(no subject)
I have mulled DH over and made my mind about Snape. Commented on some of your posts. And now - my very own Snape Outpouring.
LOOK AT ME - Snape’s punch line
Many of you have begrudged Snape’s last words - how come this snarky, eloquent and ambiguous bastard dies wanting nothing more than the last pathetic (and vicarious) look into eyes of a girl who didn’t love him back. For me, on the other hand, that scene was possibly one of the least pointless moments in DH and one of the most poignant Snape-moments in the entire series. The words, however lacking in his signature verbosity, are still ringing in my ears. And could be interpreted in a variety of ways. In fact, I think Snape’s whole life can be summed up by these very words.
Snape strikes me as a man who likes to gloat, be acknowledged and appreciated in the eyes of other people, who usually fail to do so. He is brilliant and brave - traits not usually associated with Slytherin - but immature and, thus, cannot stand his accomplishments being dismissed. Hence, his comment in CoS (when Lockhart expresses his wish to prepare a Restorative Draught): ‘I believe I am the Potions Master in this school?’ Most prominently, perhaps, this trait is visible in PoA - he believes he helped capture a dangerous murderer and heroically saved the trio from Black and Lupin. He is promised the Order of Merlin, but then his glory is stolen from him - remember histeric!Snape? In OotP his constant friction with Sirius stems from the fact that Snape is risking his life and getting nothing but insults and contempt in return, while Sirius is slacking off in his mother’s house and no one seems to like him for it any less. After one Occlumency session Harry asks why his link to Voldemort shouldn’t be used by the Order and Snape alludes to other spies. Harry correctly guesses he meant himself, which makes Snape’s day (I don’t have OotP copy with me, but the word “smug” was definitely used). And in HBP when does Snape fly off the handle? When Harry calls him a coward for killing DD:
‘DON’T-‘ screamed Snape, and his face was suddenly demented, inhuman, as though he was in as much pain as the yelping, howling dog stuck in the burning house behind them, ‘- CALL ME COWARD!’
Here a small aside - it was that scene that finally convinced me of Snape’s true loyalties back then. The following is my mini-meta I’ve written 2 days after reading the HBP but never posted anywhere:
Now, why doesn’t SNAPE consider HIMSELF a coward? Well, certainly the job of a double agent is a risky one. But which one is more risky:
a) remaining loyal to Big V
b) remaining loyal to DD?
The correct answer, I reckon, is b).
If a) were true, and the whole time Snape had been V’s man, the only risk he was running would be being discovered by DD and the Order. Big deal! DD may have been the most powerful wizard in the world, but I would rather face DD’s wrath and Azkaban for the rest of my life than Voldemort and Death Eaters’ wrath.
If, on the other hand, b) were true (Snape is loyal to DD and hoodwinking Voldie and the Death Eaters), the consequences of his being discovered would be much graver. In this case, his sacrifice would also be really huge - he is forced to kill his (however annoying) benefactor, and to leave the security of Hogwarts and his teaching position (I still think that Snape had secretly enjoyed being a teacher, what with hundreds of helpless children to terrorise and Potter to oglekeep an eye on). Now he has to face V’s Occlumency and Death Eaters’ scrutiny ALL THE TIME. THIS is pretty risky, isn’t it?
BTW, who is now in charge of the Order? McGonagall? Kingsley? Again, McGonagall and Potter’s revenge vs. Voldie’s revenge, anyone? Thus, for Snape to consider himself brave and heroic, he simply must have chosen option b). YAY!
For his whole life, he has been living in the shadows of others - the greatest hero of them all, damaged, stunted in his emotional development, clinging to a childhood crush on the only person who’s ever shown him (some) affection. These words also break my heart:
‘Doesn’t your dad like magic?’
‘He doesn’t like anything, much,’ said Snape.
He received little to no love when he was a boy and now desperately wants to prove himself, be in the centre of the world’s attention... and constantly fails. At school - ridiculed, feared of because of his knack for the Dark Arts. Ignored. Spurned by his true love, who doesn’t consider him as a romantic interest. Ignored. Dismissed by Dumbledore, who plays favourites. Ignored once again. As a teacher - universally hated. (Well, and justly so, but still.)
It is only with the Death Eaters that Snape gets some recognition. Gets to sit on V’s right, even closer than Bellatrix. Becomes the Headmaster of Hogwarts. Gets killed, but V regrets this (I have no idea how Harry could notice any emotion on V’s snakelike face, so when he says he sees no remorse in V, I think he’s wrong. V doesn’t strike me as a person who would say something just for decorum’s sake. I reckon he’s really regretted having to kill Snape, in his own, special way.) And yet - Snape still remains on the good side - no matter how many slights and humiliations are being thrown his way.
We get to see his motifs (Lily) and simplistic as they may seem, I still think that Snape’s memories didn’t show us everything, he just needed to grab Harry’s attention and convince him, and pronto - that’s why he only chose those featuring Lily. And before that - his seemingly pointless death, underscored by these seemingly sappy words.
As I’ve just written in response to pir8fancier here (again self-quotage, but I want an easy access to this thought):
So we have the one person who is human, who has been corrupted and has repented for his "sins," and he is not given a hero's death, he is not even given a voice. He is not even allowed to define his own innocence.
You know? I think that was the whole point - Snape's death being "pointless" - quiet, undeserving, ironic (head of Slytherin bitten by an effing SNAKE, in the Shrieking Shack, the scene of his humiliation, witnessed by a person who had hated him so much). What I'm saying is that this death reiterates and echoes the drama that was Snape's very life -unloved, awkward, unnoticed (and even if noticed - despised by all and sundry), unrewarded. Yes, it does lack closure or gratification for this magnificent character, but, trite as it sounds, life/death is not fair. I see it that way: some people are lauded for their mere existence (Harry), some live and pass away unnoticed, however great their actions.
Thus, the ‘Look at me’ words - of course, they can be read as Snape's wish to look into Lily's eyes, but I prefer to believe that it was his final plea, aimed at Harry or the world at large to SEE him at last, notice his sacrifice, look past the appearances and their enmity. He wants Harry to acknowledge his constant presence and protection. It may also mean: ‘Look at me, look what your mother, your father, Voldemort, Dumbledore, you have done to me. Look how the world treats me, look how JKR treats me.’
I can only hope everyone can see Snape now. His absence speaks louder than words.
LOOK AT ME - Snape’s punch line
Many of you have begrudged Snape’s last words - how come this snarky, eloquent and ambiguous bastard dies wanting nothing more than the last pathetic (and vicarious) look into eyes of a girl who didn’t love him back. For me, on the other hand, that scene was possibly one of the least pointless moments in DH and one of the most poignant Snape-moments in the entire series. The words, however lacking in his signature verbosity, are still ringing in my ears. And could be interpreted in a variety of ways. In fact, I think Snape’s whole life can be summed up by these very words.
Snape strikes me as a man who likes to gloat, be acknowledged and appreciated in the eyes of other people, who usually fail to do so. He is brilliant and brave - traits not usually associated with Slytherin - but immature and, thus, cannot stand his accomplishments being dismissed. Hence, his comment in CoS (when Lockhart expresses his wish to prepare a Restorative Draught): ‘I believe I am the Potions Master in this school?’ Most prominently, perhaps, this trait is visible in PoA - he believes he helped capture a dangerous murderer and heroically saved the trio from Black and Lupin. He is promised the Order of Merlin, but then his glory is stolen from him - remember histeric!Snape? In OotP his constant friction with Sirius stems from the fact that Snape is risking his life and getting nothing but insults and contempt in return, while Sirius is slacking off in his mother’s house and no one seems to like him for it any less. After one Occlumency session Harry asks why his link to Voldemort shouldn’t be used by the Order and Snape alludes to other spies. Harry correctly guesses he meant himself, which makes Snape’s day (I don’t have OotP copy with me, but the word “smug” was definitely used). And in HBP when does Snape fly off the handle? When Harry calls him a coward for killing DD:
‘DON’T-‘ screamed Snape, and his face was suddenly demented, inhuman, as though he was in as much pain as the yelping, howling dog stuck in the burning house behind them, ‘- CALL ME COWARD!’
Here a small aside - it was that scene that finally convinced me of Snape’s true loyalties back then. The following is my mini-meta I’ve written 2 days after reading the HBP but never posted anywhere:
Now, why doesn’t SNAPE consider HIMSELF a coward? Well, certainly the job of a double agent is a risky one. But which one is more risky:
a) remaining loyal to Big V
b) remaining loyal to DD?
The correct answer, I reckon, is b).
If a) were true, and the whole time Snape had been V’s man, the only risk he was running would be being discovered by DD and the Order. Big deal! DD may have been the most powerful wizard in the world, but I would rather face DD’s wrath and Azkaban for the rest of my life than Voldemort and Death Eaters’ wrath.
If, on the other hand, b) were true (Snape is loyal to DD and hoodwinking Voldie and the Death Eaters), the consequences of his being discovered would be much graver. In this case, his sacrifice would also be really huge - he is forced to kill his (however annoying) benefactor, and to leave the security of Hogwarts and his teaching position (I still think that Snape had secretly enjoyed being a teacher, what with hundreds of helpless children to terrorise and Potter to oglekeep an eye on). Now he has to face V’s Occlumency and Death Eaters’ scrutiny ALL THE TIME. THIS is pretty risky, isn’t it?
BTW, who is now in charge of the Order? McGonagall? Kingsley? Again, McGonagall and Potter’s revenge vs. Voldie’s revenge, anyone? Thus, for Snape to consider himself brave and heroic, he simply must have chosen option b). YAY!
For his whole life, he has been living in the shadows of others - the greatest hero of them all, damaged, stunted in his emotional development, clinging to a childhood crush on the only person who’s ever shown him (some) affection. These words also break my heart:
‘Doesn’t your dad like magic?’
‘He doesn’t like anything, much,’ said Snape.
He received little to no love when he was a boy and now desperately wants to prove himself, be in the centre of the world’s attention... and constantly fails. At school - ridiculed, feared of because of his knack for the Dark Arts. Ignored. Spurned by his true love, who doesn’t consider him as a romantic interest. Ignored. Dismissed by Dumbledore, who plays favourites. Ignored once again. As a teacher - universally hated. (Well, and justly so, but still.)
It is only with the Death Eaters that Snape gets some recognition. Gets to sit on V’s right, even closer than Bellatrix. Becomes the Headmaster of Hogwarts. Gets killed, but V regrets this (I have no idea how Harry could notice any emotion on V’s snakelike face, so when he says he sees no remorse in V, I think he’s wrong. V doesn’t strike me as a person who would say something just for decorum’s sake. I reckon he’s really regretted having to kill Snape, in his own, special way.) And yet - Snape still remains on the good side - no matter how many slights and humiliations are being thrown his way.
We get to see his motifs (Lily) and simplistic as they may seem, I still think that Snape’s memories didn’t show us everything, he just needed to grab Harry’s attention and convince him, and pronto - that’s why he only chose those featuring Lily. And before that - his seemingly pointless death, underscored by these seemingly sappy words.
As I’ve just written in response to pir8fancier here (again self-quotage, but I want an easy access to this thought):
So we have the one person who is human, who has been corrupted and has repented for his "sins," and he is not given a hero's death, he is not even given a voice. He is not even allowed to define his own innocence.
You know? I think that was the whole point - Snape's death being "pointless" - quiet, undeserving, ironic (head of Slytherin bitten by an effing SNAKE, in the Shrieking Shack, the scene of his humiliation, witnessed by a person who had hated him so much). What I'm saying is that this death reiterates and echoes the drama that was Snape's very life -unloved, awkward, unnoticed (and even if noticed - despised by all and sundry), unrewarded. Yes, it does lack closure or gratification for this magnificent character, but, trite as it sounds, life/death is not fair. I see it that way: some people are lauded for their mere existence (Harry), some live and pass away unnoticed, however great their actions.
Thus, the ‘Look at me’ words - of course, they can be read as Snape's wish to look into Lily's eyes, but I prefer to believe that it was his final plea, aimed at Harry or the world at large to SEE him at last, notice his sacrifice, look past the appearances and their enmity. He wants Harry to acknowledge his constant presence and protection. It may also mean: ‘Look at me, look what your mother, your father, Voldemort, Dumbledore, you have done to me. Look how the world treats me, look how JKR treats me.’
I can only hope everyone can see Snape now. His absence speaks louder than words.