Of course Snape is culpable! (Was Re: Snape culpable)

[juli17 at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 134398

 


Larry wrote:

> It seems everyone has assumed that in refering to
> Snape as culpable, JKR is referancing the betrayal and
> the murder of DD. However, she could mean culpable to
> mean Snape's treatment of Harry, Neville and the other
> students for the previous six years. Or am I grasping
> at straws?
>

Fridwulfa wrote:
Exactly, or she could mean culpable of becoming a DE in the first place, 
even if he changed his mind later. I think she was talking about Snape's 
youth's mistakes, his fascination with the Dark Arts and his joining LV.
Cheers,
Fridwulfa 
 
Julie says:

Look at is this way. Is there anyone here that thinks Snape *isn't*
culpable of something--of a good many things in fact? Hands?
Anyone?
 
Didn't think so. OF COURSE Snape is culpable! (So is
Dumbledore, Harry, and everyone else in the books. We 
are all culpable for our mistakes and bad actions). Snape is
culpable for his actions against the Mauraders as a student,
(as they are culpable for their actions against him), for joinng 
the DEs and performing whatever actions he did as such, for
telling Voldy the prophecy, and certainly for verbally abusing 
Neville and Harry (whatever his motives there), etc. That's
never been in doubt. 
 
The whole focus with Snape has *always* been about his
past, and his culpability. Can he redeem himself for that
dark past? Does he want to redeem himself? Has he in fact 
been atoning for his past throughout the books (as Dumbledore
certainly seems to believe), by aiding the Order in whatever
way Dumbledore sees fit--from protecting Harry, to spying
on Voldemort, to perhaps delivering a deliberate death blow
to Dumbledore? Very possibly, and in my opinion, quite
probably. 
 
I think JKR used the word "culpable" in a very broad manner
in her interview, simply to draw a distinction between Snape
ahd Voldemort. Voldemort can't necessarily be held culpable 
for his actions (though he should pay for them because
he was never loved (moreover, he's a sociopath who really
doesn't understand or care about right or wrong). Snape--like
ALL of us who are not sociopathic and do know what it means
to love and hurt--can and should be held culpable for his
actions, past and present. Whether Snape turns out to be
good or ESE, I don't think that's ever been in doubt, to Dumbledore
or to us.
 
Julie 






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