Snape as a teacher (was Hagrid's name)

potioncat willsonkmom at msn.com
Tue May 11 16:04:28 UTC 2004


No: HPFGUIDX 98063

> Steve wrote:
> >I think, to some extent, Dumbledore believes that Snape also, 
> >although unintentionally, teaches the student a valuable life 
> >lesson. Thatlesson is that in the very long life of a wizard, you 
> >will meet and be forced to work with people who are capable but 
not 
> >very pleasant. In real life, as we all know from experience, you 
> >have to learn to deal with these people.
> 
snip<<
> >I do agree to a limited extent, that Dumbledore is slightly 
blinded by the good Snape does. I think if he really knew how 
horribly miserable some kids like Neville were, he would tell Snape 
to ease up a bit.
> 
> Leah:
> 
> snip<<
> 
> I can understand that there may be reasons that Snape behaves like 
> this, the need to keep up a front for Lucius Malfoy and friends 
being 
> the most obvious.   One could also argue that Snape believes that 
by 
> toughening up Harry and Neville he is preparing them for what is 
in 
> store.  I think however, that Snape can't forget Harry is the son 
of 
> the pampered and arrogant James, (and was genuinely taken aback by 
> Harry's memories of childhood), and Neville is..well an easy 
target.
snip>

Potioncat:
I don't think DD hired Snape for his teaching style or to teach a 
life lesson.  He hired him to have him at Hogwarts to help fight 
LV.  Fortunately enough he was willing to teach and was well versed 
in Dark Arts and Potions. 

DD knows what Snape is and I think DD knows you can't change a 
person. I suppose he thinks Snape, although unpleasnt, isn't harming 
the students. As Steve says, he may be blinded by the good Snape 
does do. As for that, to DD, Snape must still seem to be a very 
young man.  DD may be grooming him for his destiny just as DD is 
grooming Harry.

It seems to me, that all the teachers are teaching all the 
students.  No one seems to be trying to keep one group from learning 
as much.  Snape seems to be trying to make sure that Longbottom and 
Potter really learn potions. We don't see the other teachers doing 
this, but perhaps since they aren't as disagreeable as Snape, Harry 
doesn't notice it so much.

The really nasty things Snape does, doesn't have to do with learning.
It may be mean, it may affect Harry's marks, but it doesn't affect 
what he learned.  And that does seem to be a sort of Muggle baiting 
for Snape's cover with Draco. How Snape reconciles that behavior 
with his non-DE Slytherins, I do not know.

Potioncat (who won't mention the twins even if they are as cute as 
bugs!)(for non-Southerners, that's a good thing.)





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