In Defense of Snape (Against Snape in JKR's words)

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 122063


>>vmonte: I couldn't help reading some of the previous Snape posts 
without adding some of JKR's documented comments about him.

Betsy:
*rubs hands in gleeful anticipation*
  
>>vmonte: 
>JKR: You always see a lot of Snape, because he is a gift of a 
character. I hesitate to say that I love him. [Audience member: I 
do]. You do? This is a very worrying thing. Are you thinking about 
Alan Rickman or about Snape? [Laughter].
<snip of further JKR tap-dancing>
>Why do you love him? Why do people love Snape? I do not understand 
this. Again, it's bad boy syndrome, isn't it? It's very depressing. 
[Laughter]. One of my best friends watched the film and she 
said, "You know who's really attractive?" I said, "Who?" She 
said, "Lucius Malfoy!" [EBF-04] 

Betsy:
No one avoids a question like JKR.  And she provides such 
entertainment as she does so.  Not much insight into Snape's 
character here.

>>Betsy wrote:
>I can feel you itching to bring up Neville.  Why oh why does Snape 
pick on poor Neville?  <snip>  Which suggests that Neville may have 
actually done all right on his exam   Which would suggest that 
despite his not so nice methods, Snape is still one heck of a 
teacher.<

>>vmonte: 
>From [Y-00]
>lhhicks99 asks: Why does Professor Dumbledore allow Professor Snape 
to be so nasty to the students (especially to Harry, Hermione, and 
Neville)? 
>jkrowling_bn: Dumbledore believes there are all sorts of lessons in 
life...horrible teachers like Snape are one of them! [Y-00]< 

>> vmonte responds: 
>Snape is a horrible teacher.< 

Betsy:
Not denying he's the "scary" teacher, but if JKR really wanted to say 
he was an incompentent teacher, his students would not pass their 
O.W.Ls.  (And I agree with Dumbledore - learning to deal with 
the "scary" or "horrible" teacher is an important life lesson!)

>>vomonte: 
>What about Snape?
>JKR: Snape is a very sadistic teacher, loosely based on a teacher I 
myself had, I have to say. I think children are very aware and we are 
kidding ourselves if we don't think that they are, that teachers do 
sometimes abuse their power and this particular teacher does abuse 
his power. He's not a particularly pleasant person at all. However, 
everyone should keep their eye on Snape, I'll just say that because 
there is more to him than meets the eye and you will find out part of 
what I am talking about if you read Book 4. [WBUR-99]<

Betsy:
Never argued that Snape is pleasant - and he certainly abuses his 
power at times.  And in Book 4 we find out that he is a spy for 
Dumbledore, adding depth and interest to his character, just as JKR 
promised. :)

>>vmonte:
>JKR: Yeees. You shouldn't think he's too nice, let me just say that.
>SF: Right I shall bear that in mind. Worth watching Serverus Snape
>JKR: He's worth keeping and eye on, definitely  [RAH-03]<

>>vmonte responds: I'm not sure that Snape is going to turn out to be 
good in the end.<

Betsy:
I hope this quote isn't all you're basing that theory on. :)  And I 
made perfectly clear that I don't think Snape is nice.  But (sing 
along with me!) "nice" does not equal "good."

>>vmonte: 
>Alan Rickman: Well he's Professor of Potions and the current head of 
Slytherin House at Hogwarts - the school of wizardry that Harry 
attends, but he harbours a secret ambition to be a Professor of the 
Dark Arts. He isn't that taken with Harry though, probably because he 
finds him a little too popular for a first year pupil I suppose. I 
think at heart Snape is basically quite an insecure person, he's 
always longing to be something else that people will really respect 
like a black magician not just a school master. That's why he envies 
the more popular and successful boys like Harry.  [UNREEL]<
 
>>vmonte: Mr. Rickman was given information about Snape by JKR. If he 
thinks that Snape is insecure and envious of the more popular boys 
(James, Harry), well I'm going to believe him. After all, fame and 
glory are both mentioned in his opening speech. Seems like he is 
still looking for the attention he did not receive as a child. 
(penseive scene).<

Betsy:
There are some mighty big assumptions here.  But if you take Alan 
Rickman's words as gospel - let me throw some back at you:
"He does have his positive side though even though Harry's a thorn in 
his side he doesn't let it worry him too much."  So does that mean 
Snape is not really that bothered by Harry after all?

Also, Snape does not envy James -- he hates him.  Would you envy a 
person that stripped you in front of your classmates?  And Harry as 
popular?  He's known - but he spends quite a bit of time, in just 
about every book, being mocked or feared or ridiculed by the Hogwarts 
students.  Why would Snape envy that?
   
>>Alla wrote:
>Harry did not have ANY ego to be slapped down, when Snape attacked 
him on the first lesson. Harry did not have any ego to be slapped 
down, when Snape kept reminding him how bad his dead father was.<

>>vmonte:
>I agree. Snape is jealous of Harry's celebrity.<

Betsy:
Huh?  Where do you get that from?  Please site canon.
  
>>vmonte:
>JKR: It's fun to write about Snape because he's a deeply horrible 
person [FE-99].<
> And..
>JL: Prof Snape has always wanted to be the defense against the dark 
arts teacher. In book 5 he still doesn't get the job. Why does 
Professor Dumbledore not allow him to be the defense against the dark 
arts teacher?
>SF: There
>JKR: <sighs> That is an excellent question and the reason is that, I 
have to be careful what I say here, the reason is that to answer it 
fully would give and awful lot away about the remaining two books but 
when Professor Dumbledore took Professor Snape on to the staff and 
Professor Snape said I'd like to teach defense against the darks arts 
please and Professor Dumbledore felt that that might bring out the 
worst in Professor Snape. 
>JKR: So he said I think we'll let you teach potions and see how you 
get along there. [RAH-03].<

>>vmonte responds:
>There is no way I would let a professor with sadistic tendencies 
teach a DADA class. Would you hire an alcoholic as a bartender?<

Betsy:
Again, you're making a leap.  JKR is very careful to give as little 
away as possible.  I guess I'm not seeing what you're seeing.  How 
are we to know that Snape might not suffer flashbacks to his horrible 
Death Eater days and have a total breakdown?  It's just not clear, 
and so I'd prefer a canon based argument rather than an interview one.

>> Betsy:
>Of course, Harry is too young and too naive, especially in book one, 
to realize any of these motives, and so he settles on the 
simple, "Snape hates me." I doubt Snape feels that strongly about 
Harry in the beginning. I think Harry frustrates the hell out of 
Snape, as Snape spends most of his time trying to keep Harry safe and 
Harry keeps stumbling into danger, but I honestly think 'hate' is too 
strong a word.<

>>vmonte:
>I'm not sure he hates Harry either. Maybe it's more like fear.<

Betsy:
And again I say, huh?  Where does it ever appear that Snape fears 
Harry? 

Betsy