Snape, the "Deeply Horrible Person"

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 94370

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Jen Reese" 
<stevejjen at e...> wrote:
> I'm re-reading JKR interviews and ran across this one at Quick 
> Quotes:
> 
> Q: Who's your favorite character besides Harry Potter?
> 
> A: It's very hard to choose. It's fun to write about Snape 
because  he's a deeply horrible person. Hagrid is someone I'd 
love to meet. 
> 
> 
http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/quickquotes/articles/1999/099
9-
> familyeducation-abel.htm
> 
> I'm not a huge Snape fan and this quote has probably been 
analyzed  to death. But the comment caught my eye and I wanted 
to hear other  opinions.
> 
> This seems like a *very* strong negative characterization to 
me. It  also doesn't seem particulary consistent with the canon 
we have so far. Snape is presented as complex, bitter, angry, 
etc.<<

 I'm not Christian so I am a little hesitant to analyze the books for 
their Christian content, but isn't it a basic doctrine that  because 
of original sin we're all "deeply horrible" people  and only God's 
grace and guidance allows us to be good?  I see Snape as a 
parable.  He's accepted his second chance and placed himself 
under Dumbledore's guidance, and so despite his horrible 
nature, he does less evil than he might, and more good than he 
can imagine.

 I think  Snape is cruel for the same reason that Harry was in 
OOP,when he told  Hedwig to peck Ron and Hermione, and felt
satisfied when he saw signs of the damage. Under the anger 
there's a lot of hurt, and hurting others gives him satisfaction 
because it  validates his pain. I think Rowling wants us to 
understand that this is no more  out of character for Harry than it 
is for Snape or any human being--we're all capable of such 
behavior.

Pippin
who hopes she is not misrepresenting the Christian faith and 
apologizes if she has done so