JKR Interview on Mugglenet; Snape = Evil?

[huntergreen_3]

No: HPFGUIDX 133751

pookasmorning wrote:
> Has JRK been playing with the readers' expectations regarding
> narrative conventions (i.e. the guy who seems bad must in fact be
> good) this whole time? Someone smart needs to weigh in; I need a
> cookie.

Milz replied:
>>I think the readership has been playing with their own expectations.
The best example is the Harry-Hermione shipper thing.<<

HunterGreen:
Though this wasn't your exact point, I think the Harry/Hermione 
shipping is a wonderful example of the traditional conventions. The 
main character should be the one to "get the girl", not 
the "sidekick". 

Milz continued:
[snip] >>So I think they build their own expectations up and
reinforce these expectations by constant rumination on their beliefs.
When Rowling is unequivocal, they head for denial and make up even
more theories why they are still right to cling to their hopes and
desires. The Draco and Snape apologists have the same problem (see
Rowling's idea on that subject---it's very true and I share her
concern as well).

I try not to read between the letters because I've learned that these
books are best enjoyed when taken at face value.<<

HunterGreen:
I think so too. While she is tricky, she's not THAT tricky. Though I 
have been guilty of looking too hard for secret sub-plots (ahem, ESE!
Fudge), its better taken with a grain of salt, knowing that the 
elaborate wild explainations are not likely to be true. It reminds me 
of all the theories that Snape wasn't really a spy for the death-
eaters (and that he wasn't the one Voldemort referenced in the 
graveyard), or that the mauraders weren't in Gryffindor, or the 
James/Lupin switching spell (I won't mention the Vampire!Snape 
theory, because that one had a lot of seeming clues in the text). 

Sure, perhaps it is true that Snape and Dumbledore put together his 
death and Snape was acting on Dumbledore's orders and all that, but I 
just cannot see how that would play out in the text, especially with 
Dumbledore being dead. I would really like it if Snape went back to 
being a jerk who is fighting hard for the side of good, I liked him a 
lot better that way, but I have a sinking feeling that it isn't true.


-Rebecca / HunterGreen