"Bad Snapers," Karma, and the End of Snape (was Re: Of Sorting and Snape)

[prep0strus]

No: HPFGUIDX 175706

Hickengruendler:
I don't think it has to be either. I mean, Cedric Diggory, for
example, did not die a heroe's death, but definitely not a villain's
death, either. He was a victim. Maybe Snape, in a completely
different way, was in the end just a victim as well. I definitely
don't think it was a villain's death, mainly because there was no
satisfaction from any character. Harry, who at this time still
detested Snape, was so shocked by it, that he showed himself to
Snape, (which led to Snape fulfilling Dumbledore's final task). And
judging by Sherry's post, at least some readers, who hated Snape
prior to this, shared Harry's shock as well. There's a big difference
between this scene and the recations after for example Bellatrix and
Voldmeort's deaths from the other characters. I'm not sure, if it was
a heroe's death, but I would say it was. I mean, in his way he died
fulfilling his job in the fight against Voldemort the way Sirius,
Lupin or Fred did, and as mentioned above, he managed to fulfill the
last task given to , even if it was thanks to Harry. So, yes, I think
it was pretty heroic IMO, even though the manner was certainly nasty,
but so is ending up having a knife in your back, like Dobby did,
which doesn't make Dobby's death less heroic. I think the nastiness
was simply to show how horrid Voldemort can be even to those he
considered his allies. I personally found Snape's Death scene pretty
powerful, particularly in contrast with him being allowed to sit to
the right of Voldemort in the first chapter.


Throughout the series I've noted that JKR's deaths are fairly
interesting, especially as compared to how many movie and other
entertainment deaths are shown.  In the series, I've noticed that for
the most part, a person that dies does so quickly, without much
suffering or last words (Dobby & Snape are notable exceptions) and
also often without even being doing something very important.  Most
deaths don't occur as a character is valiantly protecting another
character, but occur at a time that surprises them.  More often than
not, I feel that JKR really is showing us that death is meaningless. 
Life isn't, as many of these people were working towards valiant
goals, but at the moment of death
 death came to them as it does to
anyone, without meaning or fanfare.

Cedric: Killed for no reason, instantly.  His last words come after
his death.  There was no reason for him to die, and it certainly
wasn't protracted

Sirius:  Killed in the heat of battle, fighting, but he also isn't
shown doing anything particularly heroic.  He isn't jumping in front
of a blast meant for Harry.  He's unlucky.  And again
 instant.  In
such a weird way it really seemed like he hadn't died at all.

Dumbledore:  He's vulnerable for a long time, but when he dies, it's
another instant thing.  He's unarmed, and not attempting to accomplish
anything – except perhaps to save Draco's soul (a plot point I felt
when sorely unaddressed in DH).  We learn he did plead for his own
death, which makes it interesting – he certainly had any final words
he wished to have.  But it was another rather anticlimactic death

Fred dies in battle, but due to a random explosion.  He wasn't
specifically targeted; his death was the whim of fate.  And even by a
mechanical means, not a spell, he gets no dying words.

Lupin, Colin, and Tonks die off page, as does Moody.  We know a little
bit more of Moody's death, and he more than most we hear about was
trying to accomplish something – but for someone murdered, it doesn't
sound like he was engaged in battle.  He also was simply struck down
with an instant death. 

Dobby & Snape escape this pattern.  Snape, though, like most of our
characters is not doing anything of importance.  He dies for no reason


(TANGENT: Voldemorte's reasoning is faulty, and I still don't totally
follow his logic.  If he really felt that he had to kill the holder of
the wand, why not simply kill him?  Why have Nagini do it?  I guess he
figures that counts, but with the odd wand rules, wouldn't you rather
be sure and do it by wand, rather than by animal?  I feel like
Voldemorte should know wand rules better, and know he needs to
`defeat' him, not KILL him, and actually, killing a loyal follower
seems much more out of character to me than one would think.  Since
GoF I was surprised at how Voldy DIDN'T seem like your traditional
megavillain.  Giving Peter the silver hand, praising Barty, appearing
to forgive those who had forsaken him, even appearing to be willing to
spare Lily


(SUBTANGENT TANGENT: Seriously, Lily was a mudblood who was part of
the order.  There was no reason for voldy to even offer to not kill
her, other than to do something nice for Severus.    It adds a
dimension to Harry's love protection – if Severus had not made this
request, I believe Voldy would have simply dispatched Lily as he did
James, and she would not have the opportunity to give her life for her
son.  So the love of Severus for Lily allowed the love of Lily for
Harry to save Harry whose love of
 the world, let him save the world.
 So, Severus is responsible for Voldy targeting Harry at all, and him
getting protection from Lily – two levels of his direct involvement
with creating the child who could defeat Voldy.  Doesn't make me like
Snape any better, but it's pretty interesting.)


to me, he seemed like a villain with a heart.  I was always
interesting in voldy's compassion for his crew.  Not that he wouldn't
sacrifice him for a reason
 but his reasoning in this case seemed so
flawed, and the execution so random
 I think JKR wanted Snape to die
by the snake.  And, what's more, I think she liked the idea of Neville
being the one who in effect both avenges Snape and also defeats that
which overcame him, that it overpowered the logic in simply having
Voldy AK Snape.)


 and he dies not attempting to accomplish anything.  However, Snape
doesn't die instantly – in fact, he's trying to staunch his blood, and
then he manages to do a last deed by giving Harry his memories, and
get last words and look into Harry's eyes.  I, for one, was expecting
Snape to betray Voldy at the right moment, or save someone, or
sacrifice himself.  This abrupt murder was not what I was expecting,
but it fits more with JKR's usual context of death.

Dobby, little Dobby, has the most traditional hero's death.  Not only
is he very bravely engaged in a dangerous activity to save his
friends, but he dies by a nonmagical, slower means of death that gives
him the most heroic death of the series.

My tangents made me remember a few other deaths
 Lily, whose death
obviously has more meaning than any other death in the series.  She
is, like Dobby, `doing something' with her death.  Her death, however,
is like others AK'd, immediate.  I think James is basically the same
as Lily's – he just wasn't given the option to not die his for his
family.  But he chose to die while trying to give them time to run.

And Peter, whose storyline also finished up very unsatisfactorily for
me.  I wanted more than a slight twitch (which we have to assume was
done for the right reasons – really, voldy wanted Potter himself, and
would have been pissed if Peter had actually crushed his neck as
well).  But he did die doing SOMETHING, I guess, and crushing his own
throat has to be one of the most gruesome deaths in the series.  The
death of a traitor, I suppose, and one who didn't ever really recant,
but gruesome nonetheless.


Not sure if I have a conclusion to this post.  I wanted to think it
out in writing, with all of you.  But I think, for the most part, it's
true that JKR shows us that the moment of death is fast, without
meaning or drawn out sympathy.  It happens when characters don't
expect it, and not at their most heroic moment or most sacrificial. 
It just happens.

~Adam (Prep0strus)