Snape in Bk 6 & & (Was: New characters in Book 6)

[Adan]

No: HPFGUIDX 105014

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "justcarol67" 
<justcarol67 at y...> wrote:

> If the pattern of the DADA teacher dying or losing his/her job at the
> end of the book holds true, Snape can't be the DADA teacher in Book 6,
> as JKR has stated in an interview that he'll play a key role in Book
> 7. (If he becomes DADA teacher in Book 7, I'll worry about his
> survival. As it is, we have what amounts to a promise that he'll
> survive past the end of Book 6.)
> 
> I know you haven't forgotten this exchange, but others may not be
> familiar with it:
> 
> Q: "There's an important kind of redemptive pattern to Snape."
> JKR: "He, um, there's so much I wish I could say to you, and I can't
> because it would ruin. I promise you, whoever asked that question, can
> I just say to you that I'm slightly stunned that you've said that and
> you'll find out why I'm so stunned if you read Book 7. That's all I'm
> going to say."
> 
> Complete interview at
> http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/quickquotes/articles/1999/1099-
connectiontransc.html
> 
> So for good or for ill, Snape will be around in Book 7 and there's no
> good reason to make him the DADA teacher now (unless Harry isn't
> taking NEWT Potions and I don't think that will happen, but I won't
> get sidetracked on that here).

Thank you so much for posting that as I am one of those that was not 
familiar with it, until now.  And Snape, well, I love thinking about 
him.  He's so...charcoal.

I think he is on a redemptive path, but one that may or may not end 
positively.  I think that JKR uses the bat symbology for that 
purpose.  Thanks to the Fantastic Posts section, I know that there 
have been many posts on Snape being a batanimagus and/or a vampire, 
and while I used to be a pretty strong believer in that myself I have 
no wish to start anything up with that.  BUT...

*opening my much-loved Penguin Dictionary of Symbols, which never 
worked this hard in school*

Vampires are a self-destructing phenomenon, a turning of 
psychic/psychological force upon themself, but failing to acknowledge 
that they are responsible for their own setbacks, they imagine that 
it is 'someone else's fault'. V exist until the problems of adapting 
to oneself and their social environment is solved.  Until then, 
psychologically, they become a TORMENT TO ONESELF AND TO OTHERS.  
Snape might be cruel to the students and pretty unfriendly to 
everyone in general, but you never really have evidence of him giving 
himself any slack, either.

Now, the bat, in some traditions, sybolizes a person whose spiritual 
development has stagnated or been hamstrung.  They are bogged down in 
an intermediate phase, unable to go higher.  As suggested in their 
flight abilities, he must "continuously work to maintain ground-
clinging flight and never soar... Doomed forever to beat its wings, 
the bat can never enjoy the dynamic ease of gliding flight." (Penguin 
Dictionary of Symbols, p72).  Snape certainly works hard at his 
potions, and expects the same from his students. Did the pensieve 
scene give evidence to an abusive childhood, enough to have stumped 
his growth? I think there could be worse than what we've seen so far.

Some Germanic-influenced works of art use the bat to symbolize ENVY.  
As a bat flies at dusk and dard, envy works in the shadows.  
Similarly, the bat is blinded by daylight, just as the envious can 
not bear the light to shine on others.  

This, to me, is really, really it.  Losing the Order of Merlin, 
expecting his students to perform extremely well on OWLs, even 
helping Dumbledore in mysterious jobs that no one else seems capable 
of performing... those are ways he is trying to stand out, trying to 
get that acknowledgement from others, but also proving something to 
himself.  But, so far, that glow seems to go to HRH, and especially 
Harry.  I just wish I could figure out what his deal was with 
Neville, other than spite.  I'd hate to think it was that simple.

So, I think the symbology of the bat and the vampire fit for Snape 
even if the physical manifestations do not.  And I would like to 
think that he can overcome all that, but I'm afraid he really might 
not.

Oh, and even if the "Kettle of Nackledirk" is one big joke, that 
still makes me think of a big ol' potion pot with Snape working the 
spoon.



Adan, wondering that if Snape really does turn out bad in Book 7 if 
he would be a septuple-crossing agent working his own agenda.