10 Ways Fandom Has Fucked Canon!Snape Up the Ass With Mischaracterization

[schmevil]

ETA: Just to clarify, because a lot of people are reacting the same way. I'm talking about what I see as inaccurate base characterizations, i.e. what makes up the bedrock of a personality. I'm not talking about secondary or learnerd/acquired traits. So, Snape can be a bastard and like books, but he's not a bastard because he likes books.In no

Comments

[lilith_morgana]

Lovely rant.

While I like a Snape who makes some sense I also want people to mix that with a large amount of pure hatred, vindictiveness, paranoia and general idiocy. Because even if Snape has a masterplan somewhere inside his head, he's likely to fuck it up anyway, because Sirius Black aside, he's the most emotionally cramped, stubborn little asshole in canon.

Which is why we all love him.

[schmevil]

Yes! I want a story with evil-Ravenclaw!Snape where he decides he's going to rule the world but screws up completely and ends up in Azkaban. *g*

[tinderblast]

I massively agree with just about everything, particularly THERE'S A REASON WHY HIS HAIR IS GREASY! stories that desperately try to prove how and why the grease mysteriously found it's way into Snape's otherwise pristine world. And, like others, I don't mind reading versions of these cliches when they're utilised in funny or interesting ways (no, it can happen, really).

But. I can't completely agree with #3. There's just something really deeply, innately pervy about Snape. His sexuality would have been deformed from years of being an outcast, he's like an aesthete, a nerd, and a wanna-be hard man all rolled into one. None of which would make him likely to have a partner, and would probably generate in him all kinds of voyeurestic, pervy tendencies.

Here's the thing, Snape trusts no one. He certainly doesn't trust anyone enough to explore his kinks with them. Go on, let's see some evidence that Snape would ever be comfortable expressing masochism. Or even that he'd be comfortable with sexual sadism. I dare you. Kink requires trust

[schmevil]

The thing about exploring kink, is that sensible people don't choose someone like Snape to play with because he's dangerous, in a most emphatically not-good way. His lack of control would ruin the fun for both of them because he wouldn't be able to stay in the game. Sex is supposed to be fun and most people, even those who are very much into the BDSM scene aren't interested in actual drama whilst fucking. Snape might try to find a partner, but it would be a difficult search, physical attractiveness aside.

Also, voyeurism is non-consensual. It doesn't require finding a partner, or opening oneself up to scorn in any way. It's the opposite of the kind of kink I was vilifying.

[pauraque]

His lack of control would ruin the fun for both of them because he wouldn't be able to stay in the game.

This is absolutely dead-on. And you've put your finger on something that most fan writers seem not to get -- BDSM is very much a game, with rules.

late in the game to reply, but ...

[tinderblast]

I don't know, I wasn't actually thinking of bdsm as I don't know much about it, I was just trying to contextualise Snape within other broad forms of behaviour. I tihnk that we also have slightly different definitions of kink, as I meant it quite broadly, where Snape could be exploring it in any number of ways as long as they were sexually oriented and offbeat.

Also, voyeurism is non-consensual. It doesn't require finding a partner, or opening oneself up to scorn in any way. It's the opposite of the kind of kink I was vilifying.

That's a really interesting point, and one that I hadn't thought about much. Yet it's exactly what I meant - there's something about his personality that suggests this kind of possibility.

-brodie

[oktober_ghost]

The last paragraph completely capped off the rant, sort of like a pair of green olives in a dry vodka martini. Brilliant.

[schmevil]

*bows*

Alcohol similies again? :p

[oktober_ghost]

It's really the highest compliment I can pay you. Well, I could always make up a simile or metaphor about oral sex, but my southern sensibilities won't allow that.

[schmevil]

Alcohol similies are just fine with me, and really, I'm honoured. *offers you martini*

[xandria]

Ahhh yes... love this.

I could write the same about Lucius. *weeps at fic being written about Lucius*.

Although I see two three types of fanfic (all three types I've written):

1. Canon fic, which painstakingly carries over the characterization from canon.

2. Exploratory fic, which proposes what if scenarios and explores plausible extrapolations from what is present in canon.

3. Fan fic, which is whatever the fuck goes. Most people write this. Most people don't label it AU but should.

I think some aspects of your points, if tempered somewhat and balanced could slide into 2., but it's when they're excessive with the unreal attributes that they quickly fall into 3.

Well said, well said.

Hugs.

X

[schmevil]

Oh yes, write one about Lucius. *pokes*

I think that most of my points can work if they're written as secondary personality traits. Snape's a bastard AND a lover. Snape's a bastard AND a whatever.

It's when the above takes over from the bastardness that we run into problems.

[maria_futura]

I laugh. I laugh so loud that the trees around this house bend from the forcefulness of my laugh-i-ness.

And your predatory Glory (that is Glory, isn't it?) is so adorable.

[schmevil]

It's a Glory mood set. She's precious. *g*