[HPforGrownups] Re: Harry's revenge on Snape?

[Silverthorne Dragon]

No: HPFGUIDX 90494


{Alla}

Yes, of course. Harry should learn to defend his mind against Voldy thing.

{Anne}

Yep.

{Alla}

Well, I agree with you, it is a human flaw, but where we disagree is that I
don't believe that desire to hurt Snape will lead Harry on a apth of being
manipulated by Darkness.


{Anne}

Oh No? It will lower him to Snape's level...and Voldemort's. It is, after
all, the same thought process that leads the Death Eaters to kill, maim,
torture Muggles and half-wizards...."This person is a horrid example of
humanity/wizardness--therefore they deserve to suffer, deserve whatever
horrid thing that comes their way...." Sound familiar? It should--it's the
thought process that starts the Holocosts and genocidal wars of this world
(and any other). Once you start down that path, then it becomes easier and
easier each time to excuse the 'removal' of a certain type of person, simply
because they do not follow the same social and moral rules that you
do...Snape, horrid or not, is STILL a human being, and is still a living
creature. Harry is still responsible for what he does to this human
being....and a true hero does NOT repeat the mistakes of his enemies and
oppressors...or he becomes them. Tom Riddle's story is already proof of that
in the books....and Harry is Tom's flip side...."Those that hunt
monsters...."

{Alla}

Well, we differ again. :o) As I said I don't believe that switching the
positions with Snape ( Harry having the upper hand, for once) will stop
Harry from maturing. On the contrary, I believe that it will do both of them
a lots of good.

{Anne}

I don't think it will. What I think it will do is give him 'permission' to
act as judge, jury, and executioner if he is allowed to continue feeding on
his own hurt, hate, pride and self-riteousness. It won't teach Snape a
damned thing to have the tables turned on him--James and company already did
that to him throughout his teen years, and all it did was feed Snape's
hatred. Harry continuing that will only feed Snape's (assumed by us) opinion
that Harry is truly his father's son in this. And all it will do for Harry
is teach him to be a bully like his father was....it certainly won't teach
him that most 'lightside' quality of all--the ability to forgive, even if
the person you're forgiving isn't 'worthy'. To me, that is a true
hero....anyone can dish out the same 'medicine' to another person--it takes
a much stronger, morally active person to succeed in learning not to give
into that base desire. What you're suggesting is that Harry learns true,
unadulterated hate for another being, and exercise in it....something
Voldemort himself excels in.

{Alla}

Of course, I disagree. That would be a very nice type of revenge in my book.
So far, "Uneven and self-righteous" are the words I would describe Snape's
behaviour towards Harry and I don't see why child should change his ways
before the adult does. Simply ebcause child is the main character of the
book?

{Anne}

No, because if he is truly  the *hero* of the book, I expect *Heroic*
abilities from him, including being more grown up and mature than his
nemesis, no matter whoo is older than whom. If he is the penultimate
expression of good, courage, and heroism, than I expect more than a bit of
petty revenge for hurt feelings out of him. His father made that
mistake...and look at how it shaped several people's fates....


{Alla}

If it will turn out that Snape is unable to change his ways a little bit at
least the end  (No, I don't want him to become nice suddenly, I just want
him to stop his petty revenge against the child of his chidhood enemy), I
think that he has to die saving Harry, that would be the only way he can
redeem himself in my book

{Anne}

That's truly, truly harsh and judgemental. People can be cruel and stupid,
blind and horrid...but to expect Death to be the only resolve for them
ignores the chance, no matter how slight, that they may find redemption (a
theme that most of us on the list seem to agree Snape is about to one degree
or another. Whether or not he manages it is an other issue entirely...). And
I find that even more depressing than the 'bad guy' winning in the
end--because then, the 'Lightside' itself has given into the 'Darkside's'
moral values....