Very well argued, though I hope you're wrong :-). I'm not sure I can prove that you are; I even think you may very well be right - but I'd like to offer a few thoughts anyway.
Apparently, Snape chose to befriend Lucius Malfoy while Harry chose to reject Draco Malfoy's offer of friendship. Harry consciously rejected Slytherin when the Sorting Hat tried to lure him into Voldemort's house. I have some problems with this comparison. If Harry and Draco hadn't noticed each other before the Sorting Ceremony (and there were a lot of his yearmates to whom he didn't talk on the train), would he have reacted so strongly against Slytherin? How much did Snape know about Slytherin when the Sorting Hat proposed to place him there?
Quite apart from that, I would find it thoroughly irritating if Book 7 should confirm that Slytherin is really nothing more than "Voldemort's House" and every eleven-year-old sorted into it already carries rot inside themselves. I can't stand that kind of simplicity, and I don't mind saying that I was disappointed when Blaise Zabini seemed to confirm the Slytherin stereotype. I will persist in reading against the grain until there is no more leeway *evil grin*...
Snape makes the easy choice. For fifteen years he hides behind Dumbledore and then, when his master comes back, he rushes back, because being in Voldemort's good graces and a valued member in Death Eater's circles is a whole lot easier than fighting them. I'll be ever so disappointed if that turns out to be true. Here is why: - Snape was cleared by the Wizengamot. Cleared is cleared. That means there was no reason why he should be 'hiding behind Dumbledore'. If he didn't *want* to be at Hogwarts, then why was he? Voldemort hadn't stirred for more than ten years and everybody believed him finished - even Lucius Malfoy did, to the extent that he used the Diary as a kind of toy. - What's so easy about being a Death Eater? Snape is always craving recognition and respect. Does he get that from Voldemort? Is he so stupid as to believe that, should Voldemort come to power, he will share it? Does the Half-Blood Prince prefer being branded with someone's mark to being a free man? - Why save Dumbledore from Death By Ring Horcrux? - Am I to believe that a reasonably intelligent double agent on the point of defecting from one master tells that master he's fed up with helping him?
Then there is Snape's utter lack of empathy which Harry has in abundance. I agree with Vanityfair here. Snape empathises with Draco, and possibly Narcissa too. All right, I don't like those two, but it is a clear case of empathy. Even if you argue that Snape healed Draco as part of keeping up the Vow, nobody told him to be concerned about Harry's curse leaving a scar. That's the kind of worry *Draco* might have; Snape anticipates it. And he doesn't have to.
There is no way I want to argue Snape's nobility or essential goodness of heart, because I think he has no such thing. But until JKR disappoints me no end, I will highlight the bits of text that leave ambiguity and suggest that, however he may feel about it and however poor a job he makes of it, Snape is forcing himself to do the right thing and fight Voldemort. :-)
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winterfish
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Date: Tuesday, 13 September 2005 09:22 pm (UTC)Apparently, Snape chose to befriend Lucius Malfoy while Harry chose to reject Draco Malfoy's offer of friendship. Harry consciously rejected Slytherin when the Sorting Hat tried to lure him into Voldemort's house.
I have some problems with this comparison. If Harry and Draco hadn't noticed each other before the Sorting Ceremony (and there were a lot of his yearmates to whom he didn't talk on the train), would he have reacted so strongly against Slytherin? How much did Snape know about Slytherin when the Sorting Hat proposed to place him there?
Quite apart from that, I would find it thoroughly irritating if Book 7 should confirm that Slytherin is really nothing more than "Voldemort's House" and every eleven-year-old sorted into it already carries rot inside themselves. I can't stand that kind of simplicity, and I don't mind saying that I was disappointed when Blaise Zabini seemed to confirm the Slytherin stereotype. I will persist in reading against the grain until there is no more leeway *evil grin*...
Snape makes the easy choice. For fifteen years he hides behind Dumbledore and then, when his master comes back, he rushes back, because being in Voldemort's good graces and a valued member in Death Eater's circles is a whole lot easier than fighting them.
I'll be ever so disappointed if that turns out to be true. Here is why:
- Snape was cleared by the Wizengamot. Cleared is cleared. That means there was no reason why he should be 'hiding behind Dumbledore'. If he didn't *want* to be at Hogwarts, then why was he? Voldemort hadn't stirred for more than ten years and everybody believed him finished - even Lucius Malfoy did, to the extent that he used the Diary as a kind of toy.
- What's so easy about being a Death Eater? Snape is always craving recognition and respect. Does he get that from Voldemort? Is he so stupid as to believe that, should Voldemort come to power, he will share it? Does the Half-Blood Prince prefer being branded with someone's mark to being a free man?
- Why save Dumbledore from Death By Ring Horcrux?
- Am I to believe that a reasonably intelligent double agent on the point of defecting from one master tells that master he's fed up with helping him?
Then there is Snape's utter lack of empathy which Harry has in abundance.
I agree with Vanityfair here. Snape empathises with Draco, and possibly Narcissa too. All right, I don't like those two, but it is a clear case of empathy. Even if you argue that Snape healed Draco as part of keeping up the Vow, nobody told him to be concerned about Harry's curse leaving a scar. That's the kind of worry *Draco* might have; Snape anticipates it. And he doesn't have to.
There is no way I want to argue Snape's nobility or essential goodness of heart, because I think he has no such thing. But until JKR disappoints me no end, I will highlight the bits of text that leave ambiguity and suggest that, however he may feel about it and however poor a job he makes of it, Snape is forcing himself to do the right thing and fight Voldemort. :-)