JKR's answer to "Was Snape ever loved?"

[cathmorgan100]

No: HPFGUIDX 134433

"Quoting two previous posts:
leslie41" <leslie41 at y...> wrote:
> JKR is asked directly:  "Has Snape ever been loved by anyone?"
> 
> JKR: Yes, he has, which in some ways makes him more culpable even 
> than Voldemort, who never has. 
> 
> 
> I'm wondering what we all should make of this.  JKR's 3-part 
> interview seems for the first time to really indicate that she 
> believes Snape is evil.  Yet in previous interviews she hinted that 
> there was a redemptive pattern.
> 
> I'm wondering what to think, because it seems in the books that 
> she's making every effort to leave a good deal of room for 
> interpretation (unlike Voldemort, Bellatrix, Lucius, Dudley, 
etc.).  
......
snip
> 
> What do ya'll think?
> 
> leslie41



Cathcart, think about all the posts on related threads:

I don't think it means Snape is necessarily evil and nothing but 
evil.  I think it means he should have known in every sense what a 
horrible thing he was putting in to motion by telling LV the 
prophecy.  His purported remorse fits with this, whether we accept it 
as real or not at this point.

I think firstly the key implication of JKR's response is that LV 
received no love as a child and never became a loving person, whereas 
Snape was loved by one or both of his parents and perhaps a girl or 
woman later in life. Snape was more culpable than LV for the outcome 
at GH because the consequence of telling LV the prophecy would surely 
be one or more murdered babes, at the very least, an extreme 
violation of morals and of the love that a child represents to 
community and family.  

If Snape had feelings for Lily, so much the worse and could have been 
one more reason for his leaving the DEs and seeking out DD, but it 
could hardly be the only source of remorse and culpability. I believe 
that we will find out an interesting relationship b/n Snape and Lily 
but I would be very surprised if it turned out to be romantic at all, 
except for the possibility of a conflicted crush on Snape's part.

That said, I agree with the many posters who were shocked at first 
reading due to both  DD's sad end and due to how JKR seemed to so 
blatantly show Snape as an ESE instead of the complex character he'd 
been before.  So I don't buy it.  I'm a huge fan of Snape as one of 
the most interesting characters in the series.  Since the themes of 
choice and redemption are throughout the books as much as are love 
and taking action, I still think anything can happen.  I hope he 
chooses redemption by the end, but personally I've decided to truely 
wait for Bk7 to be disappointed or elated by Snape's portrayal.  As 
long as it fits the story in the grand manner that his latest actions 
demand. I agree with the many who say that if he's always been evil 
and lying through his teeth without batting an eye the entire 17? 
years, that that will be the most *boring* and manipulative setup 
ever.  But I have faith in JKR that she has something very worthwhile 
up her sleeve regardless of what side he ends up on.  Please!