PRe: Cultural standards, nasty teachers, abused children/ JKR quote new for me

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 144763

Shaun:

<SNIP>
> And a couple - and only a couple - of my good teachers were very 
> Snape like indeed. And to see people labelling them child abusers 
by 
> proxy - well, it hurts. Especially as, believe me, I do know what 
> child abuse by an educator can be like.

Alla:

Erm... NO, Shaun, I don't label any real teachers  whom I don't know 
as child abusers. Snape on the other hand - yes, absolutely, I do. 



Shaun:
> But - like I say, I believe people have a right to their opinions -
 
> and that's all I am expressing here is mine. What worries me a bit 
> though is the idea that somehow JKR is failing in some duty if she 
> doesn't first of all agree with the opinions of some people on 
what 
> is and isn't child abuse, but secondly and more importantly, 
doesn't 
> somehow deal with this in the text.

Alla:

Yes, and I am expressing mine. I said many times -  the fact that I 
would be emotionally satisfied with Snape  being punished does NOT 
equal " JKR has any kind of duty to address it in the text" BUT I 
also said several times that I SEE it as future plot development, I 
brought canon examples which showed that people who behaved badly 
caught up with their karma. I asked you earlier, but I just want to 
be sure you DO agree that Snape behaves badly towards Harry, right? 
Because if you don't then of course you would not buy that Snape's 
karma will catch up with him.

I am pretty sure that such thing will happen to Snape based on how I 
read the books that is again does not me an " JKR has to", I just 
think she will. IMO of course.

Shaun:
> *But* - and here's the thing - I understand that JKR is driven by 
the 
> story she wants to tell. She writes what she needs to write to 
tell 
> the story she wants to tell.

Alla: 
Yes, absolutely I agree.

Shaun:
<SNIP>
 And I think it would be utterly absurd 
> of me to expect her to worry about the issue I have raised in 
writing 
> her story.

Alla:

That I don't get. Why would it be absurd of you as a reader to wish 
that the certain issue to be addressed? It is not like you can force 
JKR to address it or not , it just means IMO that you are deeply 
involved in the story and would like those issues  to be addressed, 
like making a wish and see whether it comes true or not. Just part 
of the fun to me anyways.


I want to finish with another JKR's quote about Snape, which I have 
not read till recently, which only strengthens my opinion that she 
does NOT regard Snape as good teacher. IMO of course, which could be 
wrong. Now, again nobody is obligated to agree with me, and of 
course Snape's behaviour could be interpreted differently by 
different people, but I completely disagree that calling Snape a " 
child abuser" is not supported by the text or by author's 
intentions, as I read them.


"Did you like all of your teachers?

JKR: No, not all of them. My least favorite teacher was just a  
bully. I've met quite a few teachers now, both when I was teaching 
and when I've been  visting schools, and the bullies really do stand 
out . I understand from the teacher's point of view that it's very 
easy to be a bully, but it's also worst, shabbiest thing you can do. 
We are back to Snape here" - Conversations with JKR, p.21.

So, " bully, teacher, who abuses his power" are the names which we 
KNOW JKR calls Snape. I do not remember JKR calling Snape child 
abuser, although one day if I have enough free time, I may go 
through her interviews just to be sure, but in any event, to me 
bully ( and Snape bullies children) is very close to child abuser, 
teacher, who abuses his power IS very close to child abuser.

So, what is my point? I don't think I am blowing Snape's behaviour 
out of proportion, not at all.

Of course, that is only my opinion.