (and who doesn't love a "bad boy"?), he's 
secretive, he's a wizard in the kitchen (I'm not sure if I intended 
that to be a pun or not), he's funny, sarcastic, witty...I can't 
describe  him completely. And the way JK describes him sometimes.  
His voice  is "silky", he's always "sweeping" out of a room, his 
black robes "swishing" behind him. He seems rather Victorian Gothic, 
vampiristic, and his first speaking lines in SS/PS are 
just...perfect. He's describing potions as an art, a science, a 
serious subject...and then he throws in the bit about teaching 
dunderheads. 

> 
> I know there's a huge following of Snape fic writers that love to 
> invent ways for Snape to love and be loved. I think they're 99% 
> delusional, and that the majority of them are unduly influenced by 
> their attraction to Alan Rickman. I can sort of understand this 
but 
> those are fics and this is supposed to be a discussion of theories 
> about the books, is it not?

Here, yes, it's the discussion of books. In the fanfic world, it's 
not. I've only read about one or 2 fanfics, serious fanfics, that 
weren't intending to be humorous, that I liked. However, I haven't 
read too many. As for Alan Rickman, while I like him, I think I 
would have liked Snape without him. In my mind, Alan Rickman and 
Snape are ENTIRELY separate entities.


> 
> I can understand that there could be very good reasons for Snape 
to 
> put on an act to make the children fear him, or dislike him, or 
think 
> he's unfair, but he goes much further than that. So, for those of 
you 
> that believe Snape is acting purposefully, I invite you to come up 
> with a plausible reason for Snape to act the way he does in these 
> scenes:

I don't think he's putting on an act. I think that's really him. I 
don't think that he feels rally bad about treating Harry and CO. the 
way he does, or that he sleeps in footsie pjs with pink bunny 
rabbits, and Fluffy his white kitty absolutely HAS to be curled up 
on his pillow with the purple tassels.

> 
> 1. PoA - Snape's Grudge
> 
> The one on one interview with Harry -- deliberately taunting Harry 
> about James. Whether he has a good reason to hate James or not, 
what 
> purpose could this possibly serve. Bear in mind that he is talking 
to 
> a 13 year old orphan boy about his dead parents. 

He hated James. We don't know why, yet, but that's just it. And 
James and Harry are supposedly a lot alike. I'm of the opinion that, 
contrary to popular belief, Lily and James WERE NOT PERFECT. They 
were the popular people, and Snape sat at the lunch table that 
everyone made fun of (ahh...memories of high school. And I had more 
fun at that lunch table).

> 
> 2. GoF - Hermione's Teeth
> 
> Mocking a young girl about a physical attribute that she's 
sensitive 
> about. This isn't severety, or favouritism, it is cruelty, with no 
> purpose but the joy of seeing a child hurt.

I don't think he got any particular sort of pleasure out of it, he 
was just being a...well, mean. It's like a natural response. He 
doesn't really care for Hermione, she got hit with a spell after 
he'd just seen Teacher's Pet and Potter using magic in the hallway, 
which they're not supposed to do, saw that Hermione, Potter's 
shadow, got the short end of the stick, and just...went with it. It 
was more of a "too bad for you, why am I supposed to care?"

> 
> 3. PoA - Remus Revelation
> 
> Clearly Snape and the rest of the staff were expected to keep 
quiet 
> about Lupin being a werewolf. Him telling the Slytherins about it 
> would be hard to explain with anything other than childish revenge 
> for spoiling his misguided plans. 

Okay, you have it there. That WAS childish. The whole Sirius/Snape 
thing is all rather childish, but makes for interesting scenes.<g>

> 
> It boggles my mind, really, that so many HP fans can get past 
these 
> things. 
> 
> In a way I can understand how he treats Neville (presumably 
> a "character building" excercise. 

I just don't get that, but I don't believe it's a "character-
building" excersise.

> 
> He clearly has a poor understanding of Harry's character, even in 
the 
> fourth year, since he continues to attack Harry's presumed quest 
for 
> glory. Most of his attacks on Harry in class fall far from the 
mark 
> because they are a mere annoyance. The only times he gets a rise 
out 
> of Harry is when he attacks the character of his parents. 

Because Harry believes his parents were perfect. Sure, Snape has a 
twisted view of them, but he kinda knows that the Potters weren't 
perfect. And a lot of people have a poor understanding of Harry's 
character, and, Snape seems to catch Harry at a time when people are 
praising him for something or other. 

> 
> It seems that a lot of the theories I've seen about Snape have 
gone 
> way beyond an explanation of what has been shown so far in the 
books. 
> I guess all I'm asking is that before more theories come out that 
> provide a basis for Snape's behavior, take a good look at the 
> behavior and don't just make a theory that explains why he is 
stern 
> and doesn't shower. 

He's a man. He doesn't have to shower when he doesn't want to. My BF 
went away to college, I'm sure he was wearing underwear more than 
one day at a time and not showering every night. eww...And Snape's 
not stern, he's mean. Stern is McGonagall. I'm not entirely sure if 
Snape likes teaching or not. 

Most of the theories I saw on Hypothetical Alley, I didn't like, 
particularly LOLLIPOPS. I think I likes the flamingo one, though. 
But I join you in your plea to take a GOOD LOOK at Severus Snape, 
fictional book character and all-around mysterious person, and make 
a theory supported by his behaviors in the past four books, as well 
as canon. Just don't go by canon alone.

-Acire, who really must stop her late night runs to the campus food 
place for ice cream, or else she's going to find out what they meant 
by the "freshmen 15".