Snape commits murder or Merely Unstoppers Death? (long)

[juli17 at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 134801

 


Eggplant wrote:

> Snape sure didn't seem very reluctant  to me, hate was etched on every
> line of his face as he killed Dumbledore  the instant he walked into
> the room. And Dumbledore would be nuts not to  tell Harry about this
> crazy plan, he must understand Harry well enough  by now to know that
> he would dedicate his life to killing Snape if he  murdered his
> headmaster in front of his very eyes. As it is I wouldn't  be surprised
> if in Harry's mind killing Snape now had an even higher  priority than
> killing Voldemort; and if that was part of Dumbledore's  grand plan it
> doesn't seem like a very good plan.
 

Ali wrote:
I concur.  To clarify, I'm actually still holding  out judgment on
Snape; I just can't decide on this one, not even after 2.5  readings of
HBP.  However, I certainly am leaning towards ESE!Snape just  because
of Harry and his personality [as I view it].  In literary terms,  a
"saving people thing" is always coupled with a "ridiculous  guilt
complex" thing.  Therefore, if Snape is to be good, I can't see  how he

would convey that to Harry, who is utterly convinced of Snape's  guilt.
Because I also see how killing Snape might top killing Voldemort  on
Harry's current list of priorities, I have to question how Harry  is
going to feel when (if) he finds out that Snape was on the side  of
light.  Harry would endure immense guilt for the rest of his  life,
made all the worse because he alone could never see any good in  Snape.
However, this guilt is absolved if Snape is to be ESE.  (I'm  not
saying Harry wouldn't feel guilt if he had to kill, but I am  saying
that he will not feel life-altering, depression-inducing guilt.)   In
addition, I cannot forgive that Dumbledore could so short-sighted as
to  not directly tell Harry of this plan, if this was truly a plan. 
(Despite the  fact that he may have left some evidence to prove Snape's
innocence,  Dumbledore must have understood that Harry would still
always view Snape in  contempt because, regardless of the reason, Snape
did deliver the killing  blow to Dumbledore, and Harry won't abide by
that.)

In short, what I'm  saying is that, while I'm still holding judgment on
Snape, I tend to see  towards ESE!Snape because of the literary
tradition as well Harry's  personality [as I see it].

~Ali

PS Just how is Snape being ESE  make him less interesting of a
character?  I've seen it said; I just  don't understand.  I think he's
going to be even more fascinating if he  does turn out to be on
Voldemort's side.







Julie says:
I think Dumbledore couldn't tell Harry the plan because Voldemort can
enter Harry's mind. Harry needs to believe Snape is on the side of  evil,
at least at this point, so Voldemort will believe it too.
 
And while Harry wants to kill Snape now, I do think he will find out  that
Snape acted out of loyalty to Dumbledore. Not from Snape, of course,
since he wouldn't believe a word Snape says, but through a bottled
memory of DD's, or via some other method DD concocted. Or perhaps
he won't find out until the moment of confrontation. 
 
But Harry won't kill Snape in either case, because Harry is NOT that 
kind of person. Though he may not fully be aware of that fact yet, DD
is. Harry doesn't kill for revenge.
 
There's also no reason for Harry to feel guilt. He had every reason
to distrust Snape. When he finds out the truth, he'll also understand 
why DD couldn't tell him about Snape's part in the plan, and how
it had to be that way to protect everyone involved. 
 
Granted, this understanding does depend on Harry gaining both 
maturity and wisdom in Book 7. Harry must recognized that DD
didn't choose Death. Death had already chosen him. DD simply
manipulated the time and circumstances to his (and Harry's)
benefit. He must also recognize that Snape kept his promise
the same as Harry did. Harry forced poison down DD's throat
even though he felt hatred and revulsion at what he was doing,
so how can he fault Snape for keeping the same sort of promise?
 
Further, Harry will understand it was never about DD dying--it
was DD's time, he lived a full, rich life, he made his death 
count for something, and Death was only a next step for him.
So the issue isn't whether Snape "killed" DD, but whether Snape
betrayed DD's trust. And if Snape didn't, then Harry can recognize
this and acknowledge Snape's role. (Note, Harry doesn't have to
actually *like* Snape, ever.)
 
That will be Harry's real achievement, IMO. Not killing Voldemort  or
saving the WW world, or even becoming a great wizard, but becoming 
a great man, just as Dumbledore knew he could be. 
 
Julie 
 



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]