Is Snape a "rules man"? (was: Snape and Raistlin Majere)

[kiricat2001]

No: HPFGUIDX 126502


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "cubfanbudwoman" 

> Between some offlist correspondence and the comments phoenixgod 
> provided in his follow-up post, I've decided that my blanket 
> statement that Snape is a "rules man" was indeed probably going 
> overboard.  In fact, phoenixgod's take is probably most accurate:  
> Snape is a rules man in the "petty hallmonitorish" sense.  [LOVE 
that 
> phrase!]  
> 
> Many people agree with you, Hannah, that Snape seems bound by 
*some* 
> code and has a strong sense of *some* kind of justice, but that 
it's 
> his OWN.  So perhaps the reason he tends to follow DD's 
instructions 
> is that it suits his own internal code, not necessarily that he's a 
> rules follower across the board.  And much of the rest of it would 
> probably fall under the hall monitor category.
>  
> 
> Hannah:
> > Potions - something Snape has an exceptional talent for - seems 
to 
> > be all about following rules very exactly and precisely.  Snape 
> > also would appear to have a skill at logic, despite his 
irrational 
> > behaviour.  Snape strikes me as the sort of man who would apply 
> > logic so rigidly and absolutely that he actually ends up with 
> > completely wrong conclusions when he applies it to something as 
> > illogical as human nature and life in general.
> 
> 
> SSSusan:
> A point I agree with, Hannah.  Think about the line in TMWSNBN, 
where 
> Sirius says to Snape, "Once again you've applied your keen & 
> penetrating mind to the task and as usual come to the wrong 
> conclusion."  It may not be verbatim from JKR's text, but I think 
it 
> is an understandable accusation for someone to make against him.  
> Logic, reason, "rules"-following all work tremendously well in 
potion-
> making, but in assessing human behavior...?
> 

Marianne:

Hmmmm...that last sentence, minus the reference to potion-making, 
might even apply to Hermione...

But getting back to the rules question, I've always speculated that 
part of Snape's irritation and anger with the Marauders stemmed not 
only from the fact that they broke rules, but that whatever 
punishment they received did not change their behavior.  That could 
feed on itself endlessly - MWPP do something and get caught, a 
teacher gives them whatever punishment is deemed appropriate for the 
crime of the moment, and the very next day or week, they go and break 
some other rule. Eventually it drives Snape to distraction. I can see 
this continuous cycle really getting up Snape's nose so that he comes 
to feel they are never punished enough.  It's just a short step from 
there to thinking that they can get away with anything or that 
Dumbledore is showing favoritism because they're Gryffindors when 
really it was a case of the punishment never being a deterrent 
because MWPP, or probably at least PP, didn't care about what the 
school's authority.

Add to this if Snape knew, as he probably did, of instances when MWPP 
did things and were never caught, and, thus, escaped punishment.  
Again Snape could add this to the ledger of them getting away with 
EVERYTHING.

Marianne