Whose interpretation has more weight? WAS Re: Snape and Harry’s Sadism

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 186664

> jkoney replies:
<SNIP of the rest of the post>
> I never said Snape wasn't an interesting literary creation. I'm arguing against the view that people misinterpet the character into being some sort of saint.

Alla:

My disagreement is that I do not believe that there is a**mis**interpretation of any book possible. As people already argued if you see something in the text, how can you be wrong in your interpretation? Works of art are not math puzzles where often there is only one correct answer.

If you mean that somebody interpets against author's intent, such interpetation is still valid if it is supported by the text in my view.

For example I believe (and even that is an opinion) that I interpret Snape in line with author's intent (and with that people will disagree of course).

However I am pretty sure that I interpret Dumbledore against author's intent, for the most part anyway.

JKR seem to love Dumbledore, think of him as flawed but really good man, epithome of goodness you see.

On my best days I am telling myself that Dumbledore has some good qualities, maybe.

But how exactly is my interpretation less valid than the one that JKR sees in her mind if I interpet based on what I see in the text.

I did not dream it up Dumbledore leaving defenseless infant to suffer with Dursleys and never checking up on him, not ONCE.

I did not dream up Dumbledore not even trying to fight for Sirius and testify against him at the hearing.

I did not dream up Dumbledore letting Draco run loose in the school in HBP despite students being hurt.

It is all there in the text. You will tell me but he was doing it all for the greater good, I mean, who cares  for example if Harry was neglected and abused, as long as that mysterious protection was supposed to protect his life.

And I will tell you that all that it does to me is establishes different motivations, in short we are interpreting same canon differently, that's all.

So, believe me I KNOW what Dumbledore JKR was trying to portray, I just see a very tiny signs of that man in the text.

And no, my interpretation is not the little less valid than hers "epithome of goodness" one.

JMO,

Alla