Well, yes. It's still an RPG after all. But the tracks are laid for a redemption are for the PC, assuming the origins fit. There nothing really in the Mage or Elf origins that lends to that, however. Probably why I didn't gravitate to them.
(Edit: That and because humans rock)
City Elf/Dwarf commonoer and Magi works for me in a kind of... "this guy/girl deserves more out of life" level. Someone who doesn't need to die, for sure. For mages, it depends how you handle Jowan as well.
I see him as the anti-Jowan personally. An elf who hooks up with Leliana (while Jowan has another redhead named Lily, who he ruins).
Dalish origin works best as sacrificial and self-redemptive IF you kill those humans in the beginning. Then you go through the rest of the game feeling bad. Especially after seeing Tamlen again.
Dwarf Noble is an arrogant ass who redeems himself later.