WorkoutDan and Study Hall

[geebsy]

--- In HPFGU-Movie at yahoogroups.com, "laurenmcoakley" 
<laurenmcoakley at y...> wrote:
>
> --- In HPFGU-Movie at yahoogroups.com, "alchemillalady" 
> <alchemillalady at a...> wrote:
> >
> 
> 
> SNIP
> >I think Mike Newell's attempt to convey the British Boarding 
school 
> >environment included the notion that these closed environments 
could 
> >be rather brutal.  Teachers did not refrain from physical 
punishment  
> >(some were almost sadistic with it) and students were sometimes 
> >horribly cruel to one another, as only unsupervised children can 
be   
> >(such as the scene in the cloister where every passerby is 
taunting 
> >Harry, including Cedric's friends).
> > 
> > --alchemilla
> 
> And now Lauren:
> Is this really ONLY characteristic of British boarding schools?  I 
> went to school in the states, and before there were laws about 
> teachers handing out corporal punishment, I seem to remember being 
hit 
> on the hand with a ruler once.  And kids being horribly cruel to 
each 
> other I think occurs in every school environment... I remember 
some 
> that were horribly cruel to me... I went to public school, by the 
way.
>

geebsy replies:
Being very much an anglophile I certainly know that British Boarding 
school (and university) life could be very harsh.  "Tom Brown's 
School Days" was certainly horrible thanks to Flashman--the Draco of 
that story.  And I remember getting the strap when I was in grade 4 
or 5 (Canada, British Columbia circa 1967-69).  Snapes attitude in 
this particular scene was less sadistic and more exasperated.  You 
know, more--"how many times do I have to remind you not to talk?"  
The rule of comedy says "THREE!"  BTW I'm smiling as I write 
this 'cause I think it is such a good scene, I just didn't quite 
understand why they were all together like that. I know about 
homework clubs, but in the context of the books it didn't make 
sense, as they should have been in their common room.I now see how 
well Mike Newell's heritage translated to the screen.  

Roxane