In defense of the Snape apologists :-)

[Mari]

No: HPFGUIDX 136006


 dan:

> If I understand you right, you are implying that some who 
believe
> Snape is ESE are being unfair to those who don't believe it? 
That's
> harsh, Mari. I think all around, there needs to be some 
"defense" -
> for those who are in the ESE!Snape camp (oooh, sounds 
kinky) and those
> who are not.

Mari again:

I understand what you are saying here :-) My comment below  in 
the original post should help to clear this up:


"So far I feel the debate has been very well argued on both sides 
and am throroughly enjoying reading each of the posts."

The ESE!Snape theorists have valid points to make and have 
made good arguments, I'm not disputing that at all. As I said in 
the comment above, both sides make excellent arguments for 
their views.

I was simply questioning the most commonly brought up 
complaints about the arguments for Snape not being ESE. 

dan again:

> The world Rowling has made does not devolve to this or
> that adventure element, but to the central characteristics of the
> players. In that sense, no matter how good one's canon is (and 
canon
> can be shown to be ever so slightly shaky internally - the maths
> issues, for example) if that canon does NOT include this 
personality
> assessment, it cannot answer the questions at all, not even if 
Snape
> is a real bastard or just a bastard. It's not like Snape's 
fundamental
> character is going to change somehow - his allegiances yes, 
but not
> his fundamental character. And that character is set before us. 
One
> last act this or that way is not going to change that, or the 
meaning
> of the work.

Mari again:

This is an excellent point, and I don't dispute it.

My question is, do you feel that those who argue, for various 
reasons, that Snape is not just ESE, have not engaged with 
these sort of questions about his personality?  

I'm in the "not just ESE" camp at this stage but I certainly wouldn't 
deny that Rowling has shown us that Snape is an unpleasant 
character. Do you think posters who argue that Snape is not ESE 
generally try to deny the fact that he has an unpleasant 
personality? I haven't seen that they do. 

Thanks for these very interesting thoughts.

Mari.