This is not the Snape we wanted. Joseph Campbell

[happydogue]

No: HPFGUIDX 134513

Lets take this theory or argument, as some may call it, in a 
different path.

I am asking you to remove from your mind you like or dislike for any 
of the characters and analyze the story at the core level.

You have a young boy who doesn't know that he is special who is 
destine to become the hero.  This theme is quite typical as a "coming 
of age story".  In the story you have a mentor that aids the youth.  
The youth meets several nemesis along the way.  Some could be man 
against  man, man against nature, man against himself etc.

A turn in the story is the death of the mentor maybe at the hands of 
a nemesis.  Snape is one of these nemesis.  We know from typical plot 
twists in stories that many times a major adversary actually is the 
opposite. This person is perceived by the hero to be the cause of all 
his problems. This is the category Snape falls into.  Harry is going 
to have to make a revelation.  It may also be that Snape will die in 
the process of this revelation.  

This story structure is very typical.  If you are interested in 
information about story analysis you may enjoy reading books by 
Joseph Campbell like " The Hero with a Thousand Faces" or "the Power 
of Myth"  

JMM



> 
> Inkling now:
> You know, I think theme is really all we have to argue from in a 
> way.  We certainly can't predict the future based on the past.  
> Remember all the pre-HBP predictions that went nowhere?  But if we 
> have a sense of what she is trying to do, then we can predict, not 
> specific events, but thematic unfolding.  For example, I believe 
she 
> is working toward Snape's redemption, but can't begin to guess how 
> that might specifically happen.
> 
> (Of course you are right that none of us really know what she is 
> trying to do, but by this point, the penultimate book, many do have 
> a strong sense or opinion about it.  I know I do :-))
> 
> And I think the argument over Snape is essentially a clash of 
> dueling themes, and those who believe in one theme will see the 
> evidence for it, while those who believe in another will see the 
> evidence for their position, and both will tend to ignore the 
> evidence to the contrary.  And things may get dicey because there 
is 
> a lot of emotion involved when it comes to Snape, and at this point 
> the shock of the ending of HBP is still so fresh.  That's why I 
> wanted to step outside the argument for a minute and say, well, 
> suppose he acted out of evil intent, what then?  But I'm not asking 
> anyone to agree with that premise or to say that I know the answer 
> to the big question about him.  Just to present is one way of 
> looking at it.
> 
> Inkling