[HPforGrownups] In defense of Snape (not really)

[JamiDeise at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 19352

In a message dated 5/24/2001 9:09:23 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
bohners at pobox.com writes:

<< Liking Snape -- well, perhaps I shouldn't say liking, as he's really not
 very likeable.  Let's say, having high hopes for Snape -- as a character
 does not necessitate approving of, explaining away, or ignoring his bad
 qualities and cruel actions.  I think there may be *reasons* for the way he
 treats Neville and for what he says to Hermione, but they are not *excuses*.
 
 Imagine a situation where you go into work and one of your coworkers, who
 has always seemed like a depressed and bitter kind of individual to begin
 with, is particularly nasty that day.  He says a lot of things that really
 hurt people's feelings and he comes down hard on anyone who makes a mistake
 in his presence.  Now, his behaviour is wrong no matter what the
 circumstances; there's no explanation that can make his cruelty to others
 justifiable.  But would it or would it not change your view of the matter
 somewhat if you knew that his mother had just died? >>

Definitely. But there's been enough hints, especially in PoZ, that Snape has 
always been this way. And for whatever his reasons, being cruel to children 
is simply indefensible in my book. No matter what his circumstances in 
earlier life, there are always choices. Let me quote from the wisdom of Albus 
Dumbledore:

(CoS) .... "Yet the Sorting Hat placed you in Gryffindor. You know why that 
was. Think."
    "It only put me in Gryffindor," said Harry in a defeated voice, "because 
I asked not to go in Slytherin ..."
    "Exactly," said Dumbledore, beaming once more. "Which makes you very 
different from Tom Riddle. It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly 
are, far more than our abilities." 

>From GoF ...."  You place too much importance, and you always have done, on 
the so-called purity of blood! You fail to recognize that it matters not what 
someone is born, but what they grow to be!"  

I do hope that as the series unfolds, Snape will develop more compassion. 
Certainly by turning his back on Voldemort, he has shown the ability to 
recognize the errors of his ways. 

Jami