Could Harry have saved Snape? (was Reacting to DH...)

[lizzyben04]

No: HPFGUIDX 178083

> Sherry:

> But overall, I think this doesn't matter, because now I'm *assuming*
that
> JKR was too busy with the scene itself and didn't think to have
Harry think
> one way or the other about saving Snape.  I don't think she meant us to
> think, wow, Harry didn't even try to save Snape.  I think she had other
> things to show in the scene.  
> 
> And of course, I know what happens when you "assume".  <grin>  Like
> Dumbledore, I've made some huge mistakes by doing that!
> 
> Sherry
>

lizzyben:

OK, in my opinion Harry didn't save Snape because JKR wanted Snape to
die. And we weren't supposed to think about how it was tragic that he
was murdered, we were supposed to think he got some karmic justice,
well deserved. Just like Umbridge did, just like Marietta did. We were
all supposed to think Snape was a baddie, and gloat at his death -
only to later get the "big reveal" that he was on the good side.

JKR wanted Snape to die horribly, and plotted his death from way back
for the ultimate "irony"/poetic justice. And she did this in order to
get revenge on an old chemistry teacher who gave her a bad grade. In
her latest interview, JKR confirmed that Snape was based on John
Nettleship, and that he deserved his fate. 

"Dwayne Lockett, of Alice Harte Elementary, asked what advice Rowling
could give students who wanted to write, especially if their grades
weren't the best.

"If you'd seen my grades in chemistry..." Rowling said. "That's why
Snape teaches Potions."

Then, after the audience groaned, she said, "Don't say awwww! He
deserved it! We can all think of teachers we'd like revenge on." 

http://blog.nola.com/living/2007/10/new_orleans_students_give_rowl.html

So... Snape may have gotten over his vindictiveness, but it doesn't
look like JKR did! She's still talking about getting back at an old
teacher 25 years later. And then she combines this with statements
about how Harry Potter has a Christian theme & my brain starts to
hurt. If it's a Christian series, what happened to those messages
about "let he who is without sin cast the first stone?" "Judge not,
yest ye be judged", "love thy enemies", "turn the other cheek", etc? I
don't understand how she can take such glee out of revenge, and also
state that the books have a Christian message - it's like she lifted
the good parts (eternal life, salvation) without the hard parts
(forgiveness, nonviolence, etc.)


lizzyben