TBAY: Definitely NOT a Snape Theory (long)

[juli17 at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 145421

 
Pippin wrote:
You know, if you read 'Spinner's End' as straight exposition,  presuming
that Snape is telling the truth all the way through, then it is  perfunctory
and rather dull, but if you think Snape is DDM! it's like a  Chinese puzzle,
and deeply artful. Probably the best argument for DDM I've  come up 
with yet. 



Julie:
I agree it's a strong argument. DDM!Snape is easily the most  complex
Snape of the bunch. He's Dumbledore's man, on the side of Good,  yet
in a constant internal struggle to keep a lid on his worst instincts  (and
he frequently fails). ESE!Snape is pretty much one-dimensional, evil
through and through, no more than a master pretender for 16  years. 
(DDM!Snape is a master pretender too, but given Snape's outward
nastiness, his core of good intent is what adds that extra  dimension,)
OFH!Snape is no more complex, acting always and only in his own best
interests (basically, a Wormtail redux), with little internal battle  going
on between his conscience (pretty much absent) and his  instincts.
 
DDM!Snape is also by far the best piece of writing,  IMO. ESE!Snape
just gives us dozens of red herrings in Snape's behavior, meaningless
moments and pointless inconsistencies inserted only to misdirect.  
OFH!Snape is easier to reconcile with Snape's inconsistencies, but
he still lacks the complex motives and paradoxical personality  traits
that make Snape potentially one of the most fascinating fictional
characters ever created.



Pippin:
> See, I don't understand how a person without any core  belief that 
> killing was wrong  could convince someone like  Dumbledore that 
> he was a moral person, not for a few months but year  after year.

Alla:

LOLOL! Easy? Just keep lying to Dumbledore year  after year after 
year.

I mean, really Snape fooled either Dumbledore  or Voldemort, right?

I vote for Dumbledore :)


Julie:
And therein lies the other best argument for DDM!Snape. You  prefer
a Snape that has fooled Dumbledore. But that means Dumbledore  is
less intelligent and less perceptive about humanity than Voldemort!
Dumbledore, the greatest wizard who ever lived, is more easily fooled
than Voldemort, the single-minded, egomaniacal sociopath who has 
never experienced actual love for or from anyone, the braggart who
is so convinced of his own superiority that he cannot comprehend
Harry being more than a gnat to be swatted away, so  underestimates
him over and over again. 
 
I think not. I don't buy that Dumbledore, not for a minute. He's very
capable of mistakes, and admits so, but he's also JKR's  mouthpiece
of wisdom and goodness, and she's not going to compromise her
"greatest wizard ever" (in every sense of the term) by making  his
judgment of perhaps the most crucial secondary character in the
book dead wrong. It would irreparably damage Dumbledore's
standing, and that would be painful to see (for me, anyway). 
 
Julie 
(who wants DDM!Snape as much for Dumbledore's sake as
for Snape's sake--heck, even for Harry's  sake!)



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