Snape and redemption (was: Re: [HPforGrownups] Re: Snape in the Shrieking Shack)

[annegirl11 at juno.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 113126

Carol and others said:
>  There *is* a redemptive pattern to Snape 

I must confess: that word "redemption" in regards to a character always
hits me funny. Maybe you're using the term differently than I do, (and,
Carol, I'm only addressing your post as a point to jump into the convo; I
don't mean to single you out) but it seems that "redemption" means that
someone has to prove something to someone else in order to gain
clearance. Which begs the question: to whom does Snape have to prove
himself? That sounds like a rather subjective, slippery decision for any
fan to make.

I know that Snape has a *lot* of flaws, and a lot he probably should
apologize for (not that he ever will, nor do I expect him to). But, well,
put it this way: in real life, I've known people who've slighted me
badly. And when it came time to forgive them, I couldn't ever think of it
as "well, they've made up for it now." I just don't think it works that
way; I think a HP fanficer put it well: "forgiveness is never *earned* --
it's either granted or it isn't." 

So, I've always felt very existentialist towards those deliciously
complex characters who are nasty people with a history of evil, but
fighting for good now. No matter what they've done in the past, imo, it's
who they are in the moment, and who *they* see themselves as now, that
should determine how we, the audience, sees them. I don't look for grand
gestures or other external evidence to feel that they've proven their
goodness to me. <shrug> I dunno, I just think it's more fun not to look
at a character's journey as a series of good deeds that cancel out the
previous bad ones, but rather how that character has come to reconcile
his own past badness, and what kind of "good guy" he wants to be in the
future. 

Aura

~*~
Well that's a horse of a different color.
Fanfic and original stuff at www.homepage-host.uni.cc/w/ofnone

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