Why Snape doesn't have to be human

[koinonia02]

No: HPFGUIDX 107583

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Jim Ferer" <jferer at y...> 
wrote:
 
> We try to wring too much meaning out of too few words. 
 

"K":

I believe we are all guilty of that. I know I am. 


Jim: 
> We don't use our own life experience or knowledge enough, either.


"K":

I guess I'm just the opposite. I think more fantasy. I usually avoid 
threads of *I have greasy hair* and *when I was a student* and *as a 
teacher*... I'm not saying JKR doesn't use life experiences. I'm 
just saying I gloss over some of that stuff.


Jim:

>I read and post on a newsgroup, alt.support.shyness.  There's a lot 
>of people there full enough of dark, bitter rage it would take your
> breath away; and a lot of them sound like Snape.  Since then, JKR 
>has said there's something sad and lonely about Snape.


"K":
Royal Albert Hall Appearance June 26 2003
  
~~Where as most of the character, like Snape for example, are very 
hard to love but there's a sort of ambiguity I think is probably the 
best word you can't quite decide, there's something rather sad about 
Snape as well, something very lonely and you kind of, although he 
turns out to of course have such a wicked past and it's fascinating 
to watch how he you know, in the first book we thought he was the 
evil one and a aprt form Voldemort the most evil and in the second 
we thought that and slowly we just get this idea that maybe he's not 
so bad after all.

JKR:Yeees. You shouldn't think he's too nice, let me just say that.~~

She said *yes* to which part of his statement? Hard to love? Sad? 
Very lonely? Maybe he's not so bad after all? 

Personally I'd rather have Snape be Half-Giant Squid or Half-
Cockroach than to reach the end of the series and find out that all 
there was to Snape was some social phobic problems. For that matter 
I'd rather Snape have loved Lily and that's really saying something! 
^-^ 


Jim: 
 
> To get to the Snape-as-vampire theories, and again no offense 
>meant, the adherents have relied on very small clues while 
>explaining away in different ways very large objections

"K":

I don't believe that to be true. There are more than small clues in 
the books. The problem is there are those who hate the idea of Snape 
being *anything* other than a normal wizard who love to drown in 
his misery so any or all other clues are dismissed. A good 
discussion on vampires isn't possible.

I don't believe I've ever read one theory where someone wanted a 
vampire in the books and then tried to *make* Snape the one. Most 
people first found the clues and those clues then pointed to Snape.

Now if Snape isn't a half-vampire then that's fine. I keep saying I 
don't live and die with that theory. However, I don't believe Snape 
is nothing more than a plain wizard. His appearance suggests 
otherwise.

Jim:
> JKR doesn't work that way. She plays fair in the literary sense. 


"K":

Hmmmmmmmm. I don't think she plays fair in every way. Can you say 
Mark Evans? Same last name as a major character who is introduced as 
an 11 year old by an author who is a name freak?

Jim:

>The clues that Lupin was a werewolf were much larger.


"K":

But were they? Has anyone ever gone back and made a list of all the 
clues? 

I am not trying to make Snape something he isn't. I'm just saying 
there's something different about Snape and I'd like to know what 
that is. If the vampire references are red herrings than what is it 
JKR is trying to hide? And if Snape isn't the vampire then who is? 


Jim: 
> I almost didn't post this, but we're all grownups, and we can 
debate
> how we go about exploring these great stories. NO ONE is singled 
out
> here, believe me.  Let this be like Valhalla, where we fight all 
day
> and hoist a few at night.

"K":

Are you sure we are all grownups? lol  Let me also say I have not 
singled out anyone. I do believe, though, if someone hates the idea 
of vampires in the books then they should just skip the vampire 
threads and let those of us who believe vampires will raise their 
white faces enjoy our discussions. :-D