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Thoughts this morning.
I think that part of the reason I'm so into the HP series is because some of the backstory has been withheld.
Yes, she is a good writer, but I don't think I would be anywhere near as interested if it wasn't a bit of a puzzle. I want to know things like what made Sirius different from the rest of his family, and did it have anything to do with the other Marauders and how did Voldemort convince Peter to betray his friends and who really makes the donuts. I can conjecture endlessly in my head about these things, and it's quite fun, but nothing compares to learning the canon truth, and the next two books will tell us more, I hope. It's definitely the mental puzzle that sustains my interest, and I love that there are so many characters to wonder about. Though I really hope that her backstory is worth the years that it has taken to get to it. I swear, if book seven consists of "Snape sacrifices himself nobly and Harry Potter knocks Voldemort down with a big beam of lurve and then everybody has a parade because they're both dead" I will be quite cross.
After the Matrix Reloaded came out, I nearly drove myself mad thinking about the first two movies and what would happen in the third. I thought over and over again about the Architect's speech, and it was a fabulous little puzzle. I loved thinking about it. I have nearly that same feeling, only it is much more character-oriented.
I really want to begin chapter 61...I think I have a good beginning, which is the hardest part. Once I psyche myself enough to start it (usually) seems to go from there. So as long as this turnip idea holds I should be able to begin without too much difficulty.
I don't want to leave the apartment...the weather is awful, and I know it's going to take forever to get to work...I almost called it. My commute is 45 minutes, usually, because of traffic, but with today's weather it's going to be an hour and a half at least. *sigh* At least I usually end up driving in with my sister, which is much more entertaining. Well, have a great day, flist, and I'll see you tonight.
Yes, she is a good writer, but I don't think I would be anywhere near as interested if it wasn't a bit of a puzzle. I want to know things like what made Sirius different from the rest of his family, and did it have anything to do with the other Marauders and how did Voldemort convince Peter to betray his friends and who really makes the donuts. I can conjecture endlessly in my head about these things, and it's quite fun, but nothing compares to learning the canon truth, and the next two books will tell us more, I hope. It's definitely the mental puzzle that sustains my interest, and I love that there are so many characters to wonder about. Though I really hope that her backstory is worth the years that it has taken to get to it. I swear, if book seven consists of "Snape sacrifices himself nobly and Harry Potter knocks Voldemort down with a big beam of lurve and then everybody has a parade because they're both dead" I will be quite cross.
After the Matrix Reloaded came out, I nearly drove myself mad thinking about the first two movies and what would happen in the third. I thought over and over again about the Architect's speech, and it was a fabulous little puzzle. I loved thinking about it. I have nearly that same feeling, only it is much more character-oriented.
I really want to begin chapter 61...I think I have a good beginning, which is the hardest part. Once I psyche myself enough to start it (usually) seems to go from there. So as long as this turnip idea holds I should be able to begin without too much difficulty.
I don't want to leave the apartment...the weather is awful, and I know it's going to take forever to get to work...I almost called it. My commute is 45 minutes, usually, because of traffic, but with today's weather it's going to be an hour and a half at least. *sigh* At least I usually end up driving in with my sister, which is much more entertaining. Well, have a great day, flist, and I'll see you tonight.
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I do think there will be some sort of 'Harry wins because he has love' thing, because that's been pretty obviously hinted at, but I personally hope it is more about compassion. As a beginner Buddhist, I find compassion to be the most important thing, and probably the hardest thing to actually do. Harry needs to learn compassion. And forgiveness. He's sympathetic and all, but he needs to learn compassion for people like Snape, I think.
Possibly reading way too much into it, but that's part of the beauty of the books.
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As an Orthodox Christian, I absolutely agree. Compassion is the heart of love.
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My exact feeling about the HP series. They are very good children's books, but they also have that "puzzle" thing and unrevealed backstory that make them so irresistible to all kind of readers too. Most characters are very rich and multifaceted, such as Lupin and Snape. Even Dumbledore who should be The Gooddie and Almighty par execellence, has a complex personality and certain weakness, as we can see in his feelings towards Harry. I think the evolution of all characters are very good. We can see a very teenage Harry in crisis who is realizing the true nature of his condition, a more mature and serene Hermione, a Draco who is growing from a simple school bully into a seriously dangerous young man.
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I love how much depth you can get from two characters who don't even have a lot of "screen time", and what screen time we have with them is obscured further by being seen through the eyes of a teenage boy. I can't wait to learn more about the Snape, though I have this icky feeling that it will all be about Lily. I'd rather have his Change (?) to the Light side brought about by something else, such as growing a conscience, then by a hidden love for Lily, myself.
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I love how much depth you can get from two characters who don't even have a lot of "screen time"
Yeah, the way JK Rowling manages that is one of her strong points. And as regards Snape, I don't have that "icky feeling" about Snape/Lily (I wouldn't like this was the "solution" of Snape's enigma either). I think that Snape is as mean and resentful as he seems and that he joined Voldemort out of thirst for power, hate and grudge against everybody who humiliated him throughout his life. It's because I think this that I'm so on tenterhooks to know why Snape is on Dumbledore's side now. I hope it is because he still has some integrity left. Gods, how I love this character...
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Oh, yes. This is canon!Snape in my mind as well. And like you say, I am also bursting to find out why Ddore trusts him.
I am of two minds about his current role:
a) He genuinely regretted something that happened, and came to Ddore because he was so angry about it, and is determined to knock Voldemort down a few pegs. He continues his life as it was, though he understands the danger he is in now, and he's a brave, brave man, though twisted.
b) He felt honor-bound to protect the Potters because they were in danger and he owed James a life-debt, which began his espionage. And then James was killed, so the life-debt went to Harry, which pretty much enraged Snape. So now all of the danger he went through is useless, and Voldemort is still out there. So he continues to spy on Voldemort because he knows he needs someone else in his court because Voldemort might not make it out alive, and Snape is a survivor. He uses Ddore to avoid prison and waits for Voldemort to come back. His main motivation is attempting to honor the life-debt once and for all and getting in on both sides so that he will be okay no matter who wins.
I'd like to think that he has integrity too. He has some internal set of morals, definitely.
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As regards your two theories, well, I think the two things are not mutually exclusive, but personally, I share the first one. I think he joined Voldemort willingly but things didn't turn out as he expected and then, as you say, He genuinely regretted something that happened, and came to Ddore because he was so angry about it. So, here is Snape now, serving the Light and the Dark, caught between the Devil and the deep blue sea, trying to survive. And, as you say too, he's a very brave yet twisted wizard.
I think there's something about a life-debt, too, but I don't know to what extent it is significant or not too Snape's behaviour. It's another puzzle in our beloved Potions Master's story.
Teehee, it's so funny to have someone to share your HP musings with!
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Exactly. And honestly, overall, I'm less intrigued by Harry and the students than I am with Lupin, and Peter, and Snape, and Sirius, and the older generation. I'm fascinated with the backstory and how things came to be how they are, and I'm fascinated with character. There are so many unanswered questions, and it's fun to come up with theories, but like you said, nothing compares to having something solid and saying there.... this is how it was, this is the actual explanation.
And yes, if the backstory is blah or nonexistent, I shall be unimpressed. Though, I do thing we'll be getting quite a bit of it, considering that every time she's asked if she'll be writing a prequel, she says that the final two books should give us all the backstory we'll need.
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Oh, I am so with you on that. I really am not too interested in the kids anymore since I discovered fandom. I'm much more into the Severus and, quite recently, the Remus. They're damaged, and yet, still functioning, and I want to know all the whys and hows.
I really hope that it is something stupendous. She keeps saying that no one's really guessed it, that she's only seen something similar done in one or two fanfics, but no one's really gotten to the heart of it. Well, we'll be one step closer on 7-16.
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Hope you got to work and back safely - take care!
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I hope that the backstory will satisfy. I really hope that she goes into detail about the adults as well as the kids, and that we find out all the juicy details!