The Continuing Tragedy of Severus Snape: Reflections on Books 1-

[wynnleaf]

No: HPFGUIDX 164634


> Alla wrote:
> > 
> > Actually, even though I do hope that LL is right in a sense that 
> > Snape's character is past oriented, I think that you can be 
right in 
> > a sense that Snape is the character who got the reprieve, 
because of 
> > his popularity with the fans.

wynnleaf
Snape's actions in Deathly Hallows have probably been mostly planned 
for a long time, maybe since the beginnings of the series.  I tend 
to doubt that Snape was the one who got the reprieve, because I 
think JKR has been planning his outcome throughout.  If she had 
planned for him to die, I'd expect his death would be very important 
to the plot and therefore unlikely to be something that just 
happened not to work out in the end.  Or even something that she'd 
decide to change for the sake of fans.

> > Alla, who will have a box of tissues as well on July 21, but who 
> > will consider those tissues too precious to spend one of them on 
> > Snape. :)

wynnleaf
Having stated my comments above, I don't think JKR is highly likely 
to kill off Snape.  Someone (can't recall who) suggested that Snape 
might have to die in the same way Sidney Carton had to die.  But 
Snape is not the protagonist, nor is there likely to be only one 
death on the "good side" in the last book.  I expect there to be 
more than one opportunity to pull out the tissues.

In a series which has already seen several sacrifices on the good 
side, and which will likely see a couple more in DH, I don't think 
JKR is in any position to *need* a particular sacrificial death for 
the sake of themes, or literary arc, etc.  

Unless Harry dies, DH will not be a "Tale of Two Cities" kind of 
story, where the whole book works toward the ultimate sacrifice at 
the end.  Even then, it seems (given that there's an epilogue) a 
little bizarre to think of Harry dying.  Think -- Harry dies in 
ultimate end-of-book sacrifice, but unlike ToTC -- which makes grand 
use of the sacrifice to close the book -- we suddenly get a nice 
epilogue and what happens to everyone else.  Huh?  

Anyway, as regards Snape, what I'm getting at is this:

1.  Snape (especially if he's DDM and if it is over dealing with 
Snape that Harry finds his most personal growth in the series), is 
one of the most important characters in the series.  

2.  Two other major characters have died, and probably at least one 
other non-Snape character in book 7.  In GOF Harry dealt with the 
death of someone he didn't know well.  OOTP and HBP have seen Harry 
deal with two important deaths.  DH is likely to see him deal with 
yet another -- and all people, but Cedric, are those he actually 
*cares* about and will probably feel guilty over (Harry seems to 
feel unwarrented guilt over Cedric and Sirius' deaths, and probably 
will over Dumbledore, too).  So Harry is already going to have to be 
dealing with death and guilt over people he cares about, even into 
DH.

3.  Harry's going to have to deal with a lot of other issues with 
Snape -- the hate, forgiveness, trust parts.  This is *Harry's* 
story, ultimately, not Snape's.  If it were Snape's story, I could 
maybe see the Sidney Carton fate for him.  But it's not his story.  
This is a story of what Harry must deal with, what he has to learn, 
etc.  I don't think that Snape is a character whose death Harry is 
going to need to "deal with."  It's Snape the person and what he's 
done -- not the loss of Snape -- that will challenge Harry.

Conclusion:  JKR has and will have Harry facing deaths of others.  
He learns and grows through those challenges.  But that's not the 
challenges he learns and grows from with Snape -- it will be the 
living Snape that is a challenge for Harry's growth.  Snape's death 
would be more-or-less superfluous in terms of Harry's character 
growth and development needs.

Carol:
 While Dumbledore's death served a (double) plot function,
> leaving Harry without a mentor and intensifying the Harry/Snape
> conflict almost beyond endurance for characters and readers alike, 
and
> Sirius Black's death bereft him of his father/brother figure and is
> (IMO) helping him learn compassion for the losses of others (e.g.,
> Luna), as well as perhaps setting up a trip through the Veil (and
> back), Snape's death could serve no purpose. 

wynnleaf
Agreed as per above.

Carol

> Far from having no future, Snape could become the character he 
would
> have been if he'd never made the mistake of joining the Death 
Eaters.

wynnleaf
Indeed, I think the series could *use* the example of someone who 
truly finds redemption, rather than having to die to get it.

By the way, if Snape is DDM, then one thing JKR will have been 
showing us is that everyone on the "good" side is not pretty, nice, 
and pleasant.  And that we can't just judge on the basis of "whoever 
likes Harry is a good guy" and "whoever dislikes Harry is a bad 
guy."  

In some ways, if JKR really wants to make that point, I think she 
almost *has* to keep Snape alive -- to live on being just as 
unpleasant, sarcastic, and insulting as always, but *still* on the 
good side.

wynnleaf