What's in it for Snape? Finding motive...

[cubfanbudwoman]

No: HPFGUIDX 97369

Siriusly Snapey Susan originally wrote:
>>>Just because Snape bullies his students and seems to show little 
interest in students in general [not *that* uncommon a trait for 
some adults, eh?], I would not equate that with a lack of friends 
among adults. <<<

Kneasy:
>>But I really don't understand why the misanthropy of Snape seems to
cause problems for some. It's a deliberate characterisation, isn't 
it?  So he seems to hate/dismiss/feel contempt for most of the other
characters in the books. Why not?<<

Siriusly Snapey Susan again:
Somehow I *suspected* that you would pick up on this misanthropy, 
Kneasy.  <vbg>


Kneasy:
>>Voldy is supposedly the arch-villain - and just how many times has 
he appeared in the text? Count 'em on the fingers of one hand. He's 
almost background. Unlike film where a very infrequently appearing 
threat can be fairly easily handled, in a book it's not so straight-
forward -where is all the tension going to come from? From a 
character like Snape, of course. Essentially his function is as the 
everyday presence that makes Harry's life a misery.<<

Siriusly Snapey Susan:
Absolutely.  Voldy has been absent much of the time in the five 
books; in fact, many have complained that he hasn't seemed to be 
much of an opponent nor shown himself to be much of an Evil Overlord 
with Unequalled Power at all.  Dare I say that the books might be a 
tad *boring* if Snape weren't there as Harry's Daily Dose of Misery?


Siriusly Snapey Susan originally wrote:
>>>Kids I've talked w/ kind of dismiss Snape.  My daughter, for 
instance, while finding him interesting, takes him at face value: 
he's just a mean, nasty teacher to her.  But me?  I can't wait to 
find out what makes him tick.<<<

Kneasy replied:
>>Lots of posters deplore his actions and attitudes - but there again
lots of posters seem to disapprove of any actions or concepts in the
books that they consider might give an uncomfortable moment or two 
to a youngster. <snip>  True, [JKR] doesn't want to alienate  
youngsters, but there again it's not the youngsters who complain, 
it's adults. They know best, you see. They've mostly forgotten how 
resilient most kids are and that they start to distinguish between 
fact and fiction about the same time that they start to express 
preferences for books, clothes and friends.<<

Siriusly Snapey Susan:
I concur.  It *is* the adults [myself included, on occasion] who 
complain loudly about Snape, who invest lots of energy into trying 
to figure him out.  Kids seem to take him at face value as a nasty 
git and just accept it.


Kneasy continued:
>>Snape's behaviour would not be excusable in real life (fiction is 
more flexible), but it should be understandable, even credible to 
most of us.<<

Siriusly Snapey Susan:
YES.  When I argued—quite strongly—that Snape's teaching methods are 
horrendous, uncalled for, abusive and likely ineffective, I was most 
definitely thinking of him in a real life teaching situation.  I DO 
still believe Snape's methods are *likely* NOT the best way of 
reaching Harry and **definitely** NOT the best way of reaching 
Neville ["reaching" meaning, effective in helping them to learn].  
In real life Snape's abusive teaching methods [remember, JKR said 
that herself!] would be cause for action.  But this **is** fiction, 
and as you noted above, Snape's role in these stories is to provide 
Harry with his Daily Dose of Misery.  I would do well to remember 
that distinction when Snape pisses me off.


Siriusly Snapey Susan