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

[juli17 at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 140826

 


> 
> 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.
> 
 
Julie says:

The problem here is that almost every scene in the  books is from Harry's
POV. We've never been allowed inside Snape's head.  We have the same
problem when it comes to the emotional states of the other  characters. 
We only have Harry's interpretation of those emotional states.  So we're
left with the only possibility being incontravertible  talk/action from Snape
that proves his remorse, which limits our chances of  knowing his true
feelings. It could certainly be done, and we may get it, but  then again,
we may not.
 
 

 
Bibphile wrote:
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.
 
Julie says:
I agree. Not that talk is always cheap, but that Snape won't  apologize to 
Harry, at least not in so many words. I think Harry will learn  a revelation
or two about Snape, but they certainly won't come from Snape's  mouth.
And it will be a lot more believable to Harry that way, since  why would he
buy anything Snape says anyway. And  actions will speak louder than 
words, not just whatever actions Snape may yet take to carry  out 
Dumbledore's wishes and to help Harry defeat Voldemort, but  also the
actions Snape has taken in the past to keep Harry alive and to  help 
him prepare for his final confrontation  with Voldemort. 
 
This series is really all about Harry--his feelings, his  perceptions, his
inner growth as a person/wizard/hero. And his relationship  with Snape
is about Harry coming to understand the dichotomy  inherent in people--
that his father could be a good, brave man but  also an arrogant bully
as a teenager, that Dumbledore can be a wise man but also make 
major mistakes, that Lupin can have his heart in the  right place but
be to weak to act, and that Snape can be a  horrible person yet be
committed to the side of good. Hmm, do I sense a pattern? 


Harry must ultimately recognize *all* of Snape--the man who  was
Dumbledore's Man through and through to perhaps even a greater
extent than Harry, the man who repeatedly protected him (for 
whatever reason, be it a promise to DD or Lily, or something else),
the man who gave him many of the tools he would need to have a 
chance at defeating Voldemort (whether it was done begrudgingly 
or not), AS WELL AS the man who held onto childish, pointless
grudges, who made prejudicial judgments based on those grudges, 
who was a mean and at times abusive teacher, and who was in
many ways a very horrible person in his relations to others. A
man he has never liked and never will like, and whose death he 
certainly isn't going to cry over, but a man who chose to make
serious personal sacrifices to atone for his past sins when he 
could have easily chosen otherwise. A man who did his  share of
harm, but who also did good, perhaps enough good in the end to
earn forgiveness.




My personal feeling is that this would be enough for  Harry. And it
would be enough for me. 
 
Julie 
(assuming DDsMan!Snape throughout this post--as if you couldn't
tell!)



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