Snape detractors unsophisticated?

[vmonte]

No: HPFGUIDX 137783

Brothergib wrote:
I would like to finish by saying that it is still possible that I am
wrong. Snape is a sadistic, unpleasant man - I still can't believe
that he was upset when he didn't manage to kill Neville's toad with
the shrinking solution. There are often times when he betrays a
resentment? for DD. He is very excited about the prospect of Sirius'
exposure to the Dementors.

However, the big question for me is - Do you believe DD when he says
that Voldemort's interpretation of the prophecy is the greatest
regret of Snape's life. I do - and due to his hatred of James that
has always led me to believe that Snape has some sort of connection
with Lily.

So for me, Snape in a nutshell... Unhappy childhood, bullied at
school, unhappy as a DE. He also now seems committed to a plan that
will help Harry Potter, of all people, to defeat Voldemort. His
resentment for the way his life has turned out is huge, and he takes
it out on everyone he can. But in the end, some connection with Lily
is the reason Snape fights for good!!

vmonte:
I'm not trying to sway anyone in any direction but as a mother I 
wonder what JKR intends for Snape. Here is a teacher that likes to 
bully and torment children. And many of the children fear him or 
despise him (except for Slytherin of course).

JKR has said that Snape is based on a teacher she once had. She also 
mentions that Snape is a sadistic teacher and that children can see 
right through this kind of teacher.

I admit that I myself had a sadistic professor like this, so this may 
prejudice my point of view. The funny thing about my experience with 
this teacher is that although I loathed her evilness to me and to the 
other students, what I loathed more was the way that I did not defend 
myself. I took the abuse and was afraid of reporting her--and no one 
else reported her either. (Strangely I would only confront her face 
on in front of the class when she attacked other students, but not 
when she picked on me.)   

Years later I bumped into a student from that class and he thanked me 
for standing up to this teacher on behalf of all the other students. 
This man had been feeling bad for years because he had not had enough 
nerve to defend me.  

She was a blood sucking, soul sucking dementor.  And I'll never 
forget her.

Vivian