Snape, Snape, Loverly Snape...and authorial intent

[leslie41]

No: HPFGUIDX 148260

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "nrenka" <nrenka at ...> wrote:
> some forms of intent often end up sneaking in the backdoor when 
> you start factoring in things like the author's ethnic/cultural 
> background, class, etc.

Yes, but the question is whether that's a matter of "intent" or a 
result of the author's background.

> > Well, the reader sees the complexity.  The reader doesn't create 
it.
 
> I have to disagree.  For instance, it is up to the reader to 
> furnish all of the varying motives we've thrown into the mix for 
> Snape.  In the past week and one thread, we see readings which are 
> mutually exclusive: Snape pushes Neville because he thinks it will 
> get the kid to learn, Snape pushes Neville the way that he does 
> because he enjoys watching the kid suffer, Snape doesn't really 
> care one way or the other.  There's nothing in the text which says 
> it must be one of these three, plain and simple: the reader could 
> well say "He's just an ass of a character" and leave it at that, 
> which is a very simple reaction, but which does cover everything 
> textually.

As a teacher, I don't think those motives are mutually exclusive at 
all.  In fact, I've felt all three at once.  In a general sense, 
I "don't care" whether a student passes or not because I can't 
afford to care.  I have had thousands of students and if I cared 
that hard, I'd lose my mind.  In another sense, I do occasionally 
like to make my students suffer--I particularly enjoy making a point 
of not letting them get away with pulling any crap.  I am 
not "sadistic" but some students do think I'm "mean". However if 
they evolve and learn because of that, I am happy for them and it's 
part of the learning process.
 
> We are the ones who spin the stories of Snape's profoundly 
> conflicted nature and his struggle to do the right things despite 
> his hatred.  Every reader tells himself a different story, which 
> leads me to believe that it's more the readers than the story.  Or 
> rather, it's a story which is constructed to encourage readers to 
> spin stories.

Well, that's true...the problem is that some interpretations hold 
water and some don't.  Not all are equally supportable.  The "Snape 
is a vampire" theory, for example.  There's nothing in the text to 
support that.  Likewise, there's nothing to suggest he's having a 
sexual relationship with Harry, or anyone else for that matter.  No 
evidence to support that either.

But support for the notion that he's conflicted, working for good, 
working for evil, punishing his students, teaching his students, 
doesn't care, does care, or all of the above...

Plenty of support for all those things.  
> 
> > Snape lies.  I would find such a "revelation" suspect. 
> 
> Yes, one can always apply the "character X is lying" function to 
get 
> rid of anything unwanted or inconvenient.

Especially, of course, if that character happens to be a proven and 
habitual liar.
 
> This is a constant lurking danger in reading, 
> that what author cares about and what readers do is so different.

That's part of the fun!

> 
> -Nora thinks: who cares about that Siegfried guy, anyways...
>
You mean Sigmund, don't you?  Unless you're talking about that guy 
who got attacked by the lion....

;^)