One last try (re: Parenting Harry (was: Re: I don't like him much))

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 120215


> > Alla earlier:
> > But in the second part of your quote I snipped, you compare what 
> > Snape does (being the rule upholder) with PARENTING and that I 
> really 
> > disagree with.
> 
> Eloise:
> I can understand that. If you think that being a parent necessarily 
involves warmth. Of course I was making the specific point that this 
is just one of the roles within that of parent. And yes, Snape goes 
way over the top in pursuit of it and is completely ineffective as a  
result, because Harry will naturally rebel (as, dare I say, children 
do against parents) and do whatever it is with perhaps more gusto 
than if it weren't forbidden in the first place.


Alla:

Umm, I thought we were arguing semantics at this point, I guess not.

TO ME, being parent includes being FAIR (I mean warmth will be nice 
and I am one of those types), but FAIR is a necessary requirement and 
Snape is not fair, IMO at least.

Sure, children rebel against parents, but when we as adults look at 
those rebellions, we can determine that parent was correct in doing 
such and such thing, in assigning such punishment, therefore from my 
adult POV parent was doing the job right.

When I as an adult look at Harry rebellions against Snape, I judge 
that Harry is RIGHT when he rebels against Snape most of the times ( 
not always, of course, but often)

Eloise:

So a parent who is a bad parent, who is harsh or sadistic towards 
their child is not, by definition, a parent? There are a lot of bad 
parents around who treat their offspring far worse than Snape treats 
Harry. 

Alla:

I think that is beyond the point, actually. If there are parents who 
treat their children worse and I know there are, it does not make 
Snape to be the good one, IMO.

If you determine Snape's function as  "BAD PARENT", then I will 
concede to that, but not just a parent, not to me.




Eloise:

My hypothesis was that Harry doesn't have a parent, therefore the 
parenting roles are split between various people, not necessarily 
done well, but done to some extent.
 
Perhaps I'm wrong, then, and Harry isn't being parented at all.


Alla:

It is not my place to decide whether you are wrong, but no, I don't 
think Harry is being parented by Snape.

Dumbledore, Minerva, Molly, Sirius, Lupin - all of those people I can 
call Harry's parents, who screwed up badly at one point , but who had 
Harry's best interests in mind and who (which I think parent should 
have) love Harry.

Sorry, but I don't think Snape can be called one.