The Plot Thickens Discussion ~ View topic

We have born witness to several incidents in Snape’s past that suggest he faced somewhat difficult and trying events during his childhood. Certainly, these episodes have impacted who Snape grew to become both as a student and a professor at Hogwarts. However, do you think that these events absolve him from mistakes he has made, or may make? To what degree do you hold him responsible for his actions – absolve him totally and you take away his ability to choose his own path; hold him completely accountable and you find very little redeeming in this character…

Joined: 19 Mar 2005 Posts: 241 Location: Waiting for snow

I am reminded of Sirius's advice to Harry that, "the world isn't made up of only good people and death eaters." (OOTP) We must remember that despite whatever has redeemed Snape in Dumbldore's eyes he continues to function as a death eater. I don't beleive there is anyway that Snape could have the relationship he has with Lucius Malfoy and not be seen as one of the faithful. Dumbledore may be going with the reasoning of keeping his friends close and his enemies closer but it is a dangerous game. One of the most shocking moments between Snape and Harry, I think was when Dumbledore selected Snape to be Harry's private tutor for Occlumency lessons. He obviously trusts Snape enough to let Harry's mind be opened to him but at the same time he is giving a known death eater direct access to Harry's mind.

While Snape appears to have had a rough childhood, I think Sirius, Harry, and Neville have shown that you can turn out okay despite your home life. For Snape he is a result of the choices he made not only while in school but continues to make in his treatment of Harry and the other Gryfindors.

Joined: 19 May 2005 Posts: 8 Location: I don't know

I have one question about the little of we see of Snape's childhood. Can we be sure that the kid crying in the corner is actually Snape. If I read it right, it seems like we see Harry's thoughts as Harry would see them, so, in return when we Snape's memories, wouldn't we see them through Snapes point of view? Who then was that kid, because we wouldn't be a third party is someone else's memories...could we?

Joined: 22 Feb 2005 Posts: 23 Location: England, UK

jerwix3: From what we have seen in pensieves (like the trial in DD's pensieve) you don't see it through the eyes of the person but through a 3rd party point of view. There was some discussion at NCs Forum about how this works I think. This would suggest that it is Snape we are seeing. JK Rowling can be obscure at times, but all the evidence points to the child being Snape.

Obviously I don't think you can absolve Snape of any mistakes he made because of a rough childhood. I think by comparing Harry to Snape (as JK Rowling does by Harry's empathetic feelings) she shows us that no matter how hard or trying your childhood, you can turn out a good person.

On the other hand, we don't know the extent of Snape's mistreatment (or how his father treated his mother) So, while the Dursley's were mean, I don't think they were abusive in the worst sense of the word. So Snape's attitude in general, can probably be accounted for because of this.

I agree with prudens futuri and Cookie, about his choices, despite his childhood.

Snape has no excuse for the way people treat him, when he appears to have made no effort, to like people, himself.

He seems to like his House, but not the students in it, or he would not allow them to act up in his "precise" class. He asks for attention to detail, then allows his Slytherin students, to be a distraction to the other students (at least, Harry and his group, we only have Harry's POV). Snape is a distraction himself, by not stopping the messing around.

I will never like Snape, as long as he is a bully and a bigot, and a "spin doctor" with the truth (of events he is involved in or witnessed). In my opinion, he will never change. He's had too long to perfect this attitude.He has no place in a school, teaching impressionable young people. He is too immature himself.

Joined: 18 Feb 2005 Posts: 103 Location: Denver, CO USA

Hear, hear!! No more feeling sorry for Snape and viewing him as some kind of misunderstood anti-hero figure! Laughing

When you're young and foolish, you can be absolved of a few stupid mistakes, if you've genuinely seen the errors of your ways and made some reparations. Such as being a jerk in school, much like others we know, and joining a group of power-mad elitist bullies with a cool sounding name in a misplaced desire to obtain an identity and some power of your own. I don't believe for a moment that Snape sees any errors of his past ways or has real remorse for anything based on his immature behavior, to use BGPH's word. It's like he's been frozen in time permanently stuck around the age of 15 or so and almost everything he does is colored by hatred of the Marauders. Part of growing up is letting stuff like that go and learning to be better than the example you may have been given at home. Consequently, Snape gets only minimal sympathy from me for his lousy childhood. I also agree with Prudens - Snape is a little too cozy with Lucius for comfort. I've always thought Snape was playing both sides out of self-interest and you may be right about DD being wise to this and just keeping Snape close for safety. Unfortunately, based on the past, we can't completely discount that DD may be completely taken in by Snape who may betray the Order.

Fianally, people who don't worship Snape! Smile

I know his childhood was not the best, but that is NO excuse to insult and terrify students. Snape has made his choice to be a cruel man, just as he made the decision to join the Death Eaters.

Harry, Neville, Snape, and Tom Riddle Jr. had rough childhoods, but, as Dumbledore has told Harry, It's our choices who make us who we are, not our past. Snape made his decision, and I cannot see how anyone can say that he had a good reason to.