Snape as A-hole Drill Sargeant [was: Re: Harry, Snape,Occlumency]

[cubfanbudwoman]

No: HPFGUIDX 94377

"Silverthorne" (Anne) said:
> However, for Military trained people the ability to remain
> calm and rational no matter *what* Mr Asshole Seargant is 
> screaming at you is one of the primary foci of training. Why? 
> Because later, when you're stuck in a fox hole with bombs going off 
> right over your head, a bleeding gut wound, and the best buddy you 
> knew since high school laying right next to you with his guts 
> hanging out, you're still going to have to be able to function and
> *think* in order to survive where you're at. Emotional reaction 
> won't cut it. Neither will a passive attitude. <snip>

> To put it into a little bit of cannon *speculation*, this is why, I 
> suspect, some of Snape's actions (horrid as they are by even 
> Rowling's standards), are permitted and maybe even encouraged. The 
> WW is at WAR. Sad but true. <snip>

> You can believe Snape is truly abusive or not, a horrid teacher or 
> not, but he is still delivering necessary lessons for a generation 
> who is not living in utopic peace...and is in fact at the moment, 
> hurtling to it's exact opposite--Hell on Earth--thanks to 
> Voldemort. And although what Snape does can be argued as 'damaging' 
> to the kids in present day pyschology terms, it will still help 
> them when up against Voldemort--because they will *already* know 
> how to keep thinking, no matter what's getting thrown at them, 
> thanks to having to deal with Snape.

Siriusly Snapey Susan:
Anne, you have done an *excellent* job of explaining this, and I have 
no doubt that you are right about why Asshole Drill Sergeants behave 
as they do.  

The *only* potential quibbles I have with this are:
1) Those who are in RW military training/school most often *know* 
that they are heading into training specifically for the potentiality 
OF WAR.  They are also legally adults.  [Or in the case of military 
academies for teens, know it's a *military* setting.]  The Hogwarts 
kids are **eleven** when they arrive and believe they are going to 
boarding school to learn basic WW subjects.  I would think that NOT 
being up front with the students about the war and also not taking 
into account their ages could potentially **undo** the good of 
Snape's giving them practice dealing w/ nasty people.  Do you know 
what I mean?  Snape has been cruel & nasty since the beginning.  Are 
11- or 12-year-olds who see themselves as boarding school students 
able to *learn* under the Asshole Drill Sergeant methods the way an 
18-year-old army recruit is?  [Don't jump down my throat anyone, 
please, it's just a question!]  *I* think that kids that age would 
have to know *something* of why they're being treated this way in 
order for them to not "pull a Neville" [be so frightened he can't 
learn] or "pull a Harry" [be so angry he won't/can't learn].  

2) I would think if Snape were acting as Asshold Drill Sergeant at 
Hogwarts, because the WW is at war, then he'd treat all students the 
same way.  Or does he go soft on the Slytherins because he doesn't 
*want* them to war war-ready???

Just some wonderings in response to this excellent post.
Siriusly Snapey Susan