[HPforGrownups] A Cold Equation (was Re: The Trial Of Severus Snape)

[Kathryn Jones]

No: HPFGUIDX 141431

lupinlore wrote:


> Actually, I completely and totally disagree that the wording tells us
> anything whatsoever about whether DD wanted Snape to do something or
> not to do something. 
snip
> Starting a sentence with "Severus, please..." tells us absolutely,
> positively, nothing about whether Dumbledore was asking Snape to do
> something or not to do something.
snip
> By indicating that DD did feel the need to say something, JKR makes it
> much more difficult, indeed nearly impossible, to craft a DDM!Snape
> that would constitute good writing.  The idea that Snape, of all
> people, would be so sentimental as to need urging is rankly
> unbelievable, and reeks of ham-fisted and poorly written manipulation.
> 
> Lupinlore

   KJ writes:
      I have to back Juli on this one. I think that consideration has to 
be given to the argument that Snape and Dumbledore had in the forest. 
There was obviously something that Dumbledore was pressuring Snape into 
doing that he did not want to do. In fact he was threatening to walk 
away from the whole thing by saying that "he didn't want to do it any 
more". My impression was that the moment Snape looked around the 
tower,he sized up the situation, and looked to Dumbledore for 
instructions. Dumbledore said his name immediately to get his attention 
and stop him from doing anything Gryffindorish, and then "please" to 
encourage him to do what had to be done.

     JKR has written Snape to be the greatest mystery in the book. She 
has gone to great lengths to keep him ambiguous. He has held the 
interest, certainly of this list, for the entire set of books so far.

       I think, too, that we know the story has to end one of two ways. 
If Harry kills Voldemort, some people will complain that it is boring 
and too obvious. If Voldemort kills Harry, people might be more 
surprised, but if no value comes of his death, we will all be hugely 
disappointed. If Snape turns out good, half of us will say we knew it 
all the time and most of us fully expect that he will lose his life at 
the end. Does that make it disappointing for those of us that think that 
way. I find it logical, just as I fully expect Peter Pettigrew to snuff 
it, fighting with Fenrir (silver hand, you know).

       We are being manipulated by a very good story teller. All books, 
and movies manipulate us to certain beliefs and emotions. To succeed in 
those efforts makes a successful writer. For a writer to tell a story 
over six books and several years and still have maintained the ability 
to keep us all wondering how it ends, is pretty darned fine work, in my 
humble opinion, regardless of how she chooses to end it.
KJ