7 reasons why - The Glass is Half Empty.

[urghiggi]

No: HPFGUIDX 174834

Shelly: 
> I think this ties in with the feeling I had of "perv Snape" rather than 
> brave and Dumbledore's man, Harry's protector Snape. If that transition had 
> been written better, particularly about that letter, which gives the air of 
> a stalker stealing what isn't his, then I would be in a position as a reader 
> to nod my head with Harry, even with a tear in my eye as an apology to Snape 
> post-humusly, to say "yes, Harry, you were right to name your son after 
> him". As a reader, I just can't do that, because Rowling failed in giving us 
> the proof in solid terms. She failed to make me FEEL a kindness for Snape. 
snip
> 
> Again, it's not about the letter- it's about the letter, Snape's memories, 
> maybe a pep talk with Dumbledore about it, the insight into Harry's thoughts 
> of reflection to show his change in thinking- there's a lot wrong or missing 
> with that transition.


Julie H:
Part of the "ick" factor, even for some of us who were always in the DDM!Snape camp, is 
that the "prince's tale" chapter didn't provide the expected redemptive payoff. As 
portrayed in the revelatory chapter, Snape appears motivated only by remose and 
obsessive love for the dead object of his affections. HIs dislike of all students but the 
Slytherins, and Harry in particular, is very real, not just part of his double-agent cover. He 
never appears to have gotten beyond the notion that he has to protect Harry because of 
his regret that Lily is dead, and because of Harry's physical resemblance to Lily (ah, the 
importance of those eyes). Most disturbingly, his allegiances never are clear, imo. He 
appears to be DDM grudgingly, almost in spite of himself, through some idea that this is 
what he owes Lily -- not through any growing realization that DD's side is indeed morally 
superior to LV's side. He does not seem to have progressed from "I'm suffering because I 
lost Lily" to "I want to be DDM because i'd rather serve good than serve evil." He does not, 
really, appear to have transcended his fascination with the dark side, other than the choice 
he made that resulted in Lily's death. He is DDM solely because he loves Lily, not because 
he loves DD or hates LV.

Now, I could live with all that if it had had a clear payoff for Harry. You could plausibly 
argue that it was a necessary aspect of yanking our fascination away from Snape and back 
to the focal character. Getting Harry from point A to point B in terms of the realization that 
snape was on the "good" side (for whatever reason), and (perhaps even more significant), 
that Harry could be so wrong about someone, even when steeped in self-righteousness.... 
THAT is what many of us DDM!Snapers were expecting from JKR with this story arc. If she 
couldn't deliver any kind of redemption for Snape, at the very least the storyline could've 
been a stronger, clearer growth experience for Harry. The author didn't choose to give us 
that -- unless we supply it ourself with after-the-fact apologetics. It wouldn't have taken 
much. Just a sentence or 2 in the paragraphs after "prince's tale" -- just an 
acknowledgement that Harry now understands not only the dire ramifications of his own 
situation but also that he was hugely wrong about Snape and Snape's motivations. Those 
sentences aren't there.

I want to see the payoff for the multi-book buildup; the little bit in the epilogue doesn't do 
it for me. It is annoying to be forced into do-it-yourself explanations/payoffs for the very 
clear setups that are in the first six books.  Just as it is disturbing to have to create 
apologetics for the controversial Crucio, for the fact that Sluggy/Snape were the sole 
'good' Slytherins (how hard would it have been to have even a few minor Slytherin students 
move to the 'good' side in the battle after all that blah blah blah about the need for unity?), 
for the fact that the G's do appear to be the 'elect' and the Slytherins irredeemably tainted 
(19 years later it still seems right for Ron to be exhorting the presumed Gryffindor Rose to 
'beat' presumed Slytherin Scorpius).

I don't expect sainthood from Harry. 7 books of that would've been a bore. I do expect 
more growth and self-realization than the author chose to provide, for a character whose 
actions we are clearly supposed to wish to learn from and emulate. The opportunities were 
there and appeared to be deliberately crafted, which makes the lack of fulfillment even 
more perplexing.

Julie H, chicago