So, I had a review on ffnet that made me wonder.

[of_anoesis]

It wasn't a nasty review, by any stretch. I was just someone giving their opinion about how Severus Snape would act. An opinion which was was different to my own - shock horror - but the examples they used...

They said: "I can see Snape as a spy, I can see him as a killer, I can see him writing sonnets to Lily and then tossing them in the

Comments

[moreteadk]

My husband says he has never heard his father swear. 'Oh heck' was about the strongest he could come up with having heard his father say. It's just not a part of who he is. But then again, he (my father in law) is older than Severus, brought up in a home where this was Not Done and a regular church goer. Husband himself does sometimes, although rarely and he has heard his mother do it in a rare moment of anger (I haven't), but never my father in law.

He is the ONLY person I know who never, not even just very rarely, uses strong language.

I suppose it's possible that the reviewer in question might be the same sort of person. Swearing is just not a part of what makes them them, and therefore they can't imagine that a character that they sympathise with would do it either.

Personally, I can't see why Severus wouldn't do it. He definitely haven't had the sort of upbringing that my father in law has. I find it difficult to believe that Tobias Snape never used strong language while he was being drunk and abusive. I certainly can't see Severus as a regular church goer! I think he has enough sense to moderate himself in front of most people, but in private and with people close to him? I think he swears like a sailor when the occasion calls for it.

[of_anoesis]

*nods* my mum will not swear, ever. I think in moments of extreme duress she might give in and mutter something like 'bugger' but it's rare. Plus she was very properly brought up, church, girl guides, the lot. My dad on the other hand doesn't swear because mum doesn't like it, but if she's not there he can and will. I imagine Snape's upbringing was more like my dad's than my mum's...