Victims, Oppressors, and redress (was DD's sacrifice and Snape sacrifice)

[lupinlore]

No: HPFGUIDX 143760

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "pippin_999" <foxmoth at q...> 
wrote:
<SNIP> 
> But they're much less peers of Harry than Snape is! Dumbledore is
> superwizard personified, and Sirius is Harry's godfather and will
> always be in a superior position. For either of them to rescue 
> Harry yet again would emphasize Harry's continued dependency, and 
> make him a second-class hero at best, whereas if  DDM!Snape helped 
> Harry on his way, then Harry might just accept it as due recompense 
> for all the crap he's had to put up with from Snape over the years. 

Lupinlore:
Boring.  The hero loses all of his parental figures, must strike out 
on his own, yatta-yatta.  Boring, outworn, and so slavishly followed 
by JKR as to at times be annoying.  

Why do you think that help from such figures would mean "rescue" 
or "dependency?"  Very often it would be exactly the opposite - i.e. 
these figures gradually yielding place to the younger and more able 
characters.  To avoid this by literally killing off all parental 
figures is extremely lazy, IMO.

You are right that help from DDM!Snape might be seen as recompense, 
if properly handled.  But that would require an acknowledgment from 
Snape of his sins, and a sincere apology to Harry and Neville.  
Anything less would not equate to redemption for Snape, irregardless 
of where he stands vis-a-vis Dumbledore.


Pippin: 
> It's pretty clear that the final victory over Voldemort is going 
> to be Harry's, won with the weapons Voldemort himself has given 
> him, one of which might just be Weapon!Snape.
> 
> Harry's relationship with Sirius veered perilously close to co-
> dependency in GoF -- I wonder if this is a danger for the readers 
> too? Do we want Harry to remain a helpless child so we can identify 
> with his hope of being rescued?
 
Lupinlore:
Co-dependency?  Danger for readers?  Errr... yeah.  Perhaps as big a 
danger, or bigger, is that we forget the basic truth of adulthood -- 
adult independence and freedom of action is 90% illusion.  The idea 
that one grows up, turns one's back firmly on childhood, outgrows 
parental figures, and moves boldly into the world has some truth -- 
but only some.  To dismiss the traumas of childhood or the necessity 
of healing them, or the continued importance of supporting figures, 
even parental figures, into adulthood is a seductive pathology in 
its own right.


Lupinlore