In Defense of Snape (long)

[naamagatus]

No: HPFGUIDX 122384


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "pippin_999" <foxmoth at q...> 
wrote:
>
> It depends on what you think the goal of the class is. If you think 
> it's to give the kids fond memories of Snape, or fond feelings 
> about potion-making, then Snape is a failure. 
> 
> If the goal is to make sure that nobody, ever, for the rest of 
their 
> lives,  goes near a cauldron unless they are 150% confident in 
> what they are doing, then Snape is good. Considering that 
> botched potions can kill or permanently incapacitate people, and 
> that the differences are often subtle, I can thoroughly understand 
> Snape's attitude. 


Sorry, Pippin, but - "nobody"?! If this was true, Snape would have 
been impartially horrible to everybody in the class. Which of course, 
he isn't. He is meaner to the Gryffindors than the Slytherins, and 
meaner by several degrees to Harry and his friends.

Also, other types of magics can be just as dangerous as potions 
(think of Apparition or Animagus transformations). Riding a broom 
seems to me the most dangerous magical activity - yet Hooch doesn't 
find it necessary to flay her students' skin with sarcasm or mistreat 
them in other ways. 

Somebody should list the various excuses made for Snape. His 
nastiness is so over-determined he must be the nicest guy in the 
world underneath it all..


Naama, starting to get amused