Rules of Respect was Re:Snape & Harry

[potioncat]

No: HPFGUIDX 101341

> Alla wrote :
> > Are you saying that Harry should pretend that he respects Snape 
out 
> > of fear of being punished?
> 
> Del replies :
> Funny :-) That seems to be a horrible concept to you, but it never
> bothered me. I take it as one of the rules of the Life Game : He 
who
> has the power gets the respect - or the appearance of it ;-) 

Potioncat:
This is the second time I've seen a "respect" thread.  (I'll bet 
others have seen a few more!)  And it does surprise me a little.  It 
wasn't really that long ago (was it?) that children were expected to 
respect their elders.  Not liking them was no excuse.  That the 
elders were mean was no excuse.  That they might be wrong was no 
excuse.  Disagreements could happen if handled respectfully 
although, certainly, most children couldn't manage an argument of 
any sort with a grownup.  

Going back to year one, day one of Potions, according to this set of 
rules, it was Harry who was in the wrong, not Snape. He was indeed, 
mouthing off and it doesn't matter that Snape was being mean at 
the time.

Does Harry have to feel respect for Snape?  No.  Does he have to 
demonstrate respect towards a teacher? Yes. Now, in a better world, 
if Harry was having this problem with Snape he could go to someone 
for help.  According to the rules, the child had to be respectful, 
but a parent/teacher could help him deal with an obnoxious adult 
in an acceptable manner.

Also, in those days, children always addressed adults as "sir" 
and "ma'am."  and it was not at all unusual for a parent to 
gently remind a child who forgot to use the honorific.  Or to firmly 
remind a child who chose not to use it. So in my mind, it was not at 
all inappropriate for Snape to remind Harry to call him "sir," 
during Occlumency lessons.

Now, if the issue is: does Snape have the right to treat Harry the 
way he does, that would be a different post!

Potioncat