Blog post 2

The couple of the major themes that the Half-Blood Prince made me reassess were coming of age and empathy. The character that really made me think was Snape. Throughout the whole series Snape loyalty has been questioned by almost every character besides Dumbledore. Despite Dumbledore's unwavering trust I think it is fair to say that we all had our susptions. I feel that the Half-Blood Prince was Snape's
Coming of age book. In the beginning of HBP we witness Snape make an unbreakable vow and pledge his elegance to Lord Voldemort. I think this was a scene we had almost been anticipating but hoped it never would come. However, throughout HBP we praise
and accept the Princes' wisdom and instruction. It is when Snape kills Dumbledore that we fully exerpience and
understand what Snape is. He comes into himself as the most evil character in the series. I believe that he is as bad as Voldemort himself for the treachery he committed. Then with the information about being the Half-Blood Prince it is as though we again expose a new side of Snape. The other thing that is the most disturbing to me is Snape's lack of empathy. Here he is standing in front of the man that gave him everything. That opened all the doors to him that had been closed, that saved him from a terrible fate, that's begging him for his life and he kills him. I think that scene takes Rowling's theme of empathy to a shocking low. For as much skepticism there was in Snape no one could predict that kind of cruelty. It also shows how similar Harry could have been like these terrible characters if it weren't for his own resilience and empathy.