Poison intentions? (was Re: What does Snape owe Harry?)

[caesian]

No: HPFGUIDX 97610

>many moons ago, Caesian wrote:
> <snip> I'd like to be a Snape apologist.  <snipped> but I just can't bring myself
> to defend Snape's character when JKR has stated that we are entirely
> too fond of him, and may probably change our minds.  <snip> 
> 
> Carol:
> I can't find any reference where JKR actually tell sus not to be too
> fond of snape. <snipped most of post>
> 
> Carol

Caesian apologizes:
You might have missed my previous post apologizing for not checking my source before 
my off-the-cuff statement about a JKR interview (# 97157).  I do apologize.  I have thus far 
failed to slake the thirst of truth/fact and Snape defense, and I will do my full penance 
here - but I'd like to start with the proverbial I-utterly-concede-the-point.  I mangled a 
couple of quotes, one that was clearly about Draco - and did not give you any links.  Sorry.  
My very bad.  My first week on the list - oops (potion vial drops to floor, I sneer ... no, no, 
no! I am sincerely sorry.)  

In fact, I'd like to thank you because my mangled impression was influencing my brain, 
and now that I've spent some time reading and re-reading interviews I am more clear on 
that-man-we-love-to-hate, SS, whos initials remind me of the Gestapo. I suppose I still 
interpret these comments as I did before.  I certainly agree that they are of a variety and 
vagueness that lend themselves to many viewpoints.  And I would still like to be a Snape 
apologist.  If that were possible, I  can only hope that his failure to teach Harry 
Occlumency was the hit-bottom moment in his struggle as an addict to whatever he's 
stuck on.  At least during this, his second chance. (Caesian's cushion zooms wildly past 
box and smacks Lavendar Brown - because someone has to).

So, here goes - all Quick Quotes references to Snape excepting the English Village origin 
of his name:

America Online, October 19, 2000 Chat Transcript 
Q: Why did you make Quirrell the bad guy instead of Snape?
JKR: Because I know all about Snape, and he wasn't about to put on a turban.

caesian comment: aha! Snape has dress sense!  

 Family Education Summer 1999
 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.

Amazon UK  ca. 1999  Magic, Mystery, and Mayhem
Amazon.co.uk: Are your characters based on people you know?
 Rowling: Some of them are, but I have to be extremely careful what I say about this. 
Mostly, real people inspire a character, but once they are inside your head they start 
turning into something quite different. Professor Snape and Gilderoy Lockhart both started 
as exaggerated versions of people I've met, but became rather different once I got them on 
the page. Hermione is a bit like me when I was 11, though much cleverer.

BBC 02 November 2001 
Secrets revealed
 JK also revealed she gave some of the actors some top secret background information 
that will emerge for the rest of us in later books.
 She said she thought it was important to tell them so they knew their characters better:
 "I did give certain information to Robbie Coltrane, the background story about Hagrid and 
I gave Alan Rickman a little bit on Snape," she told Newsround's Lizo Mzimba.
 "But no-one should go out and kidnap them because they won't talk!"

caesian: maybe Carol and I could try capturing Rickman just in case? (mad cackle)  

Barnes and Noble Chat  20 October 2000
Q: Why does Professor Dumbledore allow Professor Snape to be so nasty to the students 
(especially to Harry, Hermione, and Neville)? 
JKR: Dumbledore believes there are all sorts of lessons in life; horrible teachers like Snape 
are one of them!
Q: The character of Professor Snape fascinates me. Will you reveal his back story further in 
the next Harry Potter book? 
JKR: You will find out more about Snape in future books. Keep an eye on him!

caesian - as if we could resist.

 AOL Chat  19 October 2000
Q: Ms. Rowling, which character besides Harry is your favorite, and why?
JKR:  I think that would have to be Hagrid -- but I love Ron and Hermione too, and I also 
love writing characters like Gilderoy Lockhart, Snape, the Dursleys... it's such fun doing 
horrible things to them.

caesian: so would that be "drowning", or "cauldron" or "Snape"? ...

The Record, Northern NJ  14 October 1999 
Professor Snape, she said, was based on a teacher she despised: "The great thing about 
becoming a writer is you can get revenge on everyone."

The Connection  12 October 1999
Q: What about Snape?
JKR: Snape is a very sadistic teacher, loosely based on a teacher I myself had, I have to say. 
I think children are very aware and we are kidding ourselves if we don't think that they are, 
that teachers do sometimes abuse their power and this particular teacher does abuse his 
power. He's not a particularly pleasant person at all. However, everyone should keep their 
eye on Snape, I'll just say that because there is more to him than meets the eye and you 
will find out part of what I am talking about if you read Book 4. No, I'm not trying to drum 
up more sales, go to the library and get it out. I'd rather people read it. 
Q: One of our internet correspondents wondered if Snape is going to fall in love. 
JKR: (JKR laughs) Who on earth would want Snape in love with them? That's a very horrible 
idea.   (caesian - shudder)
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.


Caesian - who should have thoroughly learned her lesson - never, ever poison the original 
intention of the post (in this case, that Snape probably would have poisoned Harry in class 
- # 97125) with some high-extrapolation at the end.