"So do we get to read this thing you keep blathering about, or what?"

[rj_anderson]

A lot of people have been asking whether, after I've done my presentation for Convention Alley, I'm planning to post the complete essay and/or outline of my presentation anywhere. I know that a book of all the presenters' essays is going to be given to attendees of the convention; I'm not sure what the convenors have in mind for the papers beyond that. Hey, maybe I should just ask: sheryll, will it be OK for me to post the essay/outline here as soon as CA is over? Or do I have to wait a while before I can do that?

In any case, I can at least tell you the new working title of the presentation: it's "The Unlikely Redemption of Severus Snape".*

Also, speaking of Snape, this post goes a long way toward explaining why I find it easier and easier to understand and sympathize with Snape, whereas the more I know about Sirius, the more I want to scream and tear my hair in sheer frustration with the man. It's all about the Myers-Briggs.

Snape and I are both INTJ, so it makes perfect sense to me that he would become snappish and unpleasant when forced to deal with large groups of people all poking and prodding him to come out of his shell (indeed, his patience with the flamboyantly extroverted Dumbledore, especially over things like the Christmas cracker incident, is positively saintly in my opinion). It also makes perfect sense to me that Snape would value rational thought and argument over his feelings (or indeed anyone else's) and make most of his decisions accordingly.

But most of all I identify with Snape's very NT need to be accepted for who he is, without anyone else telling him who he ought to be or what he ought to look like. "Wash your hair, greaseball!" is NOT a good way to get an NT to conform to community standards of appearance; it's more likely to make him put extra grease in his hair for the rest of his life, or at least yours, just to prove how utterly wrong it is for society to value appearance over character. Unfortunately, as I and Snape both know, this kind of mulish disregard for the status quo also gets you bullied by the extroverted, fashionably dressed, socially adept kids at school.

Excuse me while I go and make my Snape muse a nice soothing cup of tea.

--
*Which is not, as one person thought, meant to say that I think Snape is unlikely to be redeemed. Actually, my view is that his redemption, contrary as it is to most people's expectations (and therefore "unlikely"), has already happened. Now it's just a matter of Snape learning to live as a redeemed person instead of continuing to dwell on his dark past (gosh, the theology just writes itself, here), and of people like Harry who have a low opinion of Snape's nature and intentions coming to realize that their view of him is at least partially wrong.

Comments

[serenasnape.livejournal.com]

And here am I, a lowly INFJ ... ah well, three out of four ain't bad, as Meatloaf nearly said, and it does explain why I demonstrate a certain amount of similarity to Snape, as well as being the over-emotionally-involved, empathetic type who would obviously be interested in why he is as he is!

[sabrinanymph.livejournal.com]

I've never quite figured out what I am. I've gotten INTJ sometimes, but then I get other things, so I'm confused. While I tend to think I'm more extroverted, every time I take this test I start with introverted, so I'm not really certain. I think perhaps I'm extroverted around people I'm extremely comfortable with, and introverted around everyone else, if that's possible. Because it is difficult for me to make new friends, and the like.

And here I am, rambling in your LJ, so maybe I AM extroverted after all!

Either way, I think your presentation sounds really fascinating. It is completely a view I'd have of Snape. My Mother, who is currently reading the Harry Potter books keeps saying, why Snape? As soon as she finishes I'm going to have to point her to your blog entry and say, there's why. But it'd be great if your presentation was posted somewhere so she could read that and maybe understand a bit better my strange fascination with this Potion Master.

Oh, and I'll send your Snape muse some chocolate as well, it's quite good with a cup of strong tea.

[neotoma.livejournal.com]

indeed, his patience with the flamboyantly extroverted Dumbledore, especially over things like the Christmas cracker incident, is positively saintly in my opinion

Indeed. Being a high Introvert myself, every time the extremely Extraverted Dumbledore pulls one of his little cheer-you-up jokes on Snape, I marvel that Severus hasn't set the man's beard on fire.

NTs only follow rules that make sense to them so Snape ignoring all the socal rules like "don't snarl at your coworkers" just tickles me. He's so unrepetantly himself.

And very isolated, I think, because the Wizarding World doesn't value NT types at all, and has very few places for them to be in -- Hogwarts is the closest thing to a university, and there have been no hints of commercial research positions where Snape could barricade himself in a lab and not have to deal with all those annoying and irrational other types...

[corngirl-jo.livejournal.com]

I would love it if you posted it. Poland is a barren land for Snape-lovers. if I can't be at the convention, I want to at least be able to hear what you'll have to say.

[mistraltoes.livejournal.com]

and of people like Harry who have a low opinion of Snape's nature and intentions coming to realize that their view of him is at least partially wrong.

This is actually my one real desire for the rest of the series. I can follow the books anywhere they go, as long as Harry matures enough to get a balanced, non-hostile view of Snape.

[rilina.livejournal.com]

Ah, a fellow INTJ. And I know exactly what you mean about Dumbledore--I'm sure a person like him would drive me mad.

"Wash your hair, greaseball!" is NOT a good way to get an NT to conform to community standards of appearance; it's more likely to make him put extra grease in his hair for the rest of his life, or at least yours, just to prove how utterly wrong it is for society to value appearance over character.
Again, I know exactly what you mean. There's a reason my sister bought my an alarm clock featuring the cartoon character "Madame Contraire."

[serenasnape.livejournal.com]

I get that too ... hurrah for being contrary!

[skelkins.livejournal.com]

But most of all I identify with Snape's very NT need to be accepted for who he is, without anyone else telling him who he ought to be or what he ought to look like. "Wash your hair, greaseball!" is NOT a good way to get an NT to conform to community standards of appearance; it's more likely to make him put extra grease in his hair for the rest of his life, or at least yours, just to prove how utterly wrong it is for society to value appearance over character.

Absolutely. I always test INTP on those tests (which according to one meme, apparently makes me Voldemortian, although I think that our dear Dark Lord seems much more a J than a P, myself), and I certainly share that mulish and contrarian quality when it comes to others' expectations with which I happen to disagree.

And yes, Dumbledore's attempts at jollying Snape along always make me grind my teeth as well. Most irritating, when people try to do that. I am not easily jollied either, and resent it greatly when people attempt it--and I'm a far less prickly personality than poor Severus. That Christmas cracker scene always makes me cringe.

Unfortunately, as I and Snape both know, this kind of mulish disregard for the status quo also gets you bullied by the extroverted, fashionably dressed, socially adept kids at school.

Well. Er. Yes. That is the drawback. True.

But growing up is often the best revenge. As Miss Manners once said, nobody ever gains cache at an adult dinner party by telling others about having been popular as a child. We, on the other hand, get to dine out on our childhood humiliations, which while it might not quite make up for all of the emotional scarring, nonetheless can occasionally serve as a rather grim source of satisfaction.

[neotoma.livejournal.com]

And yes, Dumbledore's attempts at jollying Snape along always make me grind my teeth as well.

It always makes me wonder when Snape is going to lash back. He seems like he's always about two steps away from boiling over when the Headmaster pulls these little amusements. I'm not as prickly as Snape, but such treatment makes me muley and snappish, too.

Frankly, I'm wondering if Snape is saving up every little wrong and once Voldemort is gone, he's going to dump them all in Dumbledore's lap and let *the Headmaster* deal with the mess -- while Snape heads off to a life of research and retirement in Maui.

[rj-anderson.livejournal.com]

I seem to be in the minority here, but I do see in Snape's attitude to Dumbledore a very real respect and a sense of indebtedness which is on the whole positive rather than negative. And I think that along with that gratitude goes a measure of indulgence when it comes to Dumbledore's wacky extroverted ways.

Snape's not going to play along with something like the Christmas cracker incident, of course -- I could see him internally rolling his eyes at that point -- but I don't think he stomped back to his room and seethed over it all afternoon, either. He knows Dumbledore by now, and he knows that Dumbledore is often frivolous, even inappropriately so, with the people around him. Irritating as that might be for Snape, I suspect he still prefers it to dealing with Voldemort.

And even though Snape surely doesn't like or agree with everything Dumbledore does, on the whole he still seems to believe that D.'s approval and respect are worth having. I don't really see him storing up festering resentment against D. the way he does against, say, the Marauders (for whom he really does carry a bone-deep, bitter hatred, even to the extent of loathing Harry for looking and apparently acting too much like James).

I really don't know what Snape will do if he survives the series and witnesses Voldemort's demise. I can't help thinking that if he does, he's going to wind up somehow connected or obligated to Harry in the end, whether either of them likes it or not. So taking off to Maui may not be an option...

[neotoma.livejournal.com]

I think Snape does respect Dumbledore, but only to a point. I can't imagine him not getting frustrated with some of Dumbledore's sillier habits, and Dumbledore's dubious decisions of the OotP must be setting off alarm bells in the man's head.

But what I think Snape really resents and wouldn't be able to forgive is the way Dumbledore cut his feet out from under him at the end of PoA, when Snape wound up looking crazy in front of Minister Fudge. I can only hope that Snape never figures out just how instrumental Dumbledore was in arranging Sirius Black's escape. knowing that the Headmaster destroyed Snape's dignity to the Minister (and *twinkled* while he did it!) would devestate Snape, especially because he trusts Dumbledore and values the man's good opinion of him.