Snape and Neville (Was: Re: Snape's grading may not be fair, but..._

[marinafrants]

No: HPFGUIDX 74916

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "The Crashing Boar" 
<crashing.boar at n...> wrote:
> 
>   From: marinafrants 
> How much better might Neville have been if he'd 
>   been taught potions by a compassionate and encouraging teacher 
like 
>   Sprout or Lupin?
> 
>   Marina
>   -------------
> 
>   On the other hand, he was considered by everyone to be a squib 
until his uncle took the extreme action of throwing him out of a 
window to force Neville into a magical act.  He may have a nack for 
DADA as well as Herbology, but it does seem that he needs a heavy 
hand at times.  
> 

Neville's uncle was trying to elicit an instinctive response, not a 
controlled demonstration of knowledge and skill.  An approach that 
works for triggering an unconscious reflex is not well-suited for 
teaching an academic subject.

>   I'm not in complete agreement with the methods Snape uses in 
class, but without any kind 'performance' chart or other comparison 
that shows his students to do better, worse or the same as under a 
different teacher, we cannot say it is inherently bad or 
unsuccessful.  A friendlier, less stressful approach may have 
resulted in fewer ruined cauldrons, but would someone like Neville 
just give up and fade into the background if all he had to fear was 
a disappointed glance rather than an angry and disapproving teacher?
> 

Neville did not give up and fade into the background in Sprout's 
class, or in Lupin's, or in Harry's DA sessions.  In fact, the only 
time we've ever seen Neville attempt to give up on anything, it was 
potions -- he tried to dtop the subject, but wasn't allowed.  In 
other instances, from schoolwork to dealing with his parents to 
getting a date for the Yule Ball, Neville's behavior is 
characterized by dogged persistence and nearly infinite patience.

Look, I think Snape is fantastic.  I admire the hell out of him for 
having the courage to reject the DEs and turn spy.  I'm very sorry 
he was bullied as a kid, and his home life probably sucked.  I 
respect his loyalty to Dumbledore, and his continued willingness to 
fight for the right side, even when the right side is composed 
almost entirely of people he hates.  More power to him.  But I 
really don't see why it's necessary to find a hidden virtuous motive 
for every nasty thing he does.


Marina
rusalka at ix.netcom.com