The Controversy of Snape
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FACULTY OF EDUCATION AND BUSINESS STUDIES Department of Humanities The Controversy of Snape A transactional reader response analysis of Severus Snape and why he divides readers of the Harry Potter book series Emma Östberg 2020 Student Thesis, C Essay, 15 CR English Literature English (61-90) Supervisor: Iulian Cananau Examiner: Marko Modiano Abstract How can a character from a children’s book become so divisive that he causes arguments amongst adults? This essay uses transactional reader response theory to explain the reason why the character Severus Snape from the Harry Potter book series by J.K. Rowling is so controversial. Applying notions from reader response theorists such as Rosenblatt and Iser together with earlier research on Snape will show how the reader’s opinion is affected by both the text itself and their own personal experience. A poll was created and posted on Facebook with over a thousand replies. This data is analysed and used to apply the theory on real examples. The conclusion of the essay is that Snape is both good and bad. He acts heroically but is also vindictive and petty. Snape is perhaps the most human of all Rowling’s characters and each reader recognises a little of themselves in him that they can relate to. Because of ongoing arguments regarding Snape readers have to constantly defend their opinion. As the opinion is re-evaluated it is also strengthened each time readers reconsider the story of Snape and, like Snape himself once asked Professor Quirrell to do, decide where their loyalties lie. Keywords: Severus Snape, Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling, Transactional Reader Response Theory, Reader Response Criticism, Louise Rosenblatt, Wolfgang Iser Acknowledgments This essay came to life under rather special circumstances. It was written in the middle of a more or less worldwide Covid-19 quarantine during a warm and sunny spring that will not soon be forgotten by anyone. I want to extend a huge thank you to my tutor Iulian Cananau for being there (at a virus safe distance of 1800 km or so) supporting me throughout the process. Thank you to my friends and family, especially my personal proof-reader Karin. You all probably know more about Snape and reader response theory by now than you ever expected to. Special thanks to the 1,068 enthusiastic Harry Potter readers who responded to my poll. You gave me an abundance of valuable input and I wish I could have used it all! Last but not least to my husband Jonas, who spent many hours entertaining our quarantined children so I could finish this: I could not have done it without you. Thank you. “The first reading of some literary work is often, to the literary, an experience so momentous that only experiences of love, religion, or bereavement can furnish a standard of comparison. Their whole consciousness is changed. They have become what they were not before.” – C.S. Lewis Emma Östberg Prettingen, Luxemburg, June 2020 Table of Contents Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 1 The Divisive Character of Severus Snape ........................................................................................... 1 Theory ....................................................................................................................................... 3 Reader Response Criticism .................................................................................................................. 3 The Constance School and Transactional Reader Response Theory .................................................. 4 Reading Styles ..................................................................................................................................... 5 Criticism .............................................................................................................................................. 7 Discussion ................................................................................................................................. 7 Snape through J.K. Rowling ................................................................................................................ 7 Snape through Harry Potter ............................................................................................................... 10 “Always” ........................................................................................................................................... 15 Snape through the Reader .................................................................................................................. 18 Conclusion .............................................................................................................................. 23 Works Cited ............................................................................................................................ 26 Primary Literature ............................................................................................................................. 26 Secondary Literature ......................................................................................................................... 26 Appendices .............................................................................................................................. 28 Appendix A: ...................................................................................................................................... 28 Appendix B: ....................................................................................................................................... 30 1 Introduction The Divisive Character of Severus Snape Few characters in children’s literature leave readers as opinionated as Severus Snape. He is arguably one of J.K. Rowling’s most controversial characters. Neither inherently good nor purely evil, Snape is perhaps both - or neither. Fans of the Harry Potter books tend to be of very different opinions as to where on the spectrum from good to evil Snape belongs. Some see him as a misunderstood hero whilst to others he is the devil incarnate. There are of course also those who can see both aspects of his personality. Regardless of what their opinion is, most readers seem to have a strong one. Snape is a hotly debated topic on fan forums, as discussed by Rebecca Ågren and Lina Holst. They state that “Det är en diskussion som ofta kräver av fansen att de ska välja sida och där valet anses medföra en bestämd subjektsposition. (It is a discussion which often demands that fans choose a side, where the choice results in a set position) (54)”. This means that once a side is chosen, all other characters and events are seen in the light of which ‘side’ the person is on. Ågren and Holst chose to call them ‘anti Snape’ and ‘Snape fans’ whilst those on the fence are called ‘neutral Snape fans’ (p. 49). These terms will be the ones used henceforth. It is important for the purpose of any discussion on Snape that all participants are aware of the true nature of his role. A scene takes place in the final book in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, where Snape finally tells Harry about his background and the motives for his actions. The reader finds out that Snape was working for Dumbledore and has done so ever since the death of Harry’s parents. Until then readers of the book generally dislike Snape, seeing him as a villain. Many opinions were changed after the disclosure that he had secretly been working for Dumbledore for years, trying his best to protect Harry. In a poll conducted on Facebook the respondents’ rated Snape at an average of 3,46 on a scale of 1 2 to 10 when questioned how well they liked him before knowing the full story. The average score after everything was known went up to 6.11 (Appendix A). In the same poll the respondents were divided in their opinion on Snape, but more united in the strength of their conviction. Almost 40% placed themselves at an 8 or above on a scale from 1 to 10, 10 being the strongest possible. Only 8.3% felt that their feelings were no stronger than a 2 on the same scale (Appendix A). Using transactional reader-response theory (TRRT), this essay will attempt to explain why the opinions on Severus Snape are so diverse. Although it will touch upon the subject, examining Snape himself as a character is not within the scope of this essay. The main focus will be on the books and the act of reading them. It will examine what parts of the text serve as a guidance and what parts do the opposite and hide the truth from the reader. Both of these invite reactions and can evoke certain responses, helping the reader form an opinion of the text. An analysis will be made on what makes readers react very differently to the same text. In TRRT one of the fundamental beliefs is that the text guides the reader and therefore impacts on their reception. It is that viewpoint that will form the basis of the theoretical framework for the discussion of the readers’ response to Snape. There are some main events in the book usually on the agenda when debating Snape and his actions. These will be specified and analysed in the discussion section from a position where all plot twists are already known. The readers’ response to Snape will be examined from four different perspectives, all using TRRT. Consideration will be paid to the text itself and the author’s intention. This will be done by analysing how the text affects the reader. In section two, the main protagonist Harry Potter and his