Why must JKR torture us so? Snape of course was:Bullying WAS: Re: Prodigal Sons

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 140981

> >>PJ:
> <snip>
> I can't speak for anyone else of course but sometimes I'm not at   
> all  sure we're all reading about the same characters.  :-)       
> Everything I've ever read of Snape, both in the books and the     
> interviews the author gives, show him to be a bad guy through and 
> through.  So, if JKR *says* he's bad and *writes* him as bad,     
> where does the idea of "good Snape" come from?
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
>From JKR of course, that clever woman. <g>  It all goes back to 
PS/SS, I think.  Snape gets one of the best introductary scenes of 
all the books; good or bad, the reader is interested.  Throughout 
PS/SS he seems so obviously bad: trying to kill Harry, cheating at 
quidditch, threatening poor Professor Quirrell, forcing students to 
write essays, etc.  But then the ending comes and changes 
everything.  Snape wasn't trying to kill Harry, he was saving 
Harry's life.  Snape wasn't trying to cheat a quidditch win for 
Slytherin, he endured his colleagues censure to once again protect 
Harry.  And he wasn't picking on a poor unstable professor, he was 
challenging a dark wizard.  (Opinions still vary on the relative 
sadism of essay assignments. <eg>)

So the question seems answered: the cool guy with all the presense 
is good.  Light the candles and pour some champagne, we've got an 
interesting adult character. Or do we?  Because our hero still 
doesn't like the man.  Heads are butted, words are sneered, 
detentions are given, and yes, essays are still assigned.  And yet, 
Snape isn't racing off to help the newly risen "Heir of Slytherin", 
he seems upset when young Ginny is grabbed.  Snape fails to deliver 
Harry into the murdering Sirius's hands. He even chastises Harry for 
skipping merrily off to Hogsmeade while being hunted by said 
murderer, positively parental behavior there.  

JKR cunningly continues on in a similar manner throughout the 
books.  Snape fails to undermine Harry when he has a chance, is 
never actually *seen* to be eating kittens, and generally seems to 
be working *against* the villain du jour.  In fact, Snape is 
sometimes present and actually helping when the day is saved.  He 
doesn't like Harry's father though, who is supposed to be the next 
big thing since King Arthur, so that's kind of confusing.

> >>PJ:
> For me the frustration comes into play when I read that from just 
> one snippet of memory it's decided that James MUST have bullied   
> Snape without any provocation through out 7 years of school.
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
Ah, but see, it provides an explination for the strange behavior in 
PoA.  How could Snape *not* like cuddly little Lupin?  And how dare 
he seem to hold a certain distaste for the noble St. James. He 
*must* be evil! But then, from the pensieve memory we learn, the 
boys have a "history".  Doesn't matter, really, who bullied who, in 
the end.  It's a Hatfields vs. McCoys situation.  No one remembers 
who threw the first punch, the point is that a punch was thrown.  
(Though, again, JKR is being clever in putting Snape in the victim 
role in this particular scene.  She deliberately provokes sympathy 
for the dark guy and deliberately parallels the light guy with 
muggle torturing Death Eaters.  JKR likes to shake 
up 'straightforward' readings it seems.  Or at the very least mess 
with our heads. <g>)  

> >>PJ:
> Regardless,  from that one snippet James is tried and convicted of 
> being the biggest bully on the playground while despite of all the 
> solid canon available on how bad Snape is, people turn themselves 
> inside out to make excuses for him and paint him as a "good guy". 
> It's a mystery...

Betsy Hp:
Who said it had to be either or?  Frankly, I was glad to see "St. 
James" die a swift death.  Talk about a boring character.  James, 
the spoiled rich kid who had some growing up to do before he could 
win the fair maiden's hand is *much* more interesting, IMO.  Just as 
Snape the snarky teacher with issues, who nevertheless has a 
larger "lives saved to date" list then any other character (IIRC), 
is a heck more interesting than "St. Snape" or "Demon Snape".  It's 
three dimensions and it's beautiful. <g>

Betsy Hp