Tur-bans or Too-Much (was Re: Ask the Question)

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 84738

Someone, but I *THINK* it was justcarol67, said: 
> > To begin with, I want to know what she [Rowling] meant by saying 
> > (in answer to why she made Quirrell rather than Snape the villain in 
> > SS/PS), "I know all about Snape and he'd never put on a turban." 
> > (Huh? Does that mean he'd never let another person manipulate his 
> > will by getting literally or figuratively inside his head? If not,
> > what the heck does it mean?) 

Now me (Tammy):
> Well, speaking as a writer (not an author -- I've never been paid
for my writing, I just write), the first thing I thought of when I 
read this was simply that Snape wouldn't let Jo put a turban on him, 
he simply refused to wear one, so she had to bring in someone who 
would allow that.  The best characters really do take on a life of 
their own, and often argue with their writer (and sometimes win!), 
and Snape is one I can easily see saying, "No, I don't care if you 
ARE the writer, I am NOT putting that . . . that . . . ridiculous 
THING on my head.  It would fall off into my potions, for one thing, 
and for another, it doesn't fit the Slytherin image.  I won't do it, 
no!"  >>>


Yes. I did write the quoted paragraph (didn't I sign it?) but please
call me Carol, not justcarol67. Thanks for the humorous response. I'm
also a writer (or was once) and I know what you mean about characters
having lives of their own, but I don't think JKR ever planned for
Snape to be the villain of SS/PS. He was the counter-villain, the
suspect who turns out to be a false lead. Maybe that was what she
meant: the turban wearer had to be weak and gullible (as Voldemort
himself says in GoF), and Snape is far from being either one?

Another thought. I wonder if Quirrell was a Slytherin, or is this
another instance of Hagrid being wrong when he asserts that "there
wasn't a witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't a Slytherin"? (Of
course he was referring to the DEs, but maybe Quirrell is another
Peter Pettigrew type, corrupted by LV without being the classic
cunning, ambitious Slytherin. (Note: I didn't say evil. Snape is my
favorite character, as you may have noticed.)

Carol