[HPforGrownups] Snape's lack of remorse

[Jocelyn Grunow]

No: HPFGUIDX 124285

On Thursday, February 10, 2005, at 09:05 am, curlyhornedsnorkack wrote:

> "Snape strode forward, past Dumbledore, pulling up the left sleeve of
> his robes as he went. He stuck out his forearm and showed it to Fudge,
> who recoiled."
>
> Snape's actions don't sound like those of a man who is at all ashamed
> or embarrassed about his past.
>
> In the scene with Karkarov in the classroom, he doesn't seem to have
> any empathy with his fellow ex-deatheaters.

Hi!

I see the quoted paragraph as a very aggressive thing to do, but not 
relevant to the question of remorse.  Snape is effectively showing 
Fudge proof that he KNOWS what he is talking about it.  He is no 
wooly-minded snorkackloving flake but an exDE and a SURVIVOR.  I think 
he is very angry that a danger so strong and personal to him is being 
shuffled under the carpet.

I am not a Snape-lover - the scene with Hermione's teeth ended any 
leaning I may have had in that direction - but I think that his 
defection from LV has cost him a lot.  He DOESN'T have any empathy with 
the DEs because
(a) he is not an empathic person in general (!) and
(b) he knows what and who they are _from the inside_ - and has chosen 
to reject that.  The others didn't, which to Snape's mind probably sets 
them up as either evil OR cowardly weakings.

He made a hell of a choice, and I am not using those words lightly.  
Being Snape he isn't going to make nice about any of it, but he did 
choose the side of light.

Remorse?  He lives with the consequences in his head every day.  He 
chooses to remain with the light every day.  That's far more practical 
than wallowing in 'I'm -so-sorrys' which another more sympathetic 
character might feel and inflict on us.  It just isn't in his character 
to do that.

The proof of his remorse is in his actions.  He changed sides.  That 
truly is the best and only genuine proof anyone can give of remorse - 
deciding to and succeeding in NEVER LETTING IT HAPPEN AGAIN.  The rest 
is just words.

Jocelyn