Snape: Beyond Good and Evil (long)

[sophierom]

No: HPFGUIDX 149091

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "lunamk03" <imontero at ...> wrote:
> 
> Luna here:
 <snip>   
> My thesis is that Snape returned to Voldemort for vengeance, he 
> wants to make Voldemort pay for Lily's death, his rage is so blind 
> that he killed DD because at that point, DD was the only thing 
> standing between Voldemort and him. He needed to get rid of DD in 
> order to get as close as ever to Voldemort. The problem is that he 
> doesn't have the power to kill Voldemort, Harry does.
> 
> The Power in Harry's eyes is having Lily's eyes to make the people 
> who loved her help him. At one point, Snape will see Lily through 
> Harry's eyes and this will ultimately break Snape down with the 
> result of him joining forces with, or giving his live for Harry thus 
> enabling Harry to continue and kill Voldemort. Deep down, Snape 
> knows he'll need Harry to kill Voldemort, this is the main reason 
> why Harry is still alive: i.e. Snape hasn't killed him and has 
> indirectly protected him.
>  
> This is the power in Harry's eyes. In HBP we learn that the deepest 
> and most powerful magic does not usually comes with big flashy 
> tricks, it is deep down very simple, yet terribly powerful, as 
> powerful as the feeling of someone who's lost probably the first 
> person to stand up for him, to see in him the beauty that no one 
> else saw (not even his own family, as we can see in Snape's other 
> memories) and who's seen a flash of her soul in her son's eyes.

Sophierom:

Luna, very eloquent theory to explain Snape's behavior. It takes into
account his moral ambiguity, his motives for turning from LV, and his
motives for killing Dumbledore.  It also takes into account several of
Jo's own statements about Snape and Harry.  You've already mentioned
the quote about Harry's eyes. I love the idea that Harry's greatest
power might be emotional rather than magical.  

Your post also works with some of Jo's other statements. In the 1999
interview (NPR, "The Connection"), someone asks about Snape in love. 
It's a well-quoted quote, but here it is again for reference:

**
Interviewer:
One of our internet correspondents wondered if Snape is going to fall
in love. 

JKR: (JKR laughs) Who on earth would want Snape in love with them?
That's a very horrible idea.

I:There's an important kind of redemptive pattern to Snape

JKR: He, um, there's so much I wish I could say to you, and I can't
because it would ruin. I promise you, whoever asked that question, can
I just say to you that I'm slightly stunned that you've said that and
you'll find out why I'm so stunned if you read Book 7. That's all I'm
going to say.
**

Yes, Snape in love is a "very horrible idea" in Luna's scenario. 

I do have one question regarding this theory of a Snape motivated
by love and vengeance: How do you explain Dumbledore's interactions
with Snape in HBP (both in the forest and in on the tower)? Is
Dumbledore pleading for his life? Was his trust in Snape ultimately
misplaced? Did he underestimate Snape's desire for vengeance? Or did
Dumbledore understand what was happening in Snape's mind? 

In other words, I think the idea of a Snape "beyond good and evil" is
brilliant, but I also think it might neglect other characters' agency
and motives. 

Sophie