The Dursleys, the Weasleys, Hagrid, and Snape: Nice people get a pass

[lupinlore]

No: HPFGUIDX 125118


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Irene Mikhlin
<irene_mikhlin at b...> wrote:
>  --- lupinlore <bob.oliver at c...> wrote: 
> >  
> > And why on Earth are you so sure that is Snape's
> > intent?  I would say,
> > judging be his behavior, that he has little interest
> > in whether
> > Neville learns potions or not.  Snape's intentions
> > at this point are
> > about as clear as a foggy midnight.
> > 
> 
> Let's do the following: first you decide whether you
> want to argue SimleAndNasty!Snape, or
> ComplexAndMysterious!Snape, and then I'll find good
> intentions that could explain his treatment of
> Neville. But no mix and match please! :-)
> 
> Irene
> 

Chuckle.  Sorry, but I think that would just degenerate into yet
another shouting match very quickly.

I will say this by way of clarification, however.  Remember that I
delineated good in everyday affairs and good in large affairs.  Each
comes with their own intention.  And I deny that one can override the
other (i.e. that Snape intends to be good in the battle against
Voldemort and that is a reason to disregard his daily behavior).  I
think that what we are talking of is intent to be good in everyday
affairs, that is intent to be good in the daily sense, what many
people call "nice."  I see no evidence of that intent on Snape's part.
 Therefore, he has to be judged by his lack of intentions unless you
want to go back to the old "nice isn't good" argument, the validity of
which I deny.  So, I don't think I've really committed a safety (which
is what I take it you mean be "own goal.")  I've only denied a common
premise used in arguing that Snape is "good."


Lupinlore