Snape, the "Deeply Horrible Person"

[doliesl]

No: HPFGUIDX 94393

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "nkafkafi" <nkafkafi at y...> wrote:
> > I'm re-reading JKR interviews and ran across this o
ne at 
Quick 
> > Quotes:
> > 
> > Q: Who's your favorite character besides Harry Potter?
> > A: It's very hard to choose. It's fun to wrte about Snape because 
> > he's a deeply horrible person. 
> 
> <snip>
> > This seems like a *very* strong negative characterization to me. 
> <snip>

> Neri:
> Thanks for this JKR's quote. For me it fits exactly. We have fun 
> reading Snape, as JKR has fun writing him, *because* he is a deeply 
> horrible person, not in spite of it.
> JKR has managed to write a story which is simultaneously a Cinderella 
> story and a Cinderella parody. The Dursleys are horrible people too, 
> and like Snape they are horrible in an entertaining way, so JKR gets 
> them to do a double job for her, or actually a triple job: Firstly, 
> we pity and identified with Harry when he is abused by them. 
> Secondly, we laugh because the abuse is portrayed in a funny way. 
> Thirdly, we cheer when Harry pays them back what they deserve. In the 
> case of Snape it gets even better, because unlike the Dursleys he is 
> a capable person with some admired qualities and a critical role in 
> the war against Evil. So in addition to the three jobs above, we also 
> appreciate him and want him to be redeemed. Plus we fall for his 

I agree with everything written by Neri here.

But maybe I understand it wrong, the problem the original post raised is th=
at some 
posters do not find Snape "a deeply horrible person in a fun way". They do =
not find  
any mystery to him, as he's obviously ESE so end of all speculations and di=
cussions. 
Some people would argue that Snape is not fun to read either, as I've read =
before 
people saying they cannot go back reading any Snape's parts in the book bec=
ause they 
hate him too much (I personally think it'll be better for these people to l=
ighten up: 
recognize the book as full of fairytale archetypes and that it's a fictiona=
l book gear 
toward young readers with an overall comical tone that's meant to entertain=
, not to 
hurt you...*roll my eyes*). The original post ention that even Voldemort do=
 not get 
such negative characterization from the author. This quote is often used by=
 those 
who argue ESE!Snape as canon prove. 


Keep in mind, while JKR often described Snape as sadistic, abusive, horribl=
e and 
nasty, she also say he's FUN to write and *really likes Snape* (mention him=
 along 
Dumbledore and Sirius) as a great character. We never see JKR saying Voldem=
ort is 
"fun" to write, or that she really likes him, or having the same giggling a=
musement she 
had with Snape toward the likes of Voldemort and Malfoys. It rings true in =
the book: 
there's always something that sets Snape apart from villains that just are.=
..villain.  
 
I agree with whoever said that "deeply horrible" do not equal to 'deepl evi=
l". 

> Neri: 
> I suspect, however, that JKR did not plan for Snape becoming so 
> popular, even more popular than Harry. Part of this popularity is 
> maybe because the grown-up sophisticated reader appreciates Snape's 
> machiavellian complexity more than Harry's teenage naiveté. But 
> popularity as usual has its negative side effects, so there is a 


Really? I never find Snape all that popular aside from this group (not coun=
ting Snape-
centric boards and groups). I always have the impression that most young re=
aders 
don't bother much with Snape. HPGFU (currently at least) is in fact one of =
the most 
Snape-fans friendly online discussion lists online (thanks to the wonderful=
 posts with 
variety of opinions). In majority of other HP-for-adult readers discussion =
place if you 
dare to mention Snape's your favorite, you only get mock and trash. Before =
I go 
online looking for, I always assume everything treat HP as light entertaini=
ng read, I 
enjoyed the world and basically like all the characters. I was surprised by=
 how 
serious people take this book, and the hate (and love) people respond to ch=
aracters 
like Snape are quite amazing.... 

> Neri:
> tendency to read Snape in a more positive light than he i portrayed, 
> which IMO is completely counterproductive. I want the deeply horrible 
> Snape to be redeemed because he'll help saving the WW, but I don't 
> want him to turn out the nobel and wronged hero. This will ruin Snape 
> as a character.

Agree. But insisting Snape as a no-mystery, plain simple predictable one-di=
mensional 
bastard only capable of hate and irredeemable ESE is ruining Snape as a cha=
racter too.

D.