Snape opinions

[dungrollin]

No: HPFGUIDX 137879

Hello all. I have been keeping an eye on the Snape poll, which can 
be found here:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/surveys?id=1916317
And I have some interesting statistics to give you.

- Only 11% of voters had their minds changed about Snape by reading 
HBP. 
- 20% used to have firm opinions/hopes, but are now unsure. 
- 25% remained completely unchanged in their opinions by HBP 
- 44% remain uncommitted to assigning Snape to DD/Voldy's side or 
good/ESE. 

- A whopping 65% of people thought/hoped/expected Snape to be good 
before they read HBP. 
- After reading HBP this fell to 27%. (I did not include those who 
*want* to believe he's good, but aren't sure.)
- However, 54% still either believe or *want* to believe that he is 
good.
- Only 4% thought Snape was ESE before HBP, now it's 8%. 
- The 'don't knows' increased from 14% to 48% due to reading HBP. 
- Those who thought that Snape was amoral, and not loyal to either 
side before HBP made up 17%, and none of them changed their minds 
after reading HBP (though none of the options allowed for a change 
in opinion from amoral ->good/ese, so we can't be sure). 

Top 5 individual responses made up 70% of the vote and are: 
I have always believed Snape was on the side of Good, and after 
reading HBP, I am SURE of it 
.....................23% (Hooray! I am DELUSIONAL*, and not alone!) 
I am hoping and expecting Snape to come down on the side of Good, 
but I am reserving judgment until I have Book 7 in my 
hands .....................19% 
I have always *wanted* to believe Snape was on the side of Good and 
still want to believe it, but after reading HBP I am not sure 
.....................12% 
I have always believed Snape was on the side of Good, but after 
reading HBP, I am torn 
.....................8% 
Ultimately Snape is on no one's side but his 
own .....................8% 

- Apparently only one person (0.35%) had always thought Snape was 
ESE but is now certain that he's good. 
- The hard-line "always was ESE always will be" make up only 2%. 
- Only 3% changed their minds from Snape is definitely good, to 
Snape is definitely ESE.

Sooo... I'm afraid I haven't been keeping up with the list at all 
(you all know why – list volume is still not back to normal), but I 
have noticed the words 'obvious' and 'clearly' bandied about in 
relation to Snape. So what is it that is obvious, exactly?

Something different to everyone, no doubt. HBP has clearly confused 
a lot of people about Snape – causing a fall of 38% in the number of 
people who think/hope/expect Snape to ultimately be 'good'. However, 
this was not accompanied by a corresponding rise in those who 
think/expect/hope Snape to ultimately be 'evil' (which rose from 4 
to only 8%). 

This implies to me that there is still a great hope amongst the 
readership that Snape will not turn out to have been working for 
Voldy all along. The question is, is this because of unrelenting 
faith in Dumbledore, or is this a genuine wish for redemption for 
the character? Probably a mixture of the two, for me I lean mostly 
towards the former. In fact, I've half convinced myself, after that 
comment about the books not being "that secular", that JKR is very 
deliberately testing our faith in Dumbledore.

Lastly, I have a request. I do not for a second believe that only 
284 people on this list have an opinion about Snape. What happened 
to the other eighteen thousand members?  Please please please vote! 
I find the split of the vote on this subject absolutely fascinating, 
and would love to be certain that we have a good sampling of opinion.
So, whether you are dismayed to see that so few people agree with 
you, or whether you feel complacent that your choice is so popular, 
if you haven't yet voted, please do so. Votes can be changed until 
the poll closes, and I shall continue to keep an eye on what's going 
on, to see whether immediate reactions are different to more 
considered opinions in a few months time.

Cheers,
Dungrollin.

*D.E.L.U.S.I.O.N.A.L. (Death Eaters Laughably Unsuspicious, Snape Is 
Not A Louse.)



And then, just for fun:

How Snape are you?

1. Are you frequently irritated by the inadequacies of others?

a) All the time!  (13 points)
b) I try my hardest to remain patient. (2 points)
c) I have plenty of inadequacies of my own. (7 points)
d) (Through gritted teeth) Frequently. (89 points)


2. Do you find yourself unable to prevent hurtful remarks escaping 
your lips?

a) Rarely, and I always feel *terrible* afterwards. (4 points)
b) Absolutely! And they all deserve it! (18 points)
c) Somehow everything I say comes out sounding like pure wisdom, 
garnished with light but eccentric humour – I don't mean it to. 
(0 points)
d) Hurtful? It's wit, you fool. (101 points)


3. What is your favourite colour?

a) Green. And silver. And black. They go with my hair. (11 points)
b) Raspberry Jam. (3 points)
c) Well, I tend to wear grey, but my favourite colour is blue. (5 
points)
d) What a waste of time. Black suffices for everything. (99 points)


4. Have you ever murdered a headmaster?

a) No, I lock myself up at the wrong time of the month. (5 points)
b) (Eyes a-twinkle) No. Why do you ask? (1 point)
c) No, but I *could* have! (12 points)
d) Your clumsy mind lacks the subtlety to have any comprehension of 
my motivations, even if I were willing to answer the question. 
(308 points)


Less than 15 points:
Rest in peace, Professor. You were never anything like Snape.

15-30 points:
Don't worry Remus, you're not nearly as awful as you think you are. 

30-150 points:
Now, Mr Malfoy, there's just no point in trying.  You still care far 
too much about what other people think of you, which will always 
hold you back. Grow up.

More than 150 points:
Congratulations! You truly are a miserable git.