The 'Seeming' Reality

[potioncat]

No: HPFGUIDX 155528

 
> Alla:
> 
> Well, I just don't see that paralell. I don't see that to the 
degree 
> you are seeing or maybe not at all. It had been awhile since I 
> read "Emma", but I don't recall the possibility of interpreting 
> Frank's behaviour as evil, while Snape's behaviour gives me plenty.

Potioncat:
As I recall Emma--we were led to believe certain motives for a person 
based on the charater traits we saw and supported by certain 
conversations.

The behaviors really happened, but the motives weren't what we 
thought they were. In one case, the behavior didn't mean what we 
thought it did at all.

It isn't so much a case that if JKR is playing Austen with Snape that 
he won't be a jerk when she's done. It's not an "evil/not evil" 
formula. It would just mean he wasn't a jerk for the reasons we 
thought he was. Or that, yes, he is a jerk but did these other things 
too.

Put on your time turner and go back to the end of the first book--
before any of the other books were written. From the first moment 
Harry saw Snape, Harry suspected something was wrong. Snape made his 
scar hurt. Snape was mean to him in class for no reason. Even 
Hermione was convinced that Snape was hexing the broom. We were all 
there with Harry, eager to keep Snape from getting the stone. (Well, 
I wasn't. But that's because someone let it slip that Snape wasn't 
the bad guy.) That's what Austen does. 

Snape didn't cause Harry's scar to hurt. He was mean to Harry in 
class for no reason, (at least not one provided by canon) except that 
maybe he's taking it out on Harry that James is his father. Snape 
wasn't hexing the broom. Snape wasn't after the stone.

Twist the time-turner again and go to GoF (because I've just listened 
to it.) 

In GoF JKR does another Austen with Snape. Black--Sirius Black of all 
people-- is the one who tells us 1)I never heard anyone say Snape was 
a DE. 2)I don't think DD would hire someone who ever worked for LV. 
Heck, if Sirius Black doesn't think Snape was a DE, then I'm with 
Sirius! Hagrid would say it to say it, but Black was sincere! Was 
that a surprise when Snape showed the dark mark? (I didn't expect JKR 
to top that one.)


I'm sure there are more examples. And I'm sure there are more non-
Snape ones too. Any one else?