[HPFGU-OTChatter] Re: The morality question

[Shaun Hately]

On 19 Mar 2003 at 0:19, jrober4 at bellsouth.net wrote:

> Melpomene wrote:
> 
> Re: Lying
> 
> The issue of the heros lying and breaking rules and getting away with 
> it or even being rewarded for it has been discussed quite a bit here 
> and you'll find valid arguments on both sides. I happen to be in the 
> camp that thinks that although their hearts are in the right place 
> they could indeed use some more firm handed direction. I'm also STILL 
> waiting for Harry to thank Snape for saving his skin on more than one 
> occassion. I won't hold my breath. But hey, as I've said here before 
> I make my kids write Thank-you note for gifts so some folks here 
> probably think I have a little office right off Snape's dungeon where 
> we think up awful, unfair things that kids should have to do to be 
> considered civilized.

I've spent some of the last few days tracking down addresses, e-mails and snail-mail for 
a bunch of my old teachers - including some whom I think were rather Snape-like in 
many ways, and *finally* writing thank you letters to them - in some cases, 15 years after 
they taught me.

One of them wrote me a reply, which I obviously can't quote here. Now this guy was a 
teacher I more or less hated at school (and a friend who knew me at the time cannot 
believe I wrote to thank him because in her opinion, this teacher sounded positively evil, 
and a child abuser - I disagree but seriously I did hate him for what I felt were very 
sound reasons at 13), but very recently my opinion had changed. Anyway, briefly, in his 
reply he mentioned that a couple of times a year he either gets an e-mail like mine, or a 
letter or a phone call, or meets an ex-pupil who thanks him (as he taught at least 60  
boys each discrete year that isn't really that high a number) and it means a *lot* to him. 
But he has never wanted to be thanked by boys while they were still boys - it happens 
and it can be gratifying, but it's not all that important.

I'm not sure where I'm going with this - maybe to say, that while I too would like to see 
Harry thank Snape for what he has done, I'm not sure it's a reasonable thing to expect. 
Even if Harry intellectually realised that Snape had saved his life and decided to thank 
him for it, to me that would be Harry doing what he knows to be right, rather than what 
he *believes* to be right - just like writing a letter of thanks just because your parents 
make you (-8 

It's polite, it's good manners - but it really doesn't mean much at all (not that I am saying 
it shouldn't happen - I think politeness and good manners are worthwhile things and can 
be taught, rather than having to come from inside).

Personally, I think Snape deserves a lot more than a pro-forma apology (I also believe 
he deserves to be tarred and feathered for some of the other things he did - it's possible 
to admire the man for some actions and despise him for others), and at the moment I 
think pro-forma is all he could ever get from Harry - at least Harry at the stage of 
maturity evident at the end of GoF (although he's getting closer).

Yours Without Wax, Dreadnought
Shaun Hately |webpage: http://www.alphalink.com.au/~drednort/thelab.html
(ISTJ)       |email: drednort at alphalink.com.au | ICQ: 6898200

                       "Almighty Ruler of the all;
                 Whose power extends to great and small;
                 Who guides the stars with steadfast law;
                   Whose least creation fills with awe;
                     Oh grant thy mercy and thy grace;
                     To those who venture into space."