Just a little Snape musing...

[valis2]

rickfan37 did her own build-a-snape here and mentioned this really excellent point:

Here’s the Urbane!Snape myth again. I don’t know, and we’re given no clue in canon. I simply don’t believe he’s a closet opera buff and spends his spare time humming along to great arias, or that he can quote Dante or Shakespeare at will.

It really made me think of something new. I've always been a bit apprehensive about fics where Snape quotes Byron and listens to Bach.

I think what really is happening is that giving Snape these "pretentious" hobbies is a way for an inexperienced writer to "shorthand" their characterization of him, because in just a sentence of quoting/playing classical music, they set him up (in their minds) as a certain sort of character, aloof, mysterious, educated, etc. It's a short-cut.

The thing is, the sort of character they're trying to develop is not canon. Snape is a pure-blood, and would most likely know very little, if anything, about the Muggle world (his matchbox comment notwithstanding). And I'm certain that most pure-bloods wouldn't want to involve themselves in any sort of Muggle-world scrutiny.

So authors who attempt this short-cut are really doing canon a disservice, when what they really need to do is discover what would make him an aloof, mysterious, and educated character in Rowling's world.

Just my little musing for the moment.

Comments

[jedirita.livejournal.com]

Here via Daily Snitch, and while I generally agree with the problem of "shorthanding" characterizations, I have two points to make:

1) I do not buy the claim that pureblood wizards will have nothing to do with Muggle culture. Another commentator earlier said this better than I ever could, but I do think this is one of those fanon notions that people start thinking are canon.

2) If Snape doesn't read fine Muggle literature or listen to Muggle operas (and I'm not saying he has to), then what *are* his hobbies? Me, I like to think he has an interest in geology. And cribbage.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Hi there.

1) Yes, you are most likely correct, that there is no 100% isolation possible. I really think that most pure-blood wizards will avoid Muggle things on a general basis, but there probably is some cross-pollination somewhere.

To be honest, I was a little strident in my entry, and I never expected it to show up on daily_snitch. Normally I do not say "It is this way" or "that way"; I usually leave room for error. I wrote a long entry on fanfiction a week or two ago and I mentioned that quoting from Muggle works and such can be done, but it should be carefully considered first and carefully implemented.

2) I'm not certain if he has any room for hobbies right now...too many extracurricular activities...but anything's possible. ;) He could be a fan of curling, for all we know.

[jedirita.livejournal.com]

I never expected it to show up on daily_snitch.

Heheh. That's the problem, isn't it? One time I posted a half-joking prediction about HBP, and it got snitched, and all these people started showing up, giving these serious responses.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

I would have toned it down a bit had I known beforehand. It was one of those afternoons where I was bored and had read a few too many Suave!Snape stories...

[gillieweed.livejournal.com]

OH just you wait now until you start reading all those new fics about Curling!Snape. Well it does involve brooms, after all!

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Hahaha...oh dear. He would look cute, though, on skates, with a little felt hat...

[jedirita.livejournal.com]

By the way, I meant to ask: what's the matchbox quote?

[valis2.livejournal.com]

At some point in the books...I think it's the CoS duel...he doesn't want Ron to duel because someone will be sent to the Infirmary in a matchbox, because of Ron's faulty wand. I think. I haven't double checked this, it's just off the top of my head.

Anyway, the point is, why would he know what a matchbox is? According to some people it is proof that he knows about the Muggle world.

PS: Love your icon. I am very into jellyfish and it's beautiful.

Matchbox quote

[bell-witch.livejournal.com]

In the movie "Chamber of Secrets", Snape nixes Lockhart's 'volunteer pair' of Potter and Weasley because of Ron's broken wand, saying that they'll have to send Potter to the hospital wing in a matchbox. In the book, it's Neville Longbottom that he's insulting, although he still makes the matchbox comment.

Re: Matchbox quote

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Oh, thank you so much...couldn't quite remember it, and CoS is lurking somewhere out of reach at this second.