ESE, DDM, OFH, or Grey? (WAS: DDM!Snape the definition)

[elfundeb]

No: HPFGUIDX 162445

Carol:
who thinks OFH!Snape, if he exists, is a lame and boring plot
> device whereas DDM!Snape is an exciting, dynamic character who will
> alter Harry's thinking in some profound and unexpected way in Book 7

Sarah:
I think the reverse.

Betsy Hp:
And I do agree that DDM!Snape offers a much more dynamic and
fascinating character than the dry and mechanical OFH!Snape or the
sooo boooring ESE!Snape.

Sherry:
Harry potter is the hero, and I think the torch must pass, and Harry's
judgment must be the correct one in the end. It is the twist. We've been
led to believe he was wrong about Snape in the previous books. Now, I think
we have to realize that Harry was always right about Snape.

Debbie:

So many choices, so many opinions.  However, everyone has left out my
favorite option, what Jen calls Grey!Snape (her title is so much more catchy
than mine was, but I think the theories are essentially the same).

Here's how I sort out the options:

As the surface reading of HBP, ESE!Snape is not only Ever So Boring, it all
but turns him into another Voldemort, but without Horcruxes.  There's
nothing left but for to kill him.  What a waste of a character!

DDM!Snape is better, but only his backstory is dynamic.  The double agent
game keeps him hopping, but if his mind is made up these past sixteen years,
he's just playing out his hand.

OFH!Snape (which I found initially attractive after first reading HBP)
maintains the mystery about the meaing of his *current* actions, but at the
expense of the passion barely under control that is so much a part of his
character.  He cares too much to be OFH!

And that's why I have settled on what Jen calls Grey!Snape.  In my book,
DDM!Snape doesn't account for Snape's volatility, his passion, his anger.
Even though I believe Snape and Dumbledore had a plan and that Snape was
merely executing the plan when he killed Dumbledore, he's seething with
anger at how things have played out, and his soul is hanging in the
balance.  He's got more choices to make, and we can't be sure he'll make the
ones Dumbledore would have wanted him to make.

Actually, we've made these points long ago, so I'll just quote them here:

Jen, in
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/142891:
I do lean toward DDM
still, but can conceive of a more multi-faceted character, one who
does truly switch sides, gives in to temptation again, and finally
finds the strength inside through his *own* belief, not just
Dumbledore believing in him when he didn't believe in himself (i.e.
the forest argument).

Debbie, in
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/143025
I never liked plain-vanilla DDM!Snape because there's no
element of choice. This is why I picture Snape out there somewhere in his
own private hell, trying to make up his mind whether to carry out
Dumbledore's plan to save Draco or whether to go over to Voldemort and save
himself. What would really justify Dumbledore's faith would be for Snape to
emerge from this crucible and do the right thing. It's easy to be faithful
while ensconced in a safe job at Hogwarts; to really justify Dumbledore's
faith he must face a final test.

Debbie, now:
I suppose Grey!Snape could be considered a variant of DDM!Snape, but if you
asked me if Snape was loyal to Dumbledore *at this moment* (i.e., after HBP
but before the start of Book 7), my answer would have to be no, because
Snape himself doesn't know where he stands.  So Grey! today, DDM! tomorrow.

Debbie


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