Snape, Apologies, and Redemption--Lupin vs. DD

[houyhnhnm102]

No: HPFGUIDX 152634

Alla:

> Mine goes something like that - Snape joined 
> the gang of racists, torturers and murderers. 
> EVERYBODY in that gang whom we know of is guilty 
> of making people die at one point of their lifes.

> SO, it is not that Snape is Guilty by association

houyhnhnm:

That *is* guilt by association.

Lanval:
 
> Big difference for me. Sirius only had to blurt 
> out the instructions on how to get past the Whomping 
> Willow, in a moment of utter frustration 
[snip]
> Snape on the other hand joined the DEs. That requires thought, 
> intent, and conscious decision-making. 

houyhnhnm:

So, if I understand correctly, you are saying that you feel it is a
combination of the degree of intention and the level of animosity that
determines how much responsibility someone bears for the evil
consequence of an action.

It may turn out to be the case that Rowling agrees with that, but I
hope not, because I don't. To use a RL example, I don't see any
difference in culpability between someone who thoughtlessly gets
behind the wheel of a motor vehicle while drunk and kills someone, and
one who kills out of rage.

I regard Snape as being responsible for the actions of LV and the
Death Eaters, including the deaths of the Potters, whether he
particapated in any of their murders or not. Simply by joining them,
he gave them his sanction.

Sirius was not guilty of murder, only because James stepped in.  Nor
were he, Lupin, James, or Peter guilty of the murder of innocent
Hogwarts students, Hogsmeade inhabitants, or Muggles, while out on
their monthly escapades, only because they were lucky.  Had Lupin
gotten away from the others and killed someone, I would consider them
all guilty.  Lupin was certainly guilty of abandoning his duties as a
prefect. They were all guilty of deceiving Dumbledore and putting
others at great risk, of escalating the conflict between themselves
and Snape, and possibly of pushing him into the arms of the Death Eaters.

Snape is a sympathetic character for me, not because he is not
responsible for what happened during VWI, but because he alone appears
to own the responsibility for his actions.  The others never do.

*I* am reminded of an old Severn Darden parody of "Oedipus Rex". 
Darden's Oedipus, unlike Sophocles', refuses to put out his eyes or go
into exile when he learns the truth about what he has done.  Instead
he shouts, "It's not my fault!" and lives happily ever after.  I
prefer Sophocles.  You are right.  There is no common ground.