Bad guys and black hats (was Re: Unreliable narrator)

[Renee]

No: HPFGUIDX 117779


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "potioncat" <willsonkmom at m...> 
wrote:
> 
> Alla wrote:
> > > Take Snape, for example. :o) She says that he is sadistic 
> teacher 
> > > and not that I had many doubts about that quality of his, but 
I 
> > > still thought that  maybe he plays at least a little bit. When 
I 
> > > hear such quote from the author's mouth, I am fully convinced.
> > > 
>  
> >>>Renee:
> 
> > What would you have done if you hadn't considered Snape a 
sadistic 
> > teacher, or conversely, if JKR had said he's mostly play-acting? 
> > Would you have rejected her comment like you reject the one 
about 
> > the conventional black hats? Can you really do this: accept 
those 
> > authorial comments that confirm your own judgement and 
> > interpretation but reject those that don't?
> 
> 
> Potioncat:
> Did I read this correctly?  Has JKR said Snape is acting? 

Renee:
Sorry if I created confusion here! To my best knowledge, JKR never 
said such a thing. I merely wondered what Alla's reaction would have 
been it *if* she had - knowing Alla's opinion about Snape.   

 
> In JKR's defense, she is being bombarded with questions about 
> characters.  She can hardly refuse to answer.  There she is, on 
the spot, and whether she thought the character was perfectly clear, 
or whether she intended some confusion on our part, she needs to say 
> something. Of course, she could refuse to give interviews at all.

Renee:
I doubt refusing to give interviews is a realistic option, but she 
can avoid answering certain questions (and sometimes does). Of 
course she can say whatever she wants, but that doesn't mean I have 
to accept all her explanations on authority if I don't quite see 
them in the text. 

Renee