Snape-y thoughts
Here's the deal. I'm not reading anything about HP except the books themselves (finished a re-read of HBP yesterday). No articles on the book, no spoilers, no essays, no nuthin'. I want to come at HP7 as fresh and unspoiled as I possibly can. That said, I do indeed have my own thoughts--unsophisticated though they might be--on the book.
Snape: I think Snape is good . . . with a caveat. I do not think Snape is Good. I think Snape is a Slytherin (in spirit; I'm not saying I think he's an actual descendant . . . although . . .). One of the most defining characteristics of a Slytherin is that s/he looks out for himself/herself first.
Exhibit A: Slughorn. Not an evil character. Sided with Dumbledore. But why? Because he saw how advantageous to himself it was to do so. Does that mean he wasn't loyal to Dumbledore? No. But given the choice between living in hiding or coming out on Dumbledore's side, it took some heavy duty persuasion--pointing out how he, Slughorn, would be better off with Dumbledore than on his own--to convince him. He rejected the option of joining the forces of evil, but it took persuading for him to opening join the forces of good.
Exhibit B: Phineas Nigellus' conversation with Harry in OotP, when he tells Harry that given the choice, a Slytherin will choose to save his own neck. This, I believe, is why Snape joined up with Dumbledore. Snape saw, at some point, that staying with Voldemort would not gain him anything, would not be in Snape's best interest, would, in fact, make him oppressed and subservient, whereas with Dumbledore, he wouldn't have to live in fear of those who had authority over him and could openly disagree with him.
This is why I think Snape chose to join Dumbledore. It has occurred to me as well that the reason Dumbledore trusted Snape implicitly is because Snape saved his life at some point, but that's just wild speculation. Or it could be that Dumbledore saved Snape's life, at great risk to his own. This also might engender loyalty in Snape.
As for Snape's treatment of his students . . . some of his ploys and antics are simply cruel and meanspirited. One need not actually like a student to refrain from verbally humiliating him or her. He is petty in that he allows his hatred for Harry's parents to affect how he teaches Harry.
I do think it would be interesting for Harry to acknowledge how much he learned from Snape when he didn't know Snape was teaching him.
Those are my rambly thoughts. YMMV.
Snape: I think Snape is good . . . with a caveat. I do not think Snape is Good. I think Snape is a Slytherin (in spirit; I'm not saying I think he's an actual descendant . . . although . . .). One of the most defining characteristics of a Slytherin is that s/he looks out for himself/herself first.
Exhibit A: Slughorn. Not an evil character. Sided with Dumbledore. But why? Because he saw how advantageous to himself it was to do so. Does that mean he wasn't loyal to Dumbledore? No. But given the choice between living in hiding or coming out on Dumbledore's side, it took some heavy duty persuasion--pointing out how he, Slughorn, would be better off with Dumbledore than on his own--to convince him. He rejected the option of joining the forces of evil, but it took persuading for him to opening join the forces of good.
Exhibit B: Phineas Nigellus' conversation with Harry in OotP, when he tells Harry that given the choice, a Slytherin will choose to save his own neck. This, I believe, is why Snape joined up with Dumbledore. Snape saw, at some point, that staying with Voldemort would not gain him anything, would not be in Snape's best interest, would, in fact, make him oppressed and subservient, whereas with Dumbledore, he wouldn't have to live in fear of those who had authority over him and could openly disagree with him.
This is why I think Snape chose to join Dumbledore. It has occurred to me as well that the reason Dumbledore trusted Snape implicitly is because Snape saved his life at some point, but that's just wild speculation. Or it could be that Dumbledore saved Snape's life, at great risk to his own. This also might engender loyalty in Snape.
As for Snape's treatment of his students . . . some of his ploys and antics are simply cruel and meanspirited. One need not actually like a student to refrain from verbally humiliating him or her. He is petty in that he allows his hatred for Harry's parents to affect how he teaches Harry.
I do think it would be interesting for Harry to acknowledge how much he learned from Snape when he didn't know Snape was teaching him.
Those are my rambly thoughts. YMMV.