Evaluating Snape (was: Re: Lupin's resentment )

[arrowsmithbt]

No: HPFGUIDX 94190

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "cubfanbudwoman" <susiequsie23 at s...> 
wrote:
> Actually, while I really did feel the need to tone down my first 
> argument about "grade abuse", this is the one I **would** stick to 
> my guns on and call grade abuse or at least grade unfairness. ;-)   
> This was the time **Snape** broke Harry's flask after Harry turned 
> it in.  I think it's even possible that Snape saw Hermione cleaning 
> up Harry's cauldron and then broke it, knowing Harry couldn't fill 
> another flask.  Remember, too, that Snape "survey[ed] him with a 
> look of gloating pleasure" [US Scholastic, p. 661] after it 
> happened.  It reads *to me* as intentional sabotage.
> 

Child abuse, psychological abuse, mental abuse - now grade abuse.

Of all the crimes against children that Snape has been accused of,
this one is a non-runner. In fact looking through my binoculars I
can see it leaving the field, limping heavily. Nobbled by it's own
jockey, it looks like.

What you call Grades and what we call Marks seem to have absolutely
no effect on a student's progress at Hogwarts. None. Zilch. Nothing
Snape does or says in this respect has any consequence whatsoever.
Hogwarts seems to be a schoolchild's dream where nobody fails an
exam. Ever. Or not the end of year exam, anyway.

The only exam that matters in Harry's school career are the OWLs - 
and guess what? Snape doesn't set it and doesn't get to mark it. 

So far as Potions is concerned, all is sound and fury and signifying 
nothing. Snape gets  a chance to have a dig at  Harry and Neville,
who both co-operate manfully by cocking up their practical potions
on a regular basis. Time and again both of them mess it up by not
following the list of written instructions. How difficult is that? There's
not even a spell to get wrong -  just add this, this and that in the 
correct order, Gas Mark 5, 20 mins, garnish and serve. Not exactly
demanding, is it? No wonder Snape goes ape. He must feel that he's
banging his head against a brick wall.  But what actually happens -
the Slytherins get to feel smug, Hermione gets to act concerned and
that's about all. No personal punishments, just "Points from Gryffindor!"

And this is just the easy, basic stuff. I dread to think what might 
happen if Harry doesn't get his act together for the NEWTs course- he
could do some real damage to other course members. 
And no, I don't blame Snape. All Harry has to do is *do what he's told*.
But it seems that that is too much to ask. Just as in other aspects of
his teenage progress, Harry doesn't listen, does what *he* wants and
of course it's somebody else's fault when his brilliant strategies don't
work out.

He'll  never get to be a  hero at this rate.

Kneasy