Tower scene reactions about Snape; different sympathies

[ellecain]

No: HPFGUIDX 142927

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Sydney" <sydpad at y...> wrote:
>
> KJ:
> >     One of the reasons for being completely dumb-struck at this
> scene in 
> > the tower is that I understood the fact of Snape's guilt 
immediately
> and 
> > what that decision had just cost him. [snip] I couldn't believe 
that
> JKR had done it to him. 
> > Bad enough that she made him ugly, greasy, and nasty, now she 
removes 
> > any chance of redemption other than at the cost of his life. I'm 
sorry, 
> > but I find that I can live without Sirius, the loss of 
Dumbledore was 
> > quite bearable, and I'm quite looking forward to the demise of
> Volemort, 
> > even at the expense of Harry. I really feel sorry for Snape.:)
> 

Sydney:
> Dude.  The first thing I said to myself when I closed the book was,
> "Oh my God.  Poor Snape."  I think it must have been what Sirius 
fans
> felt at the end of OoP-- "you mean he just got more and more 
depressed
> and then he DIED?!"  I gotta hand it to JKR-- she is simply 
rutheless
> in putting her characters through the worst things she can think 
of.
>

Elyse: At the risk of this just being a "me too" post, I 'll say 
that I agree completely. This was my reaction precisely at the end 
of HBP. I was horrified at DD's death and while I felt for Harry and 
Dumbledore and Draco in that scene, the "Severus, please" made me 
feel that Dumbledore ordered his death. I felt that Snape was 
*forced* to take the action (UV notwithstanding) that he did.
I felt so so very sorry for him, and hoped I would never find myself 
in that position, ever.

As Sherry said in another post, this exemplifies our different ways 
of
reading the same passages, the same words, the same images, and yet 
coming out of it with wildly opposing reactions.
According to me (and I am not qualified in any way to talk about 
literature, mind you) this is the best thing about literature, the 
best thing about fiction and novels in general.The very fact that we 
can come away with a variety of impressions and take our own 
different interpretations from any one scene or one book shows the 
inherent beauty of writing fiction. The basic reader reactions being 
so strong and so different in the tower scene is IMO proof that 
Rowling's writing is powerful and has immense vitality.

I think this primary reaction is the determinant for the 
attachment we have towards the various DDM, OFH ESE Snape scenarios.
If you felt that what Snape had done was because he was ordered to 
do or had no other choice, and sympathised with him, felt sorry for 
him, at that pivotal scene then I think one leans towards DDM! Snape.
I cant be sure of course, this is me making up a theory.

On the other hand, if your primary reaction was that Snape's actions 
were a base betrayal (as they may very well be)  and you were 
screaming for Snape's blood, and sympathising with Harry more in 
that scene then I think one would lean towards an ESE!Snape scenario.
(Correct me if I'm wrong all you ESE!Snapers)

But there is more to it than that. I think our basic reactions to 
the tower scene were coloured by our preconcieved notions of Snape 
from the earlier books. I entered HBP with the conviction that Snape 
was firmly on the side of good, and thus I sympathised with him in 
the tower scene. This is not to say that I didnt feel for Harry. I 
felt terrible at his helplessness there and as for Draco, my heart 
went out to him.Dumbledore's last moments reasoning with Draco were 
simply wonderful.

Perhaps my rose coloured expectations of Snape coloured my 
judgements in HBP. But after being thrown in doubt about about those 
loyalties after reading innumerable ESE! and OFH! posts, I still 
retain my impression that Snape is on the side of good. However hard 
I try to read that scene as ESE or OFH, I still come back to DDM.
I accept the possibility of Snape being ESE or OFH but I am in no 
way convinced.
 
This sympathy or belief in Snape naturally triggered the
"JKR is so mean, how could she do that to him!" reaction.
And I do think she is callous about the deaths of some characters.
We saw a glimpse of her ruthless cruel side in GoF when Cedric died, 
and then she upped the level a bit with her shock killing of Sirius 
in OOTP. This is hopefully as far as it will get, but looking at 
the "Harry may not live to see the end of the series" hints she 
keeps dropping, I doubt it.

I'm not saying JKR *is* ruthless in real life. Nor do I believe she 
is cruel or callous. She did supposedly cry after she killed 
Sirius...right? I am just saying that this is the logical natural 
reaction of sympathising with the characters. It shows deep reader 
engagement. And my anxiety for Snape's future is what led me to 
reimmerse myself in HP fandom.(I had dabbled a bit after GoF but 
then gave it up) I recall a fabulous post by Elkins, titled Coherence
in the recommended posts that explains my anxiety over certain 
characters, but I'll be damned if I can find it now)

Elyse, who really just tried to explain her DDM convictions by 
linking them to her first HBP reaction, but ended up rambling 
instead.(my apologies if you made it through to the end)