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

[Sydney]

No: HPFGUIDX 162540


> Sarah:

I'm sure other posters' mileage will vary, but I'd
> explain all of these things almost identically to how a DDM believer
> would.  The only real difference is the underlying reason why Snape
> even bothers with any of it at all.  I think he has to for
> self-preservation because of the Life Debt plot device
<snip>
> Agreed again, I think he took the UV because:  It was no skin off
> since all this was set up with Dumbledore as soon as he showed up with
> his crisped hand.  

Sydney:

No skin off his nose?!  No.. skin.. off his nose.. dude, we get this
again and again from OFH!Snapers I this just makes no kind of sense at
all.  This is a vow that you break it, you die.  Snakes of fire wrap
around your hand and Bind Your Fate Forever.  You don't get
main-chancer, OFH, playing-the-odds wiggle room here.  Again, why
would a guy who's about life preservation *take an Unbreakable Vow at
all*?  Why would you write such a scene about such a character?  You
say it's because the 'kill D-dore pact' was already in place. But
that's not what Snape was swearing to do or die.  He was swearing to
protect Draco from all harm and watch over him as he did the Dark
Lords wishes-- the third clause, going by the 'twitch of his hand',
was unexpected.  He was putting his life on the line for somebody
else.  That's just simply, plain, out-and-out, NOT a way for a writer
to efficiently paint a picture of a guy who is all about
self-preservation.

Sarah:

> As far as "Severus please" goes, I'd say the same as any DDM.  It
> means, "Remember that whole death pact thing?  Would you mind going
> ahead with that now?  Thank you, have a nice day."
 
Sydney:

Yeah, but, again, if Snape knows and Dumbledore knows that this is the
point at which either Snape or Dumbledore will die, and Snape knows
and Dumbledore knows that Snape is Mr. Self-Preservation, then *why is
Dumbledore having to plead*?  Why does he use a voice so pleading and
out of his usual tone that it shocks Harry to the core?  Surely if
this was, 'yay, no problems at all with the plan, of course Snape will
save himself over me', the first thing that Dumbledore would say when
Snape arrives is, 'Yay.  Do your thing.' in a confident, knowing tone.
 Not "Severus... please..." in a pleading tone.  According to this
theory the LifeDebt and self-preservation *is* Dumbledore's
understanding of Snape's character in the first place and the whole
reason he has this unshakeable 'trust' (in the
mangling-of-the-noble-English-language fashion necessary for this
theory) in him.  So why is he pleading?

The LifeDebt Snape explains the same things as DDM!Snape because it
explains the same things on the bare level of action (except of course
for the Unbreakable Vow and wanting the DADA job and pretty much every
single thing relating to Peter Pettigrew). And on the bare level of
action DDM!Snape explains everything because that's what's going on
<g>.  But LifeDebt Snape doesn't cover the emotional level that's
shown to be going on with Dumbledore and his pleading and having
heated arguements and his heartfelt description of Snape's remorse. 
It doesn't cover Snape's personality as it actually shows up when he
has actual scenes on the page (still looking for invisible 'all about
self preservation Snape').  It definitely doesn't cover why JKR has
lavished so many scenes with him and Harry and given Harry stronger,
more passionate emotions towards Snape than to any other character in
the book!  

Sarah:

> But therein lies the beauty of OFH/Life Debt.  (Not Grey.)  If Snape
> does all the stuff that he does because of a relatively simply
> understood plot device, there is hope that Harry could plausibly find
> it out without someone taking three chapters to describe the decades
> of history of Snape's innermost thoughts.

Sydney:

So then what's with Snape's innermost thoughts actually being really
mysterious at all?  And why have Harry have such potent emotional
reactions to him for book after book?  Why not just get this cool fun
'out for himself but bound by magical debt' character in the open
where we can enjoy the 'which way is that crazy Snape going to jump?"
sensation?  It seems to me on the 'surprise vs. suspense' equation,
seeing as the surprise is pretty dull and doesn't have an effect on
Harry's feelings about him, you'd obviously go for suspense here-- how
long can OFH!Snape play this game and how can Harry use him?  I want
to write a story about that guy right now, and I'd have the reveal way
back halfway through the second act and then squeeze all the fun
inherent in us and Harry watching this guy twist in the wind, and I'd
bloody well share it with the audience. 

According to the LifeDebt theory, the mystery of Snape's motives is,
as you say, very simple and quickly dealt with and does't expand at
all on Harry's understanding of him.  So what's up with, say, the
whole plot of HBP?  The one when Harry gets to know Snape without
actually realizing it's Snape, and likes him and relates to him and
thinks of him as a friend and defends him against Hermionie, and then
OMG realizes he's covered in Snape cooties and feels all betrayed? 
Why are we getting this guy swathed in black Driven By Mysterious
Passions who rants about wallowing in sad memories?  Why are Lily and
Snape revealed as Potions whizes in the same book?  Why the
hit-over-the-head anvil-sized hints of, "Snape was sorry because he
endangered James and Lily!  But Snape hated James!  Fill in the blank,
kids!" 

-- Sydney, who saw the "Tornado Hits London" headline on the Standard
and said "VOLDEMORT!" out loud.  Not really loud, but still.