Points ===>

[harmony_bites]

I’d seen snapedom quoted from a few times on my f-list. I absolutely adored (and put in memories) one post I’d recommend to anyone who loves Snape- “Good Guy Syndrome” by rattlesnakeroot-the perfect answer to all those people (including Rowling) who think we all love Snape because he’s a “bad boy.”

But the essay that led me to post is “Snape as wicked Stepmother?” by mary_j_59

Comments

[death_ofme]

Quite a lot of Snarry shippers too (though there are still uss SS/HGers, rah rah).

I was quite intrigued with the theory of Snape being feminized, but I still see it as more of a castration or emasculation, rather than a female archetype.

[harmony_bites]

I thought a lot of the speculation and theories were fascinating--everything from the arguments about the feminization of Snape to a side comment of the original poster that she thought Rowling didn't fulfill her potential in the story by not linking Harry's defeat of Voldemort to his ability to forgive and understand Snape. She had seen the possibility that Harry was a Horcrux and Voldemort might take him over body and soul if Harry couldn't stop hating.

Just a lot of food for thought in the various threads--and yeah, I noted the Snarry, Snupin and SSHG presence as well--and all the strains were playing nicely together.

[death_ofme]

and all the strains were playing nicely together.

Yes, shocking, as usually Snarry and SS/HG butt heads.

[harmony_bites]

Well, on Snapedom though, we weren't discussing shipping issues (other than side remarks about our OTPs and icon-brandishing) We're discussing Snape--and in the end are Snape fans of different flavours very different?

In some things, yes--hell, SSHG shippers differ rabidly. In SSHG there's passive Snapes, fluffy Snapes, predator Snapes, out-only for himself Snape, clueless-led-by-the-nose-by-Hermione Snapes, heroic Snapes...

But as long as we stay away from whether he's destined for Harry, Remus, or Hermione...

The playing nice ended though. The post was mentioned on the daily_snitch and... Just a few people--but oh, boy

[death_ofme]

What now? Do you mean to say people posted up something on snapedom calling us all nasty

[harmony_bites]

It's calmed down--a lot. One commentator called the post the "ultimate low" for "commenting on her personal tragedy" and then she and someone else went back and forth culminating in the remark from another that Rowling "thinks that most Snape fans are completely bugfuck bonkers. And of that, there's evidence a-plenty..." and then finally a post that consisted of *nothing* but insults saying that the text is one thing--but that when we mention Rowling's personal life it's just "mean gossip." Never mind that Rowling herself has given gazillion interviews explaining how her personal life plays into the fiction

[death_ofme]

That's a low blow, and you're right. The comm is called SNAPEdom, honestly...

FAP is Fiction Alley Park forums. Don't go there. It's a bleeding mess.

I'm quite confident in being a Snape fan, because obviously we can see his fans aren't restricted to one demographic group. Young or old, and of varying occupations, we all love Snape. I find people who aren't his fans are generally just fans of the book and aren't too deeply into fandom itself, or are just indifferent and don't feel this or that way about him.

But then there are some "oh my god snape's such a bastard because he hates harry" people...and thems just piss me off...let's not go there...*calming down*

[harmony_bites]

I find people who aren't his fans are generally just fans of the book and aren't too deeply into fandom itselfI liked the HP books--but not much--before HBP. Read each once, put them on the shelf and forgot about them. Found them mildly entertaining. Thought of Snape as this nasty piece of work--until HBP. I thought JKR hung out a neon sign really he had colluded with Dumbledore and suddenly I was interested--and it was the fandom--and rereading the books, that made me a fan

[death_ofme]

I remember getting into fanfiction during the wait after GoF for OOTP, because I was sick of waiting

[harmony_bites]

It was that fan fiction was borne out of passion for the source material, but the feeling of dissatisfaction, which is what leads to writers taking on the universe and exploring avenues they felt the source material didn't go into enough depth.

Very much so. My other fandom was Trek--there was far less fan fiction for Deep Space Nine than the Original Series. DS9 was considered the better done, better written Trek. An ensemble series with all characters explored, satisfying, plausible ships, all loose ends tidied up. So much, much less fanfic.

Canon shippers write I suppose because JKR doesn't take them into the bedroom, to fill in missing scenes, to speculate between books, to keep it alive. But it's a less vital need than those of us who were more deeply dissatisfied and from the beginning--and from the beginning I never liked JKR's Gryffindor-centricity. So stories like KazVL's Falling Further In just reeled me right in.

Is everyone supposed to be nice to Harry?He's the hero of the book. He's the POV character and we feel and

[death_ofme]

It's like we're really reading different books.Yeah, we all have Snape goggles on (they're the height of fashion

[death_ofme]

Oh, and don't get me started on the polarization of Gryfindorr and Slytherin. For fuck's sake...

[harmony_bites]

LOL *is tempted* I'll just say it was that which made me vulnerable to being drawn to the Dark Side and putting on the Snape Goggles. I hated the way she drew Gryffindor and Slytherin from the beginning. Four Houses, four elements--various aspects of personalities one assumes, not two houses--good versus evil. And we're supposed to buy bravery is the be all and end all. And what's wrong with ambition?

I didn't like how the Gryffs were lauded and them and Harry catered to, I didn't like how the Slytherins were universally depicted as nasty and untrustworthy--and I loathed how after the periodic talks of "unity" in the end Rowling had not one Slytherin at the table fight by Harry's side.

[death_ofme]

I could wank for a long time, but I'll try and summ it up in as few words as I can. I find it ironic and highly hypocritical that she would try and make one of the Gryfindorr qualities universal acceptance and the rejection of prejudice, when they take an almost racist/suprematist attitude towards Slytherins. Or rather, her books do, if not just the characters themselves.

In fact, her whole moral compass is screwed up. Dobby's blind worship of Harry Potter is sickening, but she makes it out like a valuable quality a person should have, and he gets a funeral. Neville 'finds his spine' and only manages to be successful and make a difference by emulating and imitating Harry Potter. Harry Harry Harry. It's making him out like he's God or something, and not showing how that can have adverse effects, that pisses me off about DH.

Oh look I've started up again, *facepalm*

[harmony_bites]

In fact, her whole moral compass is screwed up. Dobby's blind worship of Harry Potter is sickening, but she makes it out like a valuable quality a person should have, and he gets a funeral. Neville 'finds his spine' and only manages to be successful and make a difference by emulating and imitating Harry Potter. Harry Harry Harry.I agree though. And it's why I think the fanfic and critical analysis is a healthy response. It can be argued we grownups shouldn't be spending so much time on it--but that it's JKR-bashing, or indecent or the many things said on that thread I can't agree

[death_ofme]

Oh my god, she's a bloody Calvinist. If we remember our history lessons, we can all recall what a horrible man he was.