Snape--Abusive?

[Alex Boyd]

No: HPFGUIDX 114745


A number of people have posted, Re: my abusive Snape post, that
Neville is a strong candidate for having been genuinely emotionally
abused by Snape.  

I think this is a great point--we don't see *a lot* of evidence that
Neville's Snape-Anxiety is "interfering with his schoolwork and
activities of daily living" as they say, but we do see *some*, and
it's easy to imagine that there's lots more Harry hasn't noticed.  (We
know Harry isn't all that observant when it comes to people's feelings.)

I was very troubled by the posts suggesting that Harry should "stand
up to Snape," mostly because I can't imagine such a scene being
satisfying.  We already know that Harry isn't cowed by Snape; he
doesn't need to prove it in a really obvious way.  If Harry stood up
in class and told Snape to behave more professionally, it would
probably come across to me  (as it certainly would to Snape) as Harry
being a brat.  There would be no emotional payoff to Harry standing up
to Snape; it wouldn't mark any particular development in his
character.  But if *Neville* stands up to Snape...that would be
totally different.  Neville *does* have to prove that he's not cowed
by Snape.  (However, I see it happening in Book 6--after he stands up
to Lestrange, it would seem very odd if he goes back to Hogwarts for
sixth year and he's just as afraid of Snape as he always was.)

Alex