In Defense of Snape (long)

[cubfanbudwoman]

No: HPFGUIDX 122411


SSSusan:
> > As a former teacher myself, I know about challenges.  But I 
> believe  you go too far when you say "the *only* reason."  How do 
> you know  this?  Neville does screw up -- he's klutzy in other 
> places, too,  and McGonagall is livid with him when he leaves the 
> passwords out, yes.  But ask yourself whether Neville has ANY 
> chance of relaxing or  feeling confident in his abilities -- 
> something he seems to question  by nature -- with the way 
> Snape treats him?  <
>  
> As Alla asked:
> >>Don't you find it ironic, that Neville progressed in Harry's 
> DADA club more during a few months than in Snape class 
> during five  years.<<
 
Pippin:
> Trouble is, Neville had Lupin for DADA, just as Harry did, so 
> whatever made the difference for Neville in the DA, it wasn't 
> finally having a competent, non-scary teacher.  Also, if I am not 
> mistaken, Neville *has* made progress in potions class. IIRC, 
> no cauldrons were injured in the making of OOP <g>. Not one.

SSSusan:
Ah.  A fair point, Pippin.  Maybe this says something about 
Neville's comfort level in learning from peers over learning from 
teachers?  Or maybe it takes a long time for his confidence to 
develop & manifest itself?  Did increased confidence in the DA lead 
to increased confidence all around, including in Snape's potions 
class?

 
Pippin:
> Could it be that in subjects where he isn't naturally motivated, 
> Neville actually needs to be scared to try his best? That Snape's 
> methods actually did break through that thick skull of his? Not 
> PC, I know, but I'm just wondering.

SSSusan:
Oh, I'm not trying to be PC, even if that's how people are reading 
my comments.  I'm NOT about being PC just for the sake of being PC.  
I'm just not sure that we really saw evidence that scaring Neville 
*helped* him.  I wonder if, instead, things like Lupin showing him 
he could face down a boggart and Harry's DA giving him a chance to 
practice DADA skills w/o being watched by a teacher or being yelled 
at like he routinely is in Potions, finally built up a level of 
confidence which is helping him overcome those tough subjects?  I'm 
not sure, I'm just wondering, too.


Pippin: 
> From what you are saying, it seems more important that a 
> teacher pass on an appreciation of the subject than actual 
> competence. But if you needed an operation, which surgeon 
> would you rather have, the one who just loves surgery, or the one 
> with the higher than average success rate?

SSSusan:
Ack.  Actually, this shows me that I'm not doing a very good job of 
expressing myself if I've given the impression that I feel an 
appreciation of potions is more important than competence in it.  
It's competence that I want!  And it's a student's FULL POTENTIAL, 
not just adequacy, that I want.  Does that make sense?  I want the 
students to reach their full potential, to be as competent w/ 
potions as they can be, and an appreciation for potions would be a 
bonus at the end, but not essential.  For some kids, Snape's scare 
tactics & nastiness may very well do the trick in getting them to 
buckle down, pay attention and work hard.  For Harry & Neville it 
doesn't seem to.

Now, lots of people keep saying that Neville & Harry are special 
cases.  Many of the people who say this seem to be saying that, by 
that, they mean Snape can be tougher with them because of his 
history with them or their families or because they just annoy him 
more.  

I, too, am arguing that Harry & Neville are special cases, but I 
mean it in a different way. I mean that they are special because one 
or the other of them is THE ONE who's supposed to have the power to 
vanquish Voldy, and because of that specialness, I think the 
teachers who're "in the know" about Voldy & the prophecy [and I *am* 
making a big assumption that Snape is one of them] should go the 
extra mile with them to make sure they're really meeting their full 
potential.  And I would argue that Snape has never done that with 
these two.  

YES, Harry has been defiant and Neville has been The Klutz King, but 
Snape bears much of the blame for how he set the stage with the two 
of them in the first year and how he's shown no interest in altering 
his treatment of them *even as* he's seen them continue to fail and 
as he's come to KNOW Voldy's back.

Dung's right -- he wouldn't be Snape if he weren't this way.  For 
him to be introspective & self-assessing would strike most of us as 
OOC.  I'm just pointing out where I think he has failed The Order's 
cause.  A human failing, a decidedly Snape failing I suppose, but 
one I wish he would make strides to correct.

Have I done any better explaining my position, I wonder?

Siriusly Snapey Susan