Harry Potter fans help me out here

[Gizmo1990]

I have been re reading the books recently. I have not done so since I was alot younger and I have not had the best opinion of them but I am bored and I have nothing else to read at the moment and with the exception of Ron I have actually found myself enjoying them a bit and I understand why so many people still enjoy them.

But no matter how much I try I cannot understand why anyone likes Snape. Either I am missing something or I misread something but Snape is a stalker who would have happily seen an innocent man and child die if it ment saving the woman he has been obsessed with since he was a small boy not to mention the fact that the way he delt with her 'rejection' (that is in quotes as he never actualy told her how he felt if I recall) by joining a death cult led by a crazy, mass murdering hypocryte who was hell bent on ruling the world and mass genocide.

How is that in any way likable?

 

[senordesol]

Maybe because he's willing to give up everything to make amends?

Compared to Harry; Snape got the short end of a lot of collective sticks. Not only that, but he had to make way harder decisions than Harry did.

In short: despite being everything Harry and his Father were not (i.e.: 'perfect'), he was the greatest influence in turning the tide against Moldybutt.

 

[Scarim Coral]

I dunno, I just felt he was one of the sympathic characters like Mr Freeze since he had a sad childhood and Harry mom was the sunshine of his life despite she didn't felt the same way toward him.
Yes I'm aware that he was a stalker and I guess the whole joining Voldermort group was like given in to his dark side. Granted upon her death he pretty much he pretty much risk and give up everything to do the next best thing, to saved her child whose she love deeply despite his altitude toward him at times. He was somewhat trying to redeem himself I guess since he faile to saved her.

 

[Evonisia]

I didn't really start liking Snape until Order of the Phoenix. He was still being a dick as always, but by Order of the Phoenix Harry had just become a little ***** that actually needed to be put in his place. Then there's Half-Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows which act as a one-two punch of revealing his utmost dedication and expert secrecy (well, within universe obviously). I actually don't think the Deathly Hallows films did Snape justice, it lacked the impact of just how calm his book scenes seem despite the intense shit going on around and in the scene (especially the plot twist about the Elder Wand).

Full disclosure: I despise how the Elder Wand was basically forgotten in the Deathly Hallows films, since they act as such a big part of both Snape's presence and the final battle.

 

[Cidward]

Snape's appealing for the same reason a lot of anti-heroes and villains who do a heel-face are appealing. From the point in the first book when he's revealed as NOT the cardboard black hat of the series, but as more of a benign antagonist who can at times be helpful in unexpected ways, he's a factor in the story that isn't entirely predictable. He's usually operating on motives that Harry (and by extension the reader) either misread or aren't fully in on, and therefore makes the parts of the story that function as mysteries (and I generally enjoy the mystery aspect of an HP book quite a lot) much more engaging and fun to play along with. And he does this without feeling like a cheat, because it comes from a place of character that makes sense once you know his side of things.

I like him because he's a character who brings much-needed conflict to the story, basically. I'm not sure I like him as a person, but find him pretty understandable, and the personal risks he took as a long-term double-agent are admirable to me, given that he got basically no credit and a lot of suspicion up until the end.

 

[CymbaIine]

I have been re reading the books recently. I have not done so since I was alot younger and I have not had the best opinion of them but I am bored and I have nothing else to read at the moment and with the exception of Ron I have actually found myself enjoying them a bit and I understand why so many people still enjoy them.

But no matter how much I try I cannot understand why anyone likes Snape. Either I am missing something or I misread something but Snape is a stalker who would have happily seen an innocent man and child die if it ment saving the woman he has been obsessed with since he was a small boy not to mention the fact that the way he delt with her 'rejection' (that is in quotes as he never actualy told her how he felt if I recall) by joining a death cult led by a crazy, mass murdering hypocryte who was hell bent on ruling the world and mass genocide.

How is that in any way likable?

I can't help you as I completely agree with you. Bullying 11 year old kids is not cool no matter how douchey their Dad was. I don't think he has a single redeeming feature. I disagree with the idea that he is either a anti-hero or a character on a redemption arc. He was a twatbag who was motivated solely by his obsession with his childhood crush.