Snape's punishment a "moral" issue? Was "Two Scenes..."

[lupinlore]

No: HPFGUIDX 144171

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "dumbledore11214" 
<dumbledore11214 at y...> wrote:
> Alla:
> True, forgiveness is not something you deserve, it is a gift 
> from the person you wronged, BUT  to demand EVERYTHING from 
> Harry and NOTHING from Snape to me and this is my opinion only 
> would amount to letting Snape off the hook. Makes any sense?

Oh, I totally agree with that.  The "suffering saint" version of 
Harry would accomplish nothing other than to induce projectile 
vomiting.  Having said that, it is true that unexpected moves on 
the part of one person can induce change in another person, much 
as one chemical can catalyze change in another.

> You are saying that forgiveness is something that Snape needs, 
> OK, fair enough, but I don't see even that in the text. If I 
> will see that Snape needs, wants forgiveness from Harry, I may 
> even be happy with that.

Yes, I understand what you are saying, Alla.  However, it's going 
to be very difficult to get there.  We have seen no movement in 
Snape over the last few books, NONE.  That is why, as in the case 
of the Dursleys, I think it will require some kind of third party 
intervention in order to move things along.  Even then, it would 
be hard, realistically, to see any scenario where Snape will 
change short of a blatant Deus Ex Machina.  Besides, the great 
satisfaction from the Dursley scene comes from the third party 
intervention, and I think something similar will be required to 
bring the arc of Snape's abuse to a satisfactory conclusion.

> Alla:
> I am very sorry, but no I cannot stop labeling Snape's actions 
> as such. I am not asking anybody to agree with me, but I am 
> convinced that that is what Snape does - abuse Harry and 
> Neville. I am always extra clear to state that this is only my 
> opinion, but that IS my opinion and so far canon did nothing to 
> convince me to the opposite.

Oh, I absolutely agree.  Snape is a child abuser, over and out.  
That he is far from the worst child abuser in the world does not 
change the fact.  This thread has run through all six books so 
far, and if JKR can't tie it off in a satisfactory manner that 
does not leave Snape unpunished for his reprehensible actions, 
then she will have failed very badly indeed.


Lupinlore