Harry's Vision and Snape (Re: Would Harry forgiving Snape be character...)

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 164277

Carol:
> So, whether the word I'm looking for is "appearances" 
> or "preconceptions" or something else, Harry prejudges Snape as evil
> in SS/PS and that assumption is reinforced throughout the books by
> his increasing anger at and eventual hatred of Snape...
<snip>
> An understanding of DDM!Snape's motivations, however, both his
> genuine remorse and his loyalty to Dumbledore, would be a step 
> toward developing the compassion that Harry needs if he's going to 
> be willingto sacrifice himself for the WW (which includes Snape as
> well as Neville). 

Magpie:
> I think the "more" doesn't have to be some other thing besides
> remorse (like a UV or whatever). It's explaining how Snape could
> actually feel this remorse. <snip>
> It's totally understandable why in HBP Harry didn't find the remorse
> story convincing. The trouble is we've not yet really gotten a 
> reason to understand why Dumbledore thought it was convincing.
<snip>

Jen:  Like Alla, I'm hoping for some clarification on one last point 
in the latest Snape discussion, a piece of the puzzle that keeps 
eluding me (and I can't seem to walk by an unfinished puzzle without 
shuffling through the pieces again).  I'm throwing out the 
hypothetical of ESE!Snape because I do believe Snape has been loyal 
all along.

To simplify, Harry was able to recognize that Quirrell was the bad 
guy in Book 1 rather than Snape, at least to the point where he could 
end the year with this notion: '...Harry knew at once that Snape's 
feelings toward him hadn't changed one jot.  This didn't worry 
Harry.' (SS, chap. 17)  Then in OOTP he identified with Snape when he 
saw Snape's memories and looked into the Pensieve.  Taking these two 
events together, I see the raw material for a scenario where Harry 
might identify with Snape and realize he is not evil but has been 
loyal all along.   

What we've never seen is Harry sustaining such a realization because 
something always occurs at a pivotal moment and he slips back into 
anger/resentment (or the feelings intensify).  The biggest unknown in 
the equation to me is whether JKR is placing the burden for the cycle 
on Harry, on Snape, or on both of them.  Answering 'who's to blame' 
isn't crucial for my question, but it might help to know my 
interpretation is that JKR is taking a middle-of-the-road approach, 
saying both have contributed to the ongoing problems in different 
ways.

Okay, that's the set-up and now on to my dilemma.

> Magpie:
> But if he and Snape both loved Dumbledore and are both broken up 
> over his death, and have even had similar experiences with 
> Dumbledore getting them to do something like feed him poison or
> kill him, that's a big thing they can connect over.

Jen: Some of us readers believe Harry and Snape have the cave and 
tower in common, but the two of them can't connect with each other 
long enough or deeply enough to see that (if indeed JKR sees the cave 
and the tower as analagous situations).  

My impression is people who identify more with Snape and believe the 
blame is Harry's also tend to believe Harry needs to realize he's 
misjudged Snape's loyalty--his deeds and intentions--change his view 
and by doing so, find forgiveness in his heart.  And Harry must do 
this on his own because Snape is static and can't offer Harry any 
incentive for dropping his myopic view in the present-day.  That 
means Snape's backstory and the person Harry identified with as the 
HBP will be the reason for Harry's more compassionate view and 
forgiveness. 

Yet this same Harry who is responsible for the problem and the 
solution has been deemed incapable of seeing current Snape for who he 
is because hatred and resentment skew his vision.  That's the flaw 
I've been reading about Harry in this thread, that he allows feelings 
to interfere with 'seeing' Snape.  This is the point where the 
argument gets circular for me:  How can do what's he's proven he 
can't do?  If he can't make this change himself, doesn't he need help 
to get there?  And if Snape can't help him, then....?

If the backstory alone will cause the transformation, how will Harry 
sustain his belief of the truth about Snape in the face of a scornful 
and derisive present-day Snape who doesn't appear to feel remorse or 
pain and can't show it in a way that Harry finds believable?  I 
understand that some of us readers saw Snape's pain during the run 
across the grounds but Harry did not, and he's the one who has to 
believe it in order for there to be a change of heart.  Even if he 
can see pain & remorse in young Snape, how does he transfer that to 
the current Snape?

JKR did not have Dumbledore deal with the animosity between these two 
and she made this plausible for me by showing Dumbledore's detachment 
up until OOTP, at which point he outright confessed to making a 
mistake.  In HBP he had bigger issues to deal with re: Harry and when 
confronted by Harry, there was a sense his hands were tied because of 
confidentiality or another reason.  I believe JKR set it up this way 
because she is saving her big story, Lily, for the end.  But how do 
others solve this dilemma, or if you don't see a problem, at what 
point in my analysis is *my* vision skewed? <g>

Jen