Dear Ms. Rowling: What About My "Good Guy" Syndrome?

[rattlesnakeroot]

Dear Ms. Rowling:
I've been thinking about this view you have of Snape Fans and their "Bad Boy" Syndrome, and the fact that it "heartens" you to see us on the forums, still arguing and cat-fighting after Book Seven.

Please - walk a mile in my shoes sometimes and tell me how fun it is!

Let me introduce you to my "Good Guy Syndrome."

The Snape haters

Comments

[potionsmistres]

Nicely put. I think Snape shows that somebody doesn't have to be the Golden Boy to be a hero. While JKR is entitled to her own opinions, I think she has let herself become influenced by her own history and her dislike of one of her teachers (of course, that guy is probably laughing all the way to the fandom bank). I think James and Sirius were heroes, after they grew up (well, at least some). But they still had their faults--Sirius for example still called Snape "Snivellus." JKR makes no bones about these two being imperfect--in fact, is there such a thing as a perfect hero? No. But I find it to be rather distressing that while she sees James and Sirius as heroes, she doesn't recognize Snape as the hero he really is. Yes, she says he's brave, but she also can't let go of the fact that he was not a nice person. Well, James and Sirius were no angels either, yet she seems perfectly happy to forgive them their faults. And the whole house-rivalry in general bothers me. Snape proved you don't have to be in Gryffindor to be brave, and yet in the epilogue of DH, you can see that the rivalry still exists. What happened to the whole "united we stand, divided we fall" sentiment of the Sorting Hat? Anyway, enough ranting.