Is Punishment the only recompense? (was Re: Straightforward readings?)

[kiricat4001]

No: HPFGUIDX 140797

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "bibphile" <bibphile at y...> 
wrote:
> 
> > 
> > Marianne:
> > > enough that he has paid 
> > 
> > I've done massive snippage of Juli's comments to get to her 
> question.  
> > I'd be happy with Snape's genuine effort to atone with one 
> addition.  
> > I'd like to see him admit in actual, spoken sentences that he 
did 
> has 
> > done some bad things and is genuinely sorry.  Hearing about his 
> > remorse second-hand from Dumbledore is not enough, IMO. Maybe 
> that's 
> > just me as a reader wanting to see the character in question 
show 
> the 
> > emotions and thoughts that others have attributed to him.  But, 
> > without Snape actually telling/showing me himself, then I'd find 
> the 
> > result unsatisfying.
> > 

bibphile:
> I doubt that Snapw will ever verbally apologize.  I believe in DDM 
> Snape but I think he himkself would find the words meaningless.  I 
> think he believes that the only meaningful way to show his remorse 
> is through his actions.  Talk is cheap.

Marianne:

And that is a major part of why I would find it very unsatisfying. 
Whether or not Snape would find words meaningless is immaterial.  
It's not about him doing as he sees fit, even if his actions are all 
for the good now. To me that smacks of letting Snape off the hook, 
in a sense, in that it allows him to atone in the way that he's most 
comfortable with or the way he feels is best. He's not acknowledging 
to the person or people whom his actions have hurt that he's sorry 
for what he's done to them.

Talk, cheap or otherwise, was evidently fine for Snape when he was 
spinning his tale of remorse to try to worm his way back into DD's 
good graces. But, for me as a reader to buy Snape's tale, I want to 
hear it from his own lips.  I want to see him look someone in the 
eye who has suffered as a result of his previous actions, like 
Harry, and hear him convince me he's sincere in his remorse. His 
actions, as brave as they may be, could simply then be put down to 
what any other good soldier would do in battling evil.  They would 
not necessarily have anything to do with remorse.

And, I don't think Snape finds words meaningless. He is one of the 
most eloquent characters in Potterverse.  How powerful it would be 
to hear him use the same verbal grace to express his remorse.  

However, I'm inclined to agree with you that we won't hear it, not 
because Snape thinks actions speak louder than words.  But, because I
don't think Snape was remorseful to begin with.

Marianne