Sadistic Teachers (was:Re: Teaching Styles)

[Renee]

No: HPFGUIDX 148004

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "horridporrid03"
<horridporrid03 at ...> wrote:
>
> Betsy:
> 
> And I don't think it's because JKR is too squeamish to give us a 
> sadistic teacher, or to describe a sadist enjoying himself.  Not 
> with Umbridge waiting in the wings.  Look at what she does with 
> Harry when she tells him that his detention will be doing lines.

Renee:
If I'm not mistaken, you don't attach much importance to JKR's own
comments. But now that you're bringing her into the discussion anyway,
I'd like to point out again that she's the one who called Snape `a
sadistic teacher', without qualification. You may counter this by
saying: "I don't care how JKR interprets her own characters; if she
intended Snape to be sadistic she didn't do her job very well, because
I don't see it." But you can't maintain she didn't intend Snape to be
sadistic because Umbridge is a sadist. There's no reason whatsoever
why the series shouldn't contain two sadistic teachers, each with
their own personal brand of sadism. 

Personally, I do see Snape's sadism quite clearly. The Trevor incident
is sadism, because Neville is obvioulsy terrified. The incident where
Snape reads the Daily Prophet article about Hermione in class is
sadism. Snape's "gloating pleasure" when Harry's potion drops to the
floor and breaks is sadism (regardless of the question whether it was
Snape who caused it to drop). I'll omit his 'horrible smile' in the
Marauders Map incident in PoA, becaus he isn't teaching at the time.
But its obvious enough that Snape enjoys himself when he humiliates
others, or causes discomfort and fear. Admittedly, Umbridge is a worse
sadist than he is. That doesn't exonerate Snape. 

Maybe JKRs tolerance treshhold for sadism is low. But it's obvious to
me that she means Snape to be sadistic, and this, again is a possible
indication of where she'll be taking him in the last book.

Renee