What if other teachers behaved like Snape?

[arrowsmithbt]

No: HPFGUIDX 101171

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "nkafkafi" <nkafkafi at y...> wrote:
> 
> 
> Neri now:
> Kneasy, your analysis of Snape has a slight consistency problem. If 
> Snape doesn't hate Harry that much, and all the Harry-goading in the 
> books is just the DD/Snape double act, why couldn't Snape realize 
> that his usual teaching method doesn't work for the Occlumency 
> lessons? If destroying LV is his top priority, couldn't he just 
> <gasp> try a different approach? Just, say, going for less painful 
> memories at start and <double gasp> grant a small praise here and 
> there? Very extreme, I know, but it's for the cause, after all. Or 
> didn't DD tell him how important are the Occlumency lessons for 
> defeating LV? In that case, maybe DD doesn't trust Snape all that 
> much after all?


Kneasy:
Consistency? Well, I did add a  caveat in the post you quote:
That there is probably a 'hierachy' of loyalty and the anti-Voldy
item is top of the list, BUT - it's best not to strain it too far, which
could happen if Harry keeps  on pushing. And Harry pushed.

OK, we can keep on about  Snape's teaching methods 'til the cows
come home, and it's  obvious  that there are  at least two factions
and that they  will probably never agree. No problem. However, I
will ask - has Snape *ever* been seen to teach differently? It looks
as if he treated Occlumency more or less the same as any other 
lesson. Secondly, Snape cooperated in following DD's  wishes
and giving up his  time to instruct Harry. Unfortunately Harry
didn't comply with DD's wishes, even when they were specifically
spelled out "You must study Occlumency as hard as you can, do
you understand me? Do everything Professor Snape tells you and
practice it every night.... Remember - close your mind -"
(OoP chap 27).

Some believe  that Snape should have kept on teaching no matter
what provocation Harry threw  at him - "It's the adult thing to do,"
is their argument. I don't agree. Being a punch-bag  for  Harry's
frustrations, disobedience, prevarication and evasion without
imposing sanctions is not adult behaviour IMO. There  comes
a time when a line has to be drawn; Harry crossed it. Sanctions
were inevitable. To act otherwise would have sent the message 
that what is unacceptable behaviour solely depends on Harry's 
definition of it.

Snape deliberately safeguards some of his memories from accidental
exposure by transferring them to the Pensieve. First chance  he gets,
Harry dives in. What does this say  about Harry? That everybody and
everything is of no account when compared to own his idle curiosity.
He knows what the Pensieve is, he knows that Snape put those 
memories in it to keep  them private. That's irrelevant to Harry. 
Snape must be hiding something from him, who cares about Snape's
feelings anyway?
Well, it ain't irrelevant to Snape; it's the last straw.
If I'd been Snape, I'd have strangled the little shit. 
     

> Neri:
> Here is DD's analysis of Snape. You might say this is just more 
> double act, but I find it more consistent with the facts:
> 
> "I trust Severus Snape, but I forgot — another old man's mistake — 
> that some wounds run too deep for the healing. I thought Professor 
> Snape could overcome his feelings about your father — I was wrong."
> 
> Why is Snape failing to overcome his feelings about James relevant 
> for teaching Harry Occlumency? Do you have an explanation other than 
> the obvious one?
>

Kneasy:
I  find it interesting that DD makes no  mention of the obvious -  that
Harry's feelings for Snape show no sign of being overcome either.
It's good fun to pile all the blame on Snape, but when has Harry ever
shown signs of being willing to compromise, to put his feelings on
the back-burner and take the larger picture  into  consideration? In
other words to do what he's supposed to do instead of what he wants
to do?

Besides, given the circumstances of the little chat (Sirius dead  only
an hour before), it's unlikely that DD would have considered it 
productive or kind to place some of the blame onto Harry's own
shoulders.

The "wounds too deep for the healing" is  possibly a pointer to
something yet to be revealed. I never did consider that the Grey
Underpants Affair was sufficient motivation for his emnity of James.
It reads as if it's just one skirmish among many. Highly embarassing
but  hardly life-changing. The 'Prank' was mostly  down to Sirius, and
if Snape is as true a Slytherin as he appears then not being able to
pay off a life debt to someone he despised would hardly be a cause
of ever-lasting bitterness. Doesn't seem credible somehow. 

> Neri:
> I agree that Snape is a very complex and interesting character. I 
> agree he is (for some unknown reason) loyal to the plan to destroy 
> LV. I also think he is very emotional and he hates Harry's guts. This 
> is exactly what makes him so interesting for the story.

Kneasy:
Yep, delving into Snape's psyche and motivations is the most fascinating
aspect of the books IMO. I look forward to more revelations. As to who's
reading him best -  who knows? But it does make for some lively posts.