In Defense of Snape (long)

[cubfanbudwoman]

No: HPFGUIDX 122409


SSSusan, previously:
> >> But, see, that's my main point, Betsy. If Snape is aware of
> >> their importance, then why does he not ask himself whether these
> >> two are learning?
 
Betsy replied:
> > Why do you think Snape *doesn't* ask himself that question?

> SSSusan again:
> Because he's never changed his methods as far as we can ascertain.
> He's certainly never changed his presentation. If Harry bristles
> and "shuts down" in defiance, and if Neville falls apart [more than
> with other teachers, no? Snape could ask them about that, couldn't
> he?], then I don't think he's asking himself what he could do to
> change any of that.
 
Dungrollin interrupts:
> Snape was never taught how to be a teacher.  Even in the RW, 
> learning to be a teacher is a relatively recent phenomenon.  


SSSusan:
I'm sure you are right about this, Dungrollin.  And when combined 
with this --
 
> Snape's got a good helping of that other endearing virtue, 
> arrogance.  

-- it means he's not especially inclined to self-assessment or 
introspection.


Dungrollin: 
> There's another factor that I think comes into play here, and 
> there's probably a technical term for it, but I don't know
> what it is, so I'll call it amplifying.  If, like me, you're a
> relatively talkative person, and you meet somebody who is terribly 
> quiet and shy, you start to feel uncomfortable.  You look around 
> for some way to get out of the conversation, but there is none, 
> and you feel obliged to continue talking to this person until your 
> bus comes.  In an attempt to put this shy person at ease, and 
> encourage them to speak up a bit, you talk a bit louder and a bit 
> longer, so that their one-word answers to your lengthy questions 
> don't get too uncomfortable.  Unfortunately this has the opposite 
> effect to that you intend.  <snip> This works not only for 
> quiet/noisy types, but other things as well.  I suggest that Snape 
> thinks that Neville doesn't care enough about potions to do it 
> right.  Snape gets angry with him to make him realise that it's 
> important.  Neville gets scared and panicky, which has the 
> opposite effect to the one Snape intended. Snape compensates 
> again – he thinks Neville's still not trying hard enough to get it 
> right, what can he do to make him take this seriously?  Being 
> Snape, the obvious thing is to put the frighteners on him.  And it 
> continues like that.

SSSusan:
The verbose/shy person example of "amplifying" is an enjoyable one 
to consider :-) and you may be correct -- it may account for some of 
Snape's treatment of Neville.  But how would you explain what he did 
in insulting Neville in front of Lupin & the whole class, in telling 
Lupin he wasn't trustworthy before his DADA class?  Still a 
carryover of frustration?  It *felt* more flat-out nasty to me.


Dungrollin:
> If Snape were introspective *at all* he might consider his actions 
> to be part of the reason why this approach doesn't work for
> Neville – but he's not remotely introspective.  If something
> goes wrong he apportions the blame elsewhere.  It's got nothing
> to do with intelligence, it's an entirely emotion-driven reaction -
> but he'd never admit that.  

SSSusan:
I totally agree.  I think some people think Snape is totally cold & 
calculating, always in control, and only appears to be out of 
control when he's playacting.  I think you've got the correct take, 
though:  he's emotion-driven but would never admit it.  Think of the 
Occlumency speech about people who wear their emotions on their 
sleeves.  Perhaps as close as he'd ever come to admitting such a 
think about himself?


Dungrollin:
> Come on SSSusan, if he wasn't like that, he wouldn't be
> Snape...  I know you love him really!

SSSusan:
Okay, okay.  You're right.  He is what he is, and he's darn 
fascinating!  I do love to think & wonder about Snape.

Siriusly Snapey Susan