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deathtocapslock(I've been lurking in this community for a couple of days now, reading posts from way back and enjoying the discussion [and snark]. I know this topic has been done before numerous times, but I hope it's okay for me to offer my thoughts as well.)
It is over a decade later and I am still disenchanted with how Severus Snape was flattened as a character in DH by having everything connect to Lily. I rarely encounter fans of Snape on Tumblr who feel the same way, so I decided to post this here to find other people who can empathize.
From books 1-6, I found Snape to be a fascinating character. He was a mean teacher and a bitter man, but also (seemingly) on the side of the good guys with his own mysterious agenda. Despite his cruel nature, he was presented as capable of protecting and helping those whom he loathed or did not care for. He had a sense of right and wrong when it counted, even while remaining bitter. This unpleasant man left a group of prejudiced and dangerous criminals because even unpleasant people are capable of stepping away from evil. All of this made him an intriguing character full of potential, and I hoped that JKR wouldn’t waste that potential by making everything he’s done be for the Love of a Good Woman that Got Away.
But then she did, and I ended up disappointed. Snape’s character was demolished for me. No longer was he a complex man capable of both good and bad, but a man reduced to a static lovesick figure who never changed at all. Defecting from the Death Eaters, protecting innocents, working for the good guys, striving to win the war, risking his life… all for Lily. All for an ongoing obsession that made him look pitiful. He had no sliver of light or goodness of his own merit as a person; everything was for and about Lily.
It didn’t help matters that Lily was nothing more than a cardboard cutout of a character. She had no flaws. She was an angel that every (male) character was meant to adore. James, Sirius, Remus, Peter, and Snape were all presented as men who made mistakes. But Lily? Everybody loves her because she’s always right and a symbol of Purity and Goodness for every man in the vicinity!
And you mean to tell me that Snape, a man known for holding grudges and festering in his vindictive anger, would continue to love a woman who chose his tormentor, popular and privileged Gryffindor bully James Potter, over him? Really? Another way Lily was presented as perfect and exceptional; even Snape couldn’t dislike or hate her. How convenient (and, in my opinion, out of character).
Snape, the lower-class, ugly, greasy, mean, miserable, and unhealthy mess of a man wasn’t allowed any redeeming qualities of his own volition. No, it all had to come back to Lily, the middle-class, beautiful, popular, kind, pleasant, and perfect mother and wife. Who needs character development, growth, and depth when you’ve got the “power” of Loving the Good Woman?
I never expected Snape to become a selfless and nice saint. Of course not. What I did expect and hope for was the lesson that "good" is not always pretty and pleasant, just as "evil" is not always ugly and mean. That bravery can be found in the unlikeliest and darkest of people; that even the people you hate can still be heroic and do the right thing. I thought that was the lesson readers (and Harry himself) had to learn through Snape, whether he survived the war or not.
But I was wrong. It wasn’t meant to be complex and profound. It all came down to Loving the Good Woman. Lily was the linchpin for everything. Instead of finding it interesting or meaningful, I found it insulting, trite, and boring. Snape went from being a character full of potential to another shallow example of a brooding, broken man following the whims of obsessive love as a stand-in for morality. I couldn’t agree with other Snape fans who liked his reasoning for turning ex-Death Eater, but I couldn’t stand with people who hated every aspect of his character either. I was torn (and still am).
My ideal ending for Snape would’ve been him surviving the war and walking away from everything. With no masters, no obligations, and no need for atonement, he would have the freedom to finally control his life. He would have to question his purpose in the new world. Death is the easy way out for a complicated messy character; it’s easy to honor Snape when he’s dead, but how to deal with him alive? How would Harry see Snape if Snape had survived and remained unpleasant as ever, despite his bravery and loyalty? What would have their final interaction been like?
But that would’ve been too difficult for JKR to deal with, so let’s kill Snape off in a lame way and let’s give him the power of Loving the Good Woman to wrap everything up quick and easy. How painfully lazy.
I have long speculated that JKR never wanted her major Slytherin characters to have any depth or redeeming qualities of their own because it would overshadow the heroic Gryffindors or send the "wrong" message. Slytherins are regulated to two roles: evil (e.g. Voldemort, the Death Eaters, Umbridge, etc.) or pitiful (e.g. Snape and the Malfoys). Snape couldn't make his own choices, have his own motivations, or live his life on his terms; it had to revolve around Lily to give him the worth he didn't "deserve" for being a Slytherin.
Anyways, if anyone has read this long overdue rant of mine, thank you for taking the time. I had to let it out after re-reading the series and experiencing great frustration all over again.
Edit: Fixed some mistakes and changed to a different layout. Forgive me, I'm rusty with LJ.
It is over a decade later and I am still disenchanted with how Severus Snape was flattened as a character in DH by having everything connect to Lily. I rarely encounter fans of Snape on Tumblr who feel the same way, so I decided to post this here to find other people who can empathize.
From books 1-6, I found Snape to be a fascinating character. He was a mean teacher and a bitter man, but also (seemingly) on the side of the good guys with his own mysterious agenda. Despite his cruel nature, he was presented as capable of protecting and helping those whom he loathed or did not care for. He had a sense of right and wrong when it counted, even while remaining bitter. This unpleasant man left a group of prejudiced and dangerous criminals because even unpleasant people are capable of stepping away from evil. All of this made him an intriguing character full of potential, and I hoped that JKR wouldn’t waste that potential by making everything he’s done be for the Love of a Good Woman that Got Away.
But then she did, and I ended up disappointed. Snape’s character was demolished for me. No longer was he a complex man capable of both good and bad, but a man reduced to a static lovesick figure who never changed at all. Defecting from the Death Eaters, protecting innocents, working for the good guys, striving to win the war, risking his life… all for Lily. All for an ongoing obsession that made him look pitiful. He had no sliver of light or goodness of his own merit as a person; everything was for and about Lily.
It didn’t help matters that Lily was nothing more than a cardboard cutout of a character. She had no flaws. She was an angel that every (male) character was meant to adore. James, Sirius, Remus, Peter, and Snape were all presented as men who made mistakes. But Lily? Everybody loves her because she’s always right and a symbol of Purity and Goodness for every man in the vicinity!
And you mean to tell me that Snape, a man known for holding grudges and festering in his vindictive anger, would continue to love a woman who chose his tormentor, popular and privileged Gryffindor bully James Potter, over him? Really? Another way Lily was presented as perfect and exceptional; even Snape couldn’t dislike or hate her. How convenient (and, in my opinion, out of character).
Snape, the lower-class, ugly, greasy, mean, miserable, and unhealthy mess of a man wasn’t allowed any redeeming qualities of his own volition. No, it all had to come back to Lily, the middle-class, beautiful, popular, kind, pleasant, and perfect mother and wife. Who needs character development, growth, and depth when you’ve got the “power” of Loving the Good Woman?
I never expected Snape to become a selfless and nice saint. Of course not. What I did expect and hope for was the lesson that "good" is not always pretty and pleasant, just as "evil" is not always ugly and mean. That bravery can be found in the unlikeliest and darkest of people; that even the people you hate can still be heroic and do the right thing. I thought that was the lesson readers (and Harry himself) had to learn through Snape, whether he survived the war or not.
But I was wrong. It wasn’t meant to be complex and profound. It all came down to Loving the Good Woman. Lily was the linchpin for everything. Instead of finding it interesting or meaningful, I found it insulting, trite, and boring. Snape went from being a character full of potential to another shallow example of a brooding, broken man following the whims of obsessive love as a stand-in for morality. I couldn’t agree with other Snape fans who liked his reasoning for turning ex-Death Eater, but I couldn’t stand with people who hated every aspect of his character either. I was torn (and still am).
My ideal ending for Snape would’ve been him surviving the war and walking away from everything. With no masters, no obligations, and no need for atonement, he would have the freedom to finally control his life. He would have to question his purpose in the new world. Death is the easy way out for a complicated messy character; it’s easy to honor Snape when he’s dead, but how to deal with him alive? How would Harry see Snape if Snape had survived and remained unpleasant as ever, despite his bravery and loyalty? What would have their final interaction been like?
But that would’ve been too difficult for JKR to deal with, so let’s kill Snape off in a lame way and let’s give him the power of Loving the Good Woman to wrap everything up quick and easy. How painfully lazy.
I have long speculated that JKR never wanted her major Slytherin characters to have any depth or redeeming qualities of their own because it would overshadow the heroic Gryffindors or send the "wrong" message. Slytherins are regulated to two roles: evil (e.g. Voldemort, the Death Eaters, Umbridge, etc.) or pitiful (e.g. Snape and the Malfoys). Snape couldn't make his own choices, have his own motivations, or live his life on his terms; it had to revolve around Lily to give him the worth he didn't "deserve" for being a Slytherin.
Anyways, if anyone has read this long overdue rant of mine, thank you for taking the time. I had to let it out after re-reading the series and experiencing great frustration all over again.
Edit: Fixed some mistakes and changed to a different layout. Forgive me, I'm rusty with LJ.
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Thanks!
Date: 2019-01-10 05:09 pm (UTC)Rowling, whose work is actually very derivative, has two clear models for Snape/Lily. They are Dante/Beatrice and Heathcliff/Cathy. Those are rather divergent models, to put it mildly, and I don't think she ever thought through what her characters would have been like as human beings, rather than pawns on a chessboard.
Here's what I mean. Snape, at 21 years old, realizes he got his best friend killed. Of course he's shattered by guilt! Who wouldn't be? We see Dumbledore coldly and deliberately manipulating that guilt in order to use Severus as his tool. Yet he is "the epitome of goodness" and Severus is "deeply horrible"? Please!
People are complicated, and literary characters should be likewise. Of course young Severus would be shattered by guilt after Lily's death! Of course he would never forget her, and try to live his life in expiation. But--
What sort of person is capable of feeling those things? What sort of person is (1) as a kid, so needy that he clings to Lily like a duckling that bonded to her? (2) So desperate to save her that he risks his own life, twice, to do so? (3) so honorable that he tirelessly works for years to keep his friend's child safe and keep his promise? Again, this is not a particularly nasty, deeply horrible human being. Immature? Unsure? Holding grudges? Juddgemental? Yes, to all of these, but also brave, loyal, and capable of growth.
That's what Rowling actually shows us. Then there's what she tells us. She tells us Snape is guiltier than Voldemort, deeply horrible, motivated only by his love for Lily, and so on. And she shows Lily-shows, not tells-as a fairly commonplace, self-absorbed young woman. We're supposed to think her sacrifice was effective because, unlike the German mother, Voldemort truly gave her a chance to live. But I don't see it.
One point on which we're in full agreement: Harry and Severus should have had an actual confrontation. It was Severus, not Voldemort, who was Harry's adversary. Voldemort was merely a bogeyman. I also think they should have reconciled. Oh, the original confrontation should and would have been violent, for sure. But the whole story, right up to the end of HBP, was leading up to a final meeting between Severus and Harry and a final reconciliation. I also think that Harry should have died, while Severus survived. I was convinced it was Severus who was the "prophecy child", and Severus who was going to kill Voldemort.
Oh, well. I'm rambling. Thanks again for the post.
Re: Thanks!
Date: 2019-01-10 09:30 pm (UTC)I do notice how in the overall HP fandom, Dumbledore's moral ambiguity is often ignored or more readily accepted than Snape's. Truth be told, I'm perplexed when it comes to Dumbledore and what JKR intended with him as well. I don't consider him the "epitome of goodness" either. He's just as flawed as Snape, albeit with a nicer exterior.
I agree with you that a man who feels immense guilt over the death of his former and sole best friend is not an evil man. He told Dumbledore he wished he were dead instead. Snape spends the rest of his life risking his personal safety and being miserable in exchange for nothing. With Lily dead, he won't get anything from her. Her friendship and approval is gone. Absolution cannot be given by her either. I don't think a man who is horrible with no goodness within him would bound himself to a life with little to no personal reward.
But, at the same time, I don't think JKR meant for Snape's character to be taken that way. As you said, she tells us that Snape is horrible and only motivated to do good by Lily, implying that if Lily were not threatened by Voldemort, Snape would've continued being a Death Eater and wouldn't have cared if innocent people were targeted, killed, or tortured. It's only through Lily that Snape was "allowed" to have a sliver of humanity while the rest of him is nefarious.
And I found it disappointing because I thought Snape was a man capable of bad and good actions on his own. I thought he'd left the Death Eaters of his own volition, even if it started from self-preservation and later evolved in disagreeing with their views. But it seems this wasn't the vision JKR had for him. It was all for Lily. "Always." Ugh.
Lastly, as I've mentioned before, the lack of confrontation between Snape and Harry was also disappointing. All the hatred between them, all the build-up to something explosive after their last duel... and nothing came out of it. You make a good point that while Voldemort was Harry's "bogeyman" or the distant monster he had to slay, Snape was the human adversary in Harry's story, close-by and more personal. To "solve" the animosity between them by having Harry see the truth through a Pensieve instead of forcing them to interact was too convenient and lazy for me. I've read comments from long ago speculating JKR killed Snape off to make things easy for Harry, and I agree.
As for Harry dying, I never expected it to happen. I wasn't moved by Harry's "choice" to die either since it was obvious he was going to live and get his happy ending. There was no suspense in what would happen. He would re-emerge, fight Voldemort, and be victorious.
Thank you for your thoughtful response. I have a tendency to ramble on and on. (As I'm sure everyone's noticed!) I'm thankful I've found this community to share my opinions with and read everyone's thoughts as well.
Re: Thanks!
Date: 2019-01-11 03:13 am (UTC)Don't know if you're into fanfic at all? I have some Snape stories on my live journal, and one of them (written pre-DH) is actually my theory as to where the story would go, and (a bit) why. It's called "The Last Horcrux". Speaking of which, I got mocked by a Rowling fan for insisting, pre-DH, that Harry was the last horcrux. Well, he was, wasn't he?!
Re: Thanks!
Date: 2019-01-11 05:09 am (UTC)One of the things I love about Star Wars is the compassionate view of conflicted "dark" characters. Characters who struggle with their villainy and feel a pull to the light are humanized and shown as capable of being more than the monster they think they're "destined" to be. Sinister men like Palpatine, who revel in their evilness, are seen differently than the men who struggle with it. And the light side characters are shown as flawed and capable of failing others (such as Yoda and Obi Wan). It's, in my opinion, a more emotional and spiritual story than HP.
Ha, sorry for rambling about Star Wars. I guess the point I'm trying to get across is that I sensed a lack of compassion from JKR towards her "darker" characters and the Slytherin house in general. It seemed that, by age 11, you were destined to stay the way you are no matter the choices made later in life. Maybe that's why so many of the characters end up being stagnant; they're already the people they're meant to be the moment their house is chosen for them.
Thank you for the fanfic! The ending was beautifully written. (It also seems you got it right with Snape being bitten by Nagini, although it played out differently in canon of course.)
Re: Thanks!
Date: 2019-01-12 04:41 am (UTC)And I don't at all mind your rambling about Star Wars! I loved Luke at the end of Return of the Jedi, and also at the end of the Last Jedi. Yes, it's all about compassion, and the realization that (1) you can do wrong even if you're on the right side, and (2) no one is all bad, and redemption is possible. The way Luke reached out to the boy he'd wronged so many years ago, and refused to do him violence, was inspirational to me. The whole time he fought, he was holding out his hand to his nephew, and there was a real choice for Kylo Ren. Just as there was for the boy's grandfather, when Luke himself was Kylo's age.
One of the things that really shocked me, when I suggested an ending like the one I wrote, was people claiming it was derivative. What story isn't derivative in that sense? The story Rowling had written through OOTP actually demanded reconciliation and redemption, and there was none. I've never in my life been as disappointed with a book as I was with Deathly Hallows.
Thanks again for taking the time to read my story!
Re: Thanks!
Date: 2019-01-12 11:46 pm (UTC)I know many people had a problem with Luke's portrayal in The Last Jedi, and I can understand why, but I thought his confrontation with his nephew at the end was riveting. Luke force-projected himself not only to help the Resistance escape, but also to apologize to Kylo Ren and prevent him from making another mistake. He helped everyone without taking a single life other than his own. His words to Leia "no one's ever really gone" encompasses the hope inherent in Star Wars.
I do think that Kylo Ren will be redeemed in Episode IX, but even if he isn't, I appreciate how much depth and humanity was given to his character.
As for the ending to your fanfic, I fail to see how it could be any more "derivative" than Rowling's epilogue. Her ending was saccharine and simplistic. What do we learn from the epilogue other than our heroes got married, had kids, and everything ended happily ever after?
I remember after DH came out how some people said they were glad Snape didn't survive and reconciled with Harry or other characters because it would've been too "sappy." Well, the epilogue is the epitome of "sappy" to me. "Albus Severus" is sappy. So is the awful Snape/Lily story. Having Harry address the conflict between him and Snape that endured for 7 books wouldn't have been sappy whatsoever; you don't build up a contentious relationship between two important characters and give it barely any closure.
And you're welcome. When I have time, I'll be sure to check out your other works.