Victory for TEWWW EWWW?? Snape the hero

[lupinlore]

No: HPFGUIDX 173170

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "leslie41" <leslie41 at ...> wrote:
>
> As for JKR's comment on the Today Show regarding Snape, I find it 
> very interesting, fascinating in fact, but pretty much irrelevant.
> 
> Though it makes for excellent television, *any* author's opinion on 
> their own text is only of limited value. Authorial intent is not even 
> considered in any serious literary criticism. What's considered is 
> what's actually in the text.  

Ahhh, this would go along with the quote:

I personally think the truth about Snape
is self-evident to anyone who isn't deluding themselves. DH is out,
folks, and trying to twist Snape into a bad guy, or undermine his
heroism, in the end will not wash with the text.


So, you would be saying that JKR is deluding herself about her own 
character?  Perfectly possible I suppose.  Nevertheless, it does strike 
me as an example of the phenomenon you have decried before -- i.e. a 
complete and steadfast refusal to acknowledge any statement or evidence 
that does not match with your preferred take on Snape's character.  

You also said in an earlier quote that JKR obviously meant us to view 
Snape as good -- as good and probably better than Dumbledore.  Well, I 
suppose that would mean she does not have a terribly high view of DD 
either?  Of course that would contradict with her earlier statements 
about him -- epitome of goodness and so forth.  So was she lieing or 
deluded again?  

If we are not going to allow arguments from authorial intent, perhaps 
we shouldn't worry about what she obviously wants.  Or, if we are going 
to worry about what she wants, I suppose we have to accept that Snape 
is, indeed, not a hero.  Rather, he is an emotionally stunted, morally 
weak man who would never have protected Harry without the driving force 
of a rather sick obsession. Indeed, as I recall she did not even cry at 
his death, as she did at the deaths of Sirius and Dumbledore.

Or are authorial tears also worthless?


Lupinlore, who is getting to like JKR more and more