Of Sorting and Snape (+others)

[prep0strus]

No: HPFGUIDX 175601

Some little responses to Snape-related postings over the last few days.


Irene
Basically, I've just been trying to figure out if Snape gets to go
to heaven. And based on the cosmology of the Potterverse, it seems
like the answer is no. That breaks my heart, for real.

Prep0strus:
I disagree. I think he does.  To me, that's the point of joining the
good guys team.  I mean, I still don't like him.  But there is good
and bad, and he ends up on the side of good, so I think he gets a
pass. I just don't know what heaven could be, for him.  Even
posthumous forgiveness from Lily won't make her love him in the
afterlife.  And it seems a little too hard to believe that even there
he would be able to rekindle a friendship with her, and by
association, James and Sirius.  So Heaven appears it will be as lonely
as life was.  Maybe he'll join a club or something.

Lanval:
He told Snape how to get past
> the WW. Had Snape been bitten, injured, perhaps killed, then yes,
> Sirius would have been in trouble, simply because of the
> gravity of the event. But since nothing happened, why should Sirius
> be expelled? 
Lanval:
Sirius didn't endanger anyone, legally speaking. He only gave Snape
information. Snape made the choice all by himself.

Prep0strus:
Seriously.  What happened to personal choice?  If this situation were
reversed, and the Marauders were stalking Snape, and he laid a trap
for them, I think we'd be seeing a lot of `Bullies got what was coming
to `em.' and `Clever Snape outwit the brutes'.  I'm not saying I
wouldn't feel badly if Snape got chomped, but I honestly think I would
feel worse for the guilt Lupin would feel, as well as James and even
Sirius would feel (at least, I think he would).  In that exchange, I
think Snape comes off worse than anyone.  Lupin doesn't bear any
responsibility.  Neither does James.  Sirius certainly doesn't come
off very well, and I think it shows a real difference between James
and Sirius that helps us to distinguish the two considering that we
never see James alive, but
 why in the world isn't Snape responsible
for his own choice here?  I'm thinking of a lot of clichés.  Hoist by
your own petard. Don't play with fire if you can't handle the heat. 
Mind your own business.  Snitches get what's coming to them.  Suck it,
Snape.  Ok, maybe they're not all very COMMON clichés, but I think
appropriate here.



Betsy Hp:
That Harry settles into his complacent little life is actually proof
for me that nothing changed. Voldemort died of course; Harry
achieved the vengence he wanted. But his view of the world is pretty
much the same as it was way back in PS/SS. That lame little speech
about "I knew a brave Slytherin once" was not enough for me. It
smacked too much of "there are honest negros out there" for me.
IOWs, praise that reveals the inner bigotry. An "honest negro" is
strange enough to remark on, just as a brave (or worthy) Slytherin is
a one in a million thing.

Prep0strus:
Except that, in the world of JKR, it seems to me that a brave or
worthy Slytherin IS a one in a million thing.  Not exactly what I
wanted to see, and I too would've liked to see some more growth from
Harry.  But I don't see him as being condescendingly prejudiced
 or,
at least, not without good reason.


Dana:
I assume with bullying kids who rejected him because he's different
you mean James and Sirius (correct me if I understood you wrong
here). They did not reject him because he was different. Snape had
already changed into his school robes and neither of them responded
or made comments about his hair.

They all rejected each other for their preferences for a specific
house. James responds to Severus mentioning/ idealizing Slytherin,
Severus responds to James idealizing Gryffindor and Sirius responds
to James rejection of Slytherin because his entire family has been in
Slytherin.
James did not reject Severus in that moment, he rejected Slytherin
house and it only became personally directed at Snape himself when
Snape sneers that wanting to be in Gryffindor is stupid and that
Slytherin is a superior choice because he rather be brainy than
brawny.


Prep0strus:
What a great observation.  Many of us read the story and just assume
Snape was disliked because of his appearance and mannerisms.  And if
the choices made later on in school are pointed out, this scene is
often shown that Snape was bullied before those later choices were
evident.  But  really the only canon-supported theory is the one you
espouse here – that the choice of Slytherin makes all the difference.
 Severus is just as snotty in his defense of it.  And while I know it
doesn't make much difference to those who have made up their minds, I
still believe that Slytherin has a meaning in the WW to these kids,
that they are aware of more than the house and family loyalties. 

I also absolutely loved the rest of this post – I thought it was
clear, well thought out and intelligently presented, with a unique
presentation.  I agree that many choices were presented, and to
attribute the way those choices were made to things other than the
individual characters only takes away from the character, it doesn't
enhance them.

~Adam (Prep0strus), who is going to try to formulate a
Snape-as-a-character based post to try to better articulate his feelings