Connections Interview re: Snape (1999)

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 171589

> Dungrollin:
> But I think you're right, that there has to be a reason for his 
> unhappiness, and his inability (or lack of desire) to forge 
> friendships. Whether Snape's ESE, OFH or DDM – I doubt that JKR's 
> going to leave it as simple as "some people are just horrible", but 
> how forcefully she wants to make a point I don't know. 
<snip> 
> It could be the same miserable despair which drove him away from 
> Voldemort and back to DD, love of Lily, or the death of Regulus or 
> Snape's (hypothetical) wife and son. Or it could be a mixture of 
> influences on his life, horrible childhood, bullying at school, 
> always the outsider, saw horrific things as a DE, etc. Or, if she 
> really wants to drive home a point, there could be a magical reason 
> for his unsociable demeanour and (hypothetical) inability to love, 
> for example the result of failing to repay a life debt.
 
Jen: I'll be very disappointed if we don't get an illuminating 
backstory for Snape like we did for Sirius.  JKR doesn't spend much 
time on any one of the adults (except Voldemort), yet she took care 
to develop Sirius and the Blacks; I expect Snape - and the Princes to 
a much lesser extent - to have a short spotlight on them in DH. 
(Dumbledore is the only other adult I'm expecting JKR to spend much 
time on, meaning he, Snape and Regulus/Sirius/Blacks will all by 
vying for the coveted adult page-time.  Sigh - it's never enough for 
me!)

As to what led to his isolated life, I'm guessing Snape was 
influenced by multiple situations:  His family life and whatever 
secrets might be revealed that lead to Snape arriving at Hogwarts 
already a loner and someone who, unlike a Neville, wasn't able to 
forge bonds with people who might have helped and supported him.  
Then there's the emphasis on Snape's emotions, wearing his heart on 
his sleeve and allowing others to continually stoke his anger and 
hatred.  It appears he had valid reasons to feel those things, but if 
a person doesn't have any support from others then it can be 
difficult to put strong emotions into perspective.  

Dungrollin:
> Part of the reason I don't feel a need to see Snape punished is 
> that I think he's already been suffering for a long time, and 
> horrible though he certainly is, in an odd way I think he's doing 
> his best.  I might be wrong, but I don't think JKR has ever used 
> the word `happy' in connection with Snape. There's the grim 
> pleasure he gets from winding Harry up, and humiliating Neville, 
> but he's never described as happy. Even Tom Riddle has wild 
> happiness on his face when he sees Hepzibah's treasures, but not 
> Snape, never Snape.

Jen:  Insightful paragraph here, Dung.  There are times the Snape 
character makes me boil, especially when he appears to be using his 
position as an adult and authority figure (with Dumbledore's 
permission by omission if nothing else) over those in lesser 
positions by age, circumstance or power. It feels like injustice to 
me and not something others should have to tolerate.  However, 
there's always the truism we can't escape ourselves!  Snape is no 
different; he has to live inside his mind with all those thoughts of 
the past and feelings of anger, hatred and whatever else sours inside 
him.  Sometimes a tormented mind IS the worst punishment.  And in a 
book with creatures like Dementors, who guard not with physical 
weapons but the weapon of leaving a person with only the miserable 
parts of their lives, then JKR could be saying a person left dwelling 
on only his worst memories *has* been punished.

> Dungrollin:
> It's worth noting that DD believes this too, throughout OotP while
> he wants Harry to learn Occlumency, and as others have noticed, in 
> HBP DD doesn't seem to be encouraging Harry to let go of his hate.

Jen:  It's true Dumbledore believes Harry needs to learn the tool of 
Occlumency.  He doesn't think of it as the "power the Dark Lord knows 
not", not the ultimate power that will cause Voldemort to fail as 
Snape seems to view Occlumency.  Or rather, what Occlumency 
*represents* to Snape imo - a mechanism to shut off painful feelings 
and a way to prevent anyone from having power over you.  

You know, I did think of a plot purpose if JKR was surprised someone 
thought Snape could fall in love:  If his ability to love is damaged, 
he's not protected from Voldemort should his Occlumency fail.  I'm 
pretty sure that fits in with the idea Dumbledore expressed, that the 
ability to love is the "only protection that can possibly work 
against the lure of power like Voldemort's!"  It doesn't protect a 
person from pain or death, but the ability to love is one power 
Voldemort can't penetrate.  

Dung: 
> Anyway, I think that the way she handled DD explaining that Harry's 
> ability to love has so far protected him from going down the wrong 
> path was done well, and I have high hopes that we'll see her show 
> how Harry's ability to love (in general) gives him the edge over
> Voldy without it having to be love in any way directed *towards*
> Voldemort. 

Jen:  Like you, I've always intepreted that passage as Dumbledore 
talking about Harry's protection and not that love will be his 
weapon.  I hope JKR is making the point everyone has the ability 
Harry has, that he's not above anyone except in the sense of being 
protected by Lily's sacrifice and Dumbledore's charm - those 
definitely give him protection no one else has.  The prophecy doesn't 
say Harry's power is unique but only something the Dark Lord 
doesn't 'know', as in 'understand' it seems, rather than a secret 
kept from him.

Dungrollin:
> I think Snape is capable of loving, I suspect that he won't let 
> himself until Voldemort's gone, because he's seen too often how
> Voldy uses it to manipulate people (Harry's love of Sirius took him
> to the DoM, Draco's love of his parents drove him on through HBP).
> I quite like the idea that one of Voldemort's worst crimes is 
> turning playful and creative people like the HBP we saw through the
> textbook into people like Snape, who are so afraid of love and the
> power it can have over a person that they shut it down altogether.

Jen:  I'm pretty sure this is what JKR is trying to convey about 
Voldemort.  One weakness for me with the series is not getting the 
full picture of just how fearsome LV is meant to be, how evil and 
manipulative he is that he's capable of forcing people to give up 
everything to follow him.  

Re: young Snape, I'm re-reading HBP and can identify with the HBP.  I 
felt sympathy for the boy in the Pensieve scene.  I don't believe 
Snape was always the person Harry knows as an adult.  But I'm not 
sure how much of the other person is left or if Harry will find out 
if Snape dies.

Jen