[HPforGrownups] I Hate Snape...

[Troels Forchhammer]

No: HPFGUIDX 56291

At 17:16 27-04-03 -0500, you wrote:
>Severus Snape.  He has been called a hero, a bastard, a spy, a
>double-crosser, an ugly git, and several other sobriquets besides.  Some
>feel he's a good man who's done bad things.  Others feel he's
>misunderstood, and that deep inside, he's a caring soul who wants what's
>best for his kids.
>
>Not me.  I think he's a heartless jerk who takes entirely too much
>pleasure in the pain he gives his students.  Why, you may ask, do I show
>such bile against a fictional character?  The intensity of this attitude
>of mine can be traced to a single comment made by Snape. From GoF, US
>Paperback edition, pp. 299-300:

I agree - and I can even refer to the warm feeling of having
Rowling's own words to back it up. From a talk-show on WBUR
"the Connection" on 12th October 1999:
http://www.hogwarts-library.net/reference/interviews/19991012_TheConnection.html#part13

JKR: OK. Snape is the - er - very sadistic teacher
      Loosely based on a teacher I myself had, I have to say.
      Erm ..
      I think it ... Children are very aware - and we ... we're
      kidding ourselves if we don't think that they are - that
      teachers do sometimes abuse their power and this particular
      teacher /does/ abuse his power. He is not a - he is not a
      particularly pleasant person at all. /However/, everyone
      should keep their eye on Snape, I'll just say that, because
      there's more to him than meets the eye, and you will find
      out part of what I'm talking about if you read book four.

"very sadistic teacher"
"this particular teacher /does/ abuse his power"
and
"he is not a particularly pleasant person at all"

I think that especially the "very sadistic teacher" part fits
well with the sentiments you express ;-)

Troels