Snape's Destiny/JKR quotes

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 105154

> > Stefanie writes: 
> > YAY! Someone as interview-nuts as me! I did the same thing 
with  both  Snape and Lupin to try and glean evidence of a not 
ese!Lupin Xo) <<

Of course I also have an archive of Lupin quotes. <veg> 

> Stefanie:
> 
> > I gleaned from this (and I know "Snapeguements" go on for 
pages and pages in this group) the very exact quote "this 
particular teacher does abuse his power" -- I think in this JKR 
basically denotes Snape's teaching method's as cruel. He's not 
trying to mould young minds in a tough manner...he's abusing 
power. The end.<

Pippin:

Why is that the end? I agree JKR wants it understood that Snape 
is a cruel and abusive person. Okay, but does that have to mean 
he can't be loyal to Dumbledore? 

I suppose the question is, if he's against Voldemort's abuse of 
power, why doesn't Snape do more to keep his own behavior 
within acceptable bounds? But the thing is, there's nothing in his 
environment to tell him his behavior isn't acceptable. McGonagall 
also uses intimidation and verbal abuse ("abysmally foolish") 
and inspires terror in some. Despite her reputation for fairness, 
she clearly does favor  her own House.

Whatever his faults in our eyes  or in the eyes of his creator, 
Snape has the respect of his colleagues, the confidence of his 
boss, and the honor of leading Slytherin House. He's not popular 
with non-Slytherin students and the feeling is mutual, but it's 
clear from Phineas's attitude that neither popularity nor an 
affection for students is  required of the Hogwarts staff. So I don't 
really see that Snape would be tempted to rejoin Voldemort 
because he can't control himself. He can--just not to our 
standards, which are not being imposed on him.

> Stefanie:
> 
> > Another quote that had me staring at the screen with one 
eyebrow  raised! "deeply horrible"? "DEEPLY"? Not a light word 
to use. 
Now I do believe, as JKR has stated, that Snape is a complex 
character...One really can't argue that at all, but as to the 
nature of his complexity? Is it really all that benign?
> 
> "K":
> 
> I really wish she wouldn't have said that. ;-) Deeply horrible. 
What  more can she say? She still hasn't called him evil so I'm 
hanging  onto the hope that he isn't. Not that I think she would tell 
us at  this point if he were.
> 
> Stefanie: 
> 
> > Erm...Putting Snape into the category of Gilderoy Lockhart 
and the  Dursleys? What company!
> 

IMO, this is the classic magician's trick of misdirection. Of course 
JKR wants us to keep our eye on Snape and shudder about how 
horrible he is--because Lupin doesn't bear close inspection at 
all, at all. 

Pippin