[HPforGrownups] Hermione, Snape and all that jazz

[Irene Mikhlin]

No: HPFGUIDX 69950



jdr0918 wrote:

> Now Snape: back in the day, all a teacher had to do to be a 'good' 
> teacher was know his/her stuff, which Snape clearly does.

Well said. It seems that people project modern standards to Hogwarts, 
which seems to be modelled on the classic British schools of about 100 
years ago. (Minus corporal punishment, no way JKR would be able to get 
this past publishers, so she found a loophole). One book that deals with 
it matter of factly, without having an agenda in either direction, would 
be Christopher Lee's autobiography. Very recommended reading anyway.
That's why I think Harry was right refusing to see McGonagall or 
Dumbledore about those detentions, Umbridge would be able to override 
their objections. :-( Unless it was a piece of dark magic, but surely 
even Umbridge was not that stupid?


> He's not 
> the school shrink; not his problem if feelings get hurt. The tooth 
> comment was a cheap shot, but hey. He had to say something. (Why? 
> Because, okay? Nothing in life is more important than a good line.)
> 
> I've said it before and I'll say it again: we Americans are *way* too 
> fragile psychologically, and we project that onto our children in a 
> manner that does them no favors. Too many of us on this forum are 
> allowing non-existent people to open up old wounds and pour salt in 
> them. 

Well, I surely let Sirius and James to get to me. With a big pinch of 
salt on top.
That's why I agree with Darrin (stone the crows!): it's impossible to 
say "oh, let it go, it was a good line" without saying that James just 
put a jolly good show and Snivellus should have let it go already.

> Book V is teaching us a lesson which will stand us in good 
> stead in life: dig in, because if you thought it was bad up to now, 
> well, it's about to get *real* ugly...

True, but still, as a Snape lover I find the teeth episode the most 
disturbing one. I would like to get a good explanation for this until I 
wholeheartedly commit my sympathies to the good professor. Getting his 
jollies from "a good line" does not cut it as a good explanation, sorry.
But all the reasons your list for why Hermione was able to overcome it 
so easily are good ones, more power to her. Still it does not let Snape 
off the hook.

Irene