People Changing - Harry mastering himself in HPB

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 118225


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "lupinlore" <bob.oliver at c...> wrote:
> 
> SSSusan <susiequsie23 at s...> wrote:
> > This is one of the reasons I've proposed before [and taken some 
> > grief for doing so, I might add :-)] that Harry will manage to 
> > find a way to work w/ Snape, even if Snape keeps on being a prick.  
> > ...edited...


> lupinlore:
> 
> Oh dear.  Well, I suppose that's one way to solve it, but IMO would 
> be a very unsatisfactory way indeed. A thread like Snape's cries out 
> for resolution, and I just can't see any way for that to happen 
> unless Snape either 1) changes, or 2) dies.  
> 
> ...edited...
> 
> Lupinlore

bboyminn:

I'm going to stray off on a tangent here; it has to do with how and if
people can or will change.

First, even if a bad character becomes good, that doesn't mean he will
become nice.

I too see Harry and Snape coming to an uneasy truce and have expressed
that opinion before. But just because Harry and Snape overcome or
overlook the conflicts between them doesn't mean Snape will become a
sweet easy-going happy-go-lucky smiley-face birds-chirping
flowers-blooming kind of guy. Snape's a prick, and even under the best
of circumstances, he will always be a prick, just a slightly less
hostile and more cooperative prick.

In real life I have worked with people I did not like and who did not
like me; I mean REALLY did not like. But our job wasn't to be
best-buddies or to make war, it was to get the job at hand done. So
despite our great dislike for each other, we set that aside and
focused on the job. We behaved like professionals instead of school boys.

I think Harry and Snape, once they get over the short-term Sirius
related hostilies between them, will come to understand that there is
a job to be done, and that job is not making war with each other, but
making war with Voldemort. But, that doesn't mean they will suddenly
be having a laugh while quaffing a few ales. They are never going to
like each other, but at some point they will develope a begrudging
respect for each other, and decide to peacefully co-exist. 

We can apply the same logic to other characters. Take Draco for
example, I see his fate as either becoming the next Dark Lord, or
suddenly realizing what being a Death Eater really means and wanting
no part of it. I think Draco having a totally unrealistic idealized
illusion of what it means to be a Death Eater is a key part to Draco's
story. Once he sees the truth, he will be in for a very rude awakening. 

Whether you believe Draco will be redeemed or not isn't important, for
the moment just consider it as an excesize in character analysis. If
Draco joins the good side, just like Snape, that doesn't mean Draco
will suddenly become a sweet ultra-nice best-buddy to Harry (or Ron or
Hermione or Neville). Draco's a prick, and he always will be. He and
Harry will always be at odds with each other. Draco will always look
down on Harry and Harry's friends.

If Snape and Harry come to an uneasy understanding and begrudging
cooperation, as I believe they will, that doesn't mean Snape can't
change or grow as a character. In fact, I see that as a great
opportunity for Snape to grow as a character, and it opens the door to
more of Snape's back story which gives him additional depth. But even
if this story path reveals a slightly warmer and fuzzier Snape, Snape
will still be a jerk, just a more sympathetic jerk. 

Another example, using one of the good guys. What are the odd that
Prof. McGonagall will suddenly turn into Mary Poppins? Not good, not
good at all.

If it's unrealistic for McGonagall to make that transition, then it
must be equally unrealistic for Draco or Snape to make that transition.

Conclusion, you really can be good without being nice.

Just passing it along.

Steve/bboyminn (was bboy_mn)