Question for Snapeophiles and -phobes RE Dumbledore, Snape, and Harry

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 114588


Jen wrote:
> > JKR will probably come up with a more satisfying resolution 
> > scenario, but I'd prefer to see continued tension. Until Snape 
is 
> > toast, of course, which I'm betting will happen by the end of 
> Book  6. ;)<

Pippin:
> There's an old rule of story-telling: the villain dies in the last
> ditch. 
> Since the conflict with  Snape is the major source of dramatic 
> tension, it can't be resolved much before the ending of Book 
> Seven -- otherwise it  would be like having Darth Vader die in the 
> middle of Return of the Jedi or having Gollum die before Frodo 
> gets to Mt. Doom. 

Jen: But wait! Snape is not the villain here. Voldemort will 
certainly be around until the bitter end, but Snape is expendable 
after a certain point. I don't believe JKR anticipated the vast 
reader interest in Snape; she certainly seems mystified by the 
suggestion that Snape is appealing since she considers him 'a deeply 
horrible person'(Family Education, 1999).

Then there's this little gem of a quote: 

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 Record, 1999)

Not only can she get revenge by writing him a certain way, she can 
also plan his demise!

Pippin:
> I figure Harry will have a choice between trusting Snape and 
> someone who seems much more trustworthy. He will trust the 
> wrong person, and Snape will suffer for it, but ultimately  Snape 
> will save Harry, thus paying back the debt to James. 

Jen: You're not referring to Lupin, are you? ;) I do think Snape 
might save Harry though; it's only fair that if Snape has to meet a 
sticky end he could at least rest in peace.

Pipin:
> Whether Snape survives the conflict with Voldemort is irrelevant 
> since at 
> the end of Book Seven Harry will no longer be a Hogwarts 
> student, and the conflict with Snape will have ended in any case. 
> I think ol' Sevvie will still be around, though. He's tough.

Jen: If that's the case, most of the things we discuss here are 
irrelevant! If he's your favorite character, how JKR chooses to end 
his story might be more important than what happens to Harry. I'm 
not in that camp, but I do think whether Snape lives or dies is an 
important part of the story.