Snape's temperament and D.A.R.K. L.A.D.L.E.S. (minor TBAY ref)

[Tom Wall <thomasmwall@yahoo.com>]

No: HPFGUIDX 52064


Marina wrote:
To me, Snape doesn't come across 
as calm and deadpan at all. He *tries* 
to be calm and deadpan, but he's 
actually a mass of seething resentment, 
rage and bitterness kept in check -- 
barely -- most of the time by an 
effort of will. In the Shrieking 
Shack, faced with the worst provocation 
we've ever seen him under, his will 
power fails and he loses control. 
It's not un-Snapeish. It's Snape set 
loose from his usual restraints -- 
restraints that don't come 
naturally to him to begin with.

I reply:
Yeah, I agree with you. Although I *firmly* believe that we're going 
to see a Very-Competent!Snape post GoF, I don't think that Snape, pre-
GoF has been much more than the angry guy that the text would 
indicate. IMO it's great to work on background theories, but in 
Snape's case, I'm not entirely convinced that it works.


Marina wrote:
You know, Tom, I think it's time to face facts. That shiny new 
appliance you've been playing with in your kitchen? It's not a 
MAGIC DISHWASHER, it's a PRESSURE COOKER. (See user's manual in 
message #45348) Trying to put detergent into it will only gum up the 
works. 

I reply:
I *LOVE* PRESSURE COOKER - it's so faithful to canon and well argued. 

I think it's safe to say that my default position (this, despite the 
fact that I love to play devil's advocate, and also that I love a 
great debate) on theories from these books is this: I think that JKR 
is leaving hints *in* the text for us to find... so that when it's 
all said and done, she can say "Hah-hah - it was all there the whole 
time!" OR:

I *don't* think that the answers lie in what is *not* there.

I would say that PA/DL (still out on that one) is, perhaps, PRESSURE 
COOKER with an agent twist... 'cause I don't recall anything in PC 
that would indicate an Agent!Lupin, although I could very well be 
wrong.

IMO the text, i.e. Lupin's indisputably reasonable and calm strance 
in the Shrieking Shack is sufficient canon to go on if one wants to 
argue for an Agent!Lupin.

-Tom, whose ignorance of 'Persil Automatic' has revealed his American-
ness once again, and who feels quite foolish because he actually 
tried to look up 'Persil' on www.webster.com. <sheepish grin>