DH Thoughts

[lupinlore]

No: HPFGUIDX 172457

Well, well, well... where to begin?  First of all, to keep from
saying IMO about two hundred times, everything below is IMO:


I have to say, I quite enjoyed Deathly Hallows.  It was certainly
much better than the last two books, and despite becoming quite weak
in spots, it moved things along to a very interesting set of
conclusions.  I don't want to go through the whole book, but just
hitting some issues:

SNAPE:  I have to say that JKR managed to avoid seeming to approve of
Snape's abusive ways quite elegantly.  Her "epitome of goodness"
turned out to be no such, and he turned out not to approve of Snape
very much.  To include what I posted in another forum, I think it is
going to be important to acknowledge as time goes along that
Dumbledore and Snape had a very difficult and complicated
relationship. Snape was loyal to Dumbledore, he seems to have
respected Dumbledore and wanted his trust and approval. He seems,
over time, to have adopted at least some of Dumbledore's values. But
in the end he was, after all, driven by his own ends and needs. He
wanted a way to escape the crushing emotional burden placed on him by
his unrequited love for Lily and her death. By working to keep Harry
alive and defeat Voldemort he at least aimed in that direction. But
he did not love or respect or value Harry for the boy's own sake, as
he makes clear. Nor did he love Dumbledore like a father or regard
him as an avatar of goodness who could lead him to moral redemption.

Dumbledore for his part respected Snape and developed compassion and
pity for him. But he also felt disapproval, disappointment, and
outright disgust for many of Snape's choices and attitudes and
practices, and is expressing those feelings in rather harsh terms
right up until late in HBP.

When push came to shove, each served a purpose for the other. Each
had to endure much they would have preferred not to put up with out
of the other. Snape had to endure Dumbledore's secrecy, demands, and
criticism. Dumbledore had to endure Snape's bitterness, petulance,
and bad attitude and behavior toward Harry. Each got something they
desired. Dumbledore got a loyal and effective double agent, Snape a
way to bring down Voldemort and expiate his inner turmoil. Each came
to respect the other. But the basis of their relationship was
business.

The "business" aspect of their relationship explains a great deal,
particularly with regard to Dumbledore's attitude and action. Snape
was, at the end of the day, a servant. He was not a beloved disciple,
nor did Dumbledore have feelings of paternal love for him as he did
for Harry. When Dumbledore was forced to set Snape against Harry in
the scales of love and value, Snape came out at a distinct
disadvantage. All of this being summed up in Dumbledore's final words
on the subject (paraphrasing wildly): "Poor Severus, the plan didn't
work out well for him. Oh well, too bad. Now, let me get back to
telling you what a wonderful person you are, Harry!"

<Shrug> I know many people don't like it, but that is how I see this
layered and complicated relationship. I don't see Snape as a faithful
apostle struggling for some general moral redemption because of
what's right. I don't see Dumbledore as a kindly mentor who regards
Snape as a substitute son. In the end many readers love Snape. I
don't think Dumbledore does.  And thus, when it is necessary to
defeat Voldemort, and as importantly to save the young man he DOES
love, he sends Snape to his death.  I think he acts regretfully, he
acts with pity, but if anybody has to die to defeat the Dark Lord, he
would much rather it be Snape than Harry.  And I think that, in
truth, is where justice lies, as well as irony.  That it was Snape,
rather than Harry, who was most clearly being set up as a pig for
slaughter was ... delicious.

Harry of course forgives Snape to the point of naming a child for
him, in part (see below).  But by that point Harry is plainly a
Christ-figure, and a Resurrected Savior is expected to do all sorts
of remarkable acts of divine goodness and mercy.

THE DURSLEYS:  The scene with Dudley was, I think, artfully done, as
it indicates in a subtle but powerful way that karma is catching up
with the Dursleys. Dudley's actions are, objectively, minor, but they
are like the turning of an aircraft carrier -- you don't see much in
the short run but over time the difference is enormous.

We are told that Vernon and Petunia are frightened by what they see
in Dudley. Given Vernon's personality, its hard to imagine that he
won't contrive to rapidly widen the gap beginning to appear between
generations. Such things have a way of building momentum, causing
cracks to become canyons over the years.

One can easily imagine Vernon and Petunia at the time of the
epilogue -- an angry curmudgeon and a bitter haridan constantly
complaining about their ungrateful son who was ruined by "that lot"
whom they were so foolish as to associate with, long ago.

SLYTHERIN HOUSE:  Well, Slytherin ends as it began, the house of
cowardice and evil.  True, individual Slytherins can overcome the
worst traits of the House (Snape, Slughorn, Regulus), but by and
large one wonders why they don't just shut the thing down.

Nor do things seem to have gotten better by the time of the
epilogue.  Slytherin continues to be held in disdain, and tensions
with purebloods continue and in some ways seem to be more open than
before judging by Ron's mention of how Arthur will be disappointed if
a grandchild of his marries a pureblood.  Now, granted it's Ron and
granted he's teasing, and granted its hypocritical as he's a
pureblood himself, but the fact that everyone seemed to know
immediately what he meant, even the children, reveals that there is
at least a grain of truth to what he is saying.

HARRY'S QUESTIONABLE ACTIVITIES:  I counted three Imperios, a Crucio,
and a probably AK from Molly.  We never saw Marietta again, and the
matter of "cheating" in potions didn't come up either.  JKR's sense
of justice continues to be very stern.

THE EPILOGUE:  I have to say the one point in the book where I
guffawed in derision was the "Albus Severus" episode.  But, as I said
above, Christ-figures are expected to do extraordinary and
unbelievable things.  The tone of the epilogue also does not fit well
with the rest of the book.  I could easily believe it was written, in
the main, about the same time as PS/SS.  But then again, it does do a
very good job of getting across the "happily ever after" ending.

Lupinlore, who flips off the wood-chipper, picks up the books under
one arm, pats JKR approvingly on the hand, and chuckles loudly at the
way Albus maneuvered his abusive potions master into a very
satisfying and ironic end