In Defense of Snape (long)

[juli17 at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 122354

Shaun wrote:

> I know one of my Snapish teachers still - in fact, the most Snapish 
> of all of them. As an adult I am able to discuss matters with him 
> without almost passing out through fear (-8
> 
> I asked him fairly recently about the way he taught. I even raised 
> the Snape issue with him, and he found it moderately amusing and he 
> agreed with the analogy (which had apparently been expressed to him 
> by others).
> 
> Just after I spoke to him, he sent me an e-mail where he said 
> something that I asked for permission to quote where appropriate. 
> Here it is:
> 
> "I am the best Classics Master in this country. I am an extremely 
> effective teacher. What I am not is warm and cuddly. I don't know 
> how to be. But I do know how to turn obnoxious adolescent boys into 
> people capable of appreciating the combined culture of 25 
> centuries. Personally I think that's worth doing. If I can't do it 
> without making a few boys cry. Tough. They'll thank me for it as  
> adults. Or they'll hate me. Either way, they'll be better for 
> it."
> 

Julie says:

This does sound very much like Snape. In fact, I'd bet this is 
exactly his attitude. He's there to pound knowledge into their
ungrateful little brains. He's not there to coddle them, and he
certainly doesn't give a damn whether they like him or hate 
him. 

But the one difference with Snape is that his personal 
prejudices enter into his teaching method. He allows a bit
of latitude to his Slytherin students that he doesn't give to
others, because they are *his* kids, i.e., Slytherin house.
(Favoring your own house, dorm, fraternity, etc, is a natural
tendency few can avoid--McGonagall even does it with the
Gryffindors--and Snape has less control over his prejudices
than most.) 

OTOH, he rides Harry harder than anybody because of a
personal animosity toward James carried over to his son 
(and, truth be told, because Harry both unwittingly and 
wittingly reinforces Snape's beliefs about him). Those 
around Harry also bear the brunt of Snape's prejudice 
because of their closeness to him. 

Snape is a reasonably *effective* teacher, maybe even 
a good one that respect, if you aren't Harry or anyone
closely involved with him. And if you aren't exactly the
kind of student Snape would naturally despise--Neville. 
But he's not really a good teacher in the full, broadest
sense, the teacher who not only drills knowledge into
his students but also instills a love of learning and 
emboldens their confidence and self-esteem. Lupin 
is that kind of teacher. McGonagall may be too, despite
her occasional impatience. Snape definitely is not.  

IMO,

Julie 


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