Harry Forgiving Snape

[wynnleaf]

No: HPFGUIDX 162911


>
> Antonia:
> > > Question: since when it is so important that Harry
> > > should forgive Snape? I don't consider him the almighty
> > > authority that will get the right to condemn and to
> > > forgive in the end. Fscts and actions will speak for
> > > themselves and if Harry will still have a grudge against
> > > Snape that is his business.
> 
> 
> > bboyminn:
> >
> > I'm somewhat inclind to agree with Antonia here. 'Forgive'
> > is a pretty strong word, and I don't think Harry or the
> > Wizard World will ever forgive Snape for killing Dumbledore,
> > but I suspect they will come to understand the choice he
> > made, and with that understanding will come a degree of
> > lenience.

wynnleaf
Whether or not any of us think that Harry *needs* to forgive Snape, 
I think it's fairly clear that it is what JKR has planned, and 
therefore I assume *she* thinks he needs to forgive Snape.

In OOTP, toward the end, Harry considers Snape and what he saw as 
Snape's role in Sirius' death, as well as just his general hatred of 
Snape.  We are told:  "at the sight of him Harry felt a great rush 
of hatred beyond anything he felt towards Malfoy ... whatever 
Dumbledore said, he would never forgive Snape ... never ..."  If 
ever something was begging to be found wrong, it's that assertion.  

Then also at the end of OOTP, we are told of Harry focusing on 
aspects of Snape solely to build his own hatred.  And again at the 
beginning of HBP, we are once again specifically told how Harry is 
feeding his hatred of Snape, intentionally dwelling on anything he 
can to build that hatred.

And then JKR herself, in her long interviews right after HBP came 
out, made quite a point of the fact that Harry's hatred for Snape 
had become much more personal and that this was important for what 
would happen when they met in Book 7.

So between JKR obviously being quite conscious of building Harry's 
hatred of Snape, and her evident satisfaction of that hatred, 
combined with her clear narrative points that much of Harry's hatred 
is *manufactured* by himself, and further combined with that 
determination of Harry's to *never* forgive Snape ---- well, I think 
it's fairly obvious that JKR is setting up Harry to have to overcome 
a massive amount of hatred *and* forgive Snape.  

We may or may not think Harry has to do it from a moral 
perspective.  But I think JKR has set up the literary constructs by 
which Harry *must* forgive Snape.

wynnleaf