Snape and respect

[lavaluvn <gansecki@hawaii.edu>]

No: HPFGUIDX 51048

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "marinafrants <rusalka at i...>" 
<rusalka at i...> wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "pippin_999 <foxmoth at q...>" 
> <foxmoth at q...> wrote:
> > --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Shaun Hately" 
> > <drednort at a...> wrote:
> > You know, I might have been able to accept the idea that Snape 
> > isn't just cruel or mean, except for one thing.
> > <snip>
> > > Then he lost me. Page 263 of Goblet of Fire (Australian 
> > printing). The incident with Hermione's teeth.
> > >
> > 
> > I agree the incident is revolting, if you think of Snape as the 
> > teacher of a  a fourteen-year-old school girl. But Hermione made 
> > herself something else when she followed Harry past the 
> > Trapdoor in Book One. Hermione is a fourteen year old soldier.  
> > 
> > She shouldn't have to be. But she is...and if something like that 
> > happens when she's facing an adult Death Eater, she'll die while 
> > she's covering her teeth and snivelling.  What Snape did was 
> > cruel--but if it saves her life, it will be worth it. 
> 
> I'm sure that's the rationalization Snape would give if some 
> confronted him about this.  But he'd be lying through his teeth (or 
> maybe just deluding himself, I'm not sure).  His cruelty did 
> absolutely nothing to enhance Hermione's ability to keep her head 
in 
> a crisis.  Nada, zilch, zip.  She did not come out of that 
> experience calmer, braver or more confident, nor should anyone have 
> expected it of her.  Cruel treatment at the hands of adult 
authority 
> figures does not make children tougher and more competent, not 
> matter how much cruel adults in question might like to justify 
> themselves that way.
> 

ME:
  I'm totally with you on that.  Does abusing a child, mentally or 
physically, make him/her stronger?  Somehow I doubt it.  Yet, that is 
certainly the excuse of certain kinds of abusers - mock him, hit him, 
make him a man.  Mocking children under his control - torturing 
orphans for goodness sake - showing blatant favortism to others...  
this man is a teacher?   Unlike the original poster (Shaun? sorry, 
not sure), I've also always held his treatment of Neville against 
Snape.  We cerainly don't see Neville flourishing in this 
environment, whereas under a kinder teacher (Herbology), he is 
capable of learning and doing well.
  I've had teachers that were demanding, teachers that were so stern 
as to be almost frightening; I could learn from them, even do well.  
But the most damaging experience of my life was to be mocked by a 
teacher. 25 years ago now and it still affects my personality. 
Bright, outgoing little girl suddenly becomes shy, moody, withdrawn.  
Why? - she never tells, too ashamed. I don't buy the "treat them 
rough and get them ready for the battles ahead" line as an excuse for 
Snape's treatment. No way.  They'd be better off actually learning 
something useful in school and avoiding all those years of therapy.
(OK, that was meant as a joke, though I'd be amused to read JKR's 
version of wizard therapy).
Cheryl