[HPforGrownups] Snape- Universal Teacher - Universal Story

[Troels Forchhammer]

No: HPFGUIDX 128466

At 20:35 03-05-05 +0000, Steve wrote:
>I've been reading the many posts on Snape and whether he is an
>effective teacher or not, and something occurred to me.

<snip>

>I honestly think that relative to the school aspect of the story,
>Snape is there simply because every protagonist needs an antagonsit.

I think that you are right to a very large extent (I don't think
we can rule out the possibility of him getting an extended role
in the school aspect of the story later, though it isn't very
likely, IMO).

>Among the students, Draco fills that role, among the teachers Snape
>fills that role, in the greater world, Voldemort fills that role.

Yes. And since Voldemort cannot enter Hogwarts, Harry needs an
adult antagonist while he is staying there. It is part of the
child-hero role to fight against adults (and to be supported by
other adults, who needs to be, in some ways, incredibly blind) --
Draco simply wouldn't make a believable antagonist for Harry (and
if he did, Harry would become an anti-hero of the sort that was
popular some thirty years ago).

<snip>

>As a side note: Love his or hate him, I would speculate that Snape is
>the single most discussed character in this group.

I have often said that I consider Severus Snape to be probably
the greatest single literary achievement of Jo Rowling.

Harry is nice, and, for a magical hero, rather complex of character
(stealing cars go beyond sneaking out of school), but he is still
a painting in light pastel shades only, against the hint of both
light and shadow and full colours that is Snape.

Regards,
Troels Forchhammer