Snapedom

Finally! I'm so glad that I found something that articulated exactly why the direction the whole series took bothered me so much. I've always liked Snape as I've always liked prickly or unlikeable characters. They always seem more real and more understandable than the hero who is sometimes almost saint-like. I'm glad I'm not the only person who was kind of shocked to hear Rowling characterize Dumbledore as basically the epitome of good. While I wouldn't call him an evil character, I'd hardly think of him as role model. I was disappointed by the failure to address issues like the treatment of children like Snape, who unlike Harry is not too pleasant, and the house system, which seems to set up one house as inherently bad. I always felt a disconnect with how she drove home the message of not being prejudiced, but then Snape is totally shafted. Given that real life is full of people like Snape, people who have never really gotten a fair start and who are quite unpleasant, though not bad people, it seems like a poor example for children. It's like saying don't be mean to people like that, but don't go out of your way to empathize or in any way give then one good, honest chance. Like it just seems to leave him in limbo, which to me just mirrored how society always treat people like that. We are led to pity him, which is shabby replacement for respect. Basic respect might have gone a long way with him.