[HPforGrownups] Snape- Universal Teacher - Universal Story

[Shaun Hately]

No: HPFGUIDX 128484

On 3 May 2005 at 20:35, Steve wrote:

> I've been reading the many posts on Snape and whether he is an
> effective teacher or not, and something occurred to me.
> 
> I appeal to our resident authority, Shaun, to confirm or deny my
> statement, but doesn't Professor Snape make an appearance in every
> single British School Boy story ever written? Of course, he appears
> under many different names, but isn't it pretty much standard fare for
> there to be one very unpleasant teacher in the school to act as the
> Hero's foil, nemisis, and antagonist?

Well, first of all, I wouldn't be at all surprised to find other 
people on this list who have read many British School stories, and 
are at least as authoritative on them a I am. I've read a lot, and I 
collect them, so I do have a good knowledge of them.

To answer your question, it's not at all uncommon for a Snape like 
teacher to appear in such books. I'm on teaching rounds at the 
moment, so really don't have time to go into all this in as much 
detail as I would like - but while it isn't by any means a universal 
thing, it is certainly common.

I am actually slowly writing a paper on this - "Hogwarts School of 
Witchcraft and Wizardry in the Context of the British School Story" 
(something of a companion to my "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and 
Wizardry in the Context of the British Public Schools") but it's not 
likely to be ready until at least July or August.

Yours Without Wax, Dreadnought
Shaun Hately | www.alphalink.com.au/~drednort/thelab.html
(ISTJ)       | drednort at alphalink.com.au | ICQ: 6898200 
"You know the very powerful and the very stupid have one
thing in common. They don't alter their views to fit the 
facts. They alter the facts to fit the views. Which can be 
uncomfortable if you happen to be one of the facts that 
need altering." The Doctor - Doctor Who: The Face of Evil
Where am I: Frankston, Victoria, Australia