Hey, Mike! I'm glad you're jumping in here, since I was quoting you. When you say, he was working for Lily's murderer right up until she was slated to be murdered. I'd call that a betrayal, wouldn't you? , I answer, "Yes. Of course I would, and I have. I think I have in this same conversation." But -
I realize, from your blog (and it's really clever, and I enjoy it), that you have not read all these books as of yet. If Sev betrays Lily, she also betrays him, and her betrayal comes before his.* Before this betrayal, there is no evidence in the text itself that Sev is fascinated by the Dark Arts. It's all hearsay - and hearsay provided by people who are strongly biased against him. There is only weak evidence that he is prejudiced against Muggleborns - and no evidence at all, before the seventh book, that he is prejudiced against Muggles. As Oryx has pointed out, if you focus on what Severus actually does and not on what he says, he comes across as pretty heroic and selfless. There is all kinds of symbolism in the text, too, pointing toward a heroic Severus. But-
I agree with you COMPLETELY that Rowling dropped the ball on this, and on so many other things as well. That's the point of this post, really. She deals with really serious subjects - or apparently tries to - and she deals with them so badly that it's actually offensive. On this, at least, I think we agree.
*(Brief summary, in case you don't manage to force your way through book 5, as well as book 6 and 7: The Marauders torment Sev, without reason, for five solid years. This culminates in their trying to feed him to a werewolf. When Sev tries to tell Lily what happens, she ignores him and sides with his tormenters. After this conversation, they haze him in public - she sides with them again - and he snaps and calls her "Mudblood". Not good, but, as Oryx Leucoryx says, almost understandable. And he does try to apolgize for it. One more thing I'd like to mention: Severus risks his life begging for Lily's from Voldemort. We know that Voldemort tortures and kills his supporters when they anger him; we also know they are killed if they try to leave. We don't know that Severus knows Voldemort's anti-Muggleborn/Muggle agenda when he joins, nor do we ever find out to what extent he ever agrees with it.
no subject
I realize, from your blog (and it's really clever, and I enjoy it), that you have not read all these books as of yet. If Sev betrays Lily, she also betrays him, and her betrayal comes before his.* Before this betrayal, there is no evidence in the text itself that Sev is fascinated by the Dark Arts. It's all hearsay - and hearsay provided by people who are strongly biased against him. There is only weak evidence that he is prejudiced against Muggleborns - and no evidence at all, before the seventh book, that he is prejudiced against Muggles. As Oryx has pointed out, if you focus on what Severus actually does and not on what he says, he comes across as pretty heroic and selfless. There is all kinds of symbolism in the text, too, pointing toward a heroic Severus. But-
I agree with you COMPLETELY that Rowling dropped the ball on this, and on so many other things as well. That's the point of this post, really. She deals with really serious subjects - or apparently tries to - and she deals with them so badly that it's actually offensive. On this, at least, I think we agree.
*(Brief summary, in case you don't manage to force your way through book 5, as well as book 6 and 7: The Marauders torment Sev, without reason, for five solid years. This culminates in their trying to feed him to a werewolf. When Sev tries to tell Lily what happens, she ignores him and sides with his tormenters. After this conversation, they haze him in public - she sides with them again - and he snaps and calls her "Mudblood". Not good, but, as Oryx Leucoryx says, almost understandable. And he does try to apolgize for it. One more thing I'd like to mention: Severus risks his life begging for Lily's from Voldemort. We know that Voldemort tortures and kills his supporters when they anger him; we also know they are killed if they try to leave. We don't know that Severus knows Voldemort's anti-Muggleborn/Muggle agenda when he joins, nor do we ever find out to what extent he ever agrees with it.