Snape! Snape! Snape! Snape! Loverly Snape! Wonderful Snape! (long

[juli17 at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 148437

 
houyhnhnm:


Having  been taunted because of his
looks all through school, an unattractive  feature (the Hermione of the
books is no where near as pretty as Emma  Watson) would not only remind
him of what he hated about himself as a  teenager, he would probably
even be able to rationalize it by telling  himself he is helping her. 
It's a mean, hard, dangerous world and the  sooner you learn to take
your lumps and get-over-it, the  better.



Julie:
That last sentence describes Snape to a "T" for me! It's the  main
reason I don't view Snape as a sadist, though he can be sadistic  at
times. And though we see that Snape's treatment of his students
is mean and unfair, I don't think Snape sees himself that way at all.
He sees a bunch of lazy, unmotivated students who better well 
learn that the WW world is mean, hard and dangerous--and if they
can't take his brand of nastiness, how will they ever survive in that
world when they're released into it? (And I do think DD sees this 
lesson as a valuable one too, even while he deliberately interferes
and reins Snape in when he starts to go too far.)
 
Also, IMO, Snape doesn't get pleasure from torturing his students
in the sadistic sense that Umbridge does when she salivates at
the idea of infliciting pain for pain's sake (which is why she is a
sadistic person). Snape gets satisfaction in the sense of "that 
will teach you not to ignore my instructions/talk back to me/
show off when you don't have the vaguest idea how pathetically
inadequate mere book-learning will prepare you for the future." He
sees his actions as well-deserved punishment, as well as a lesson
the students better learn sooner rather than later. 
 
I'm not saying Snape is right about this approach, but it does have
some merit in the unpleasant Voldy-threatened world his students
are about to enter, and its not sadism, even in the case of the sadly
hapless Neville. The only exception is Harry, where Snape does
let his personal feelings overtake him and has occasionally inflicted
pain on Harry for the purpose of enjoying that pain. Though Harry is
more than willing to do the same to Snape, even if his power to  do
so is limited, which is why these two simply have to come to some
sort of understanding in Book 7 if either/both of them are going to
survive with their souls intact--if somewhat tarnished in Snape's  case.
(And, yes, Snape "started" it and basically forced Harry to hate him,
but Harry still has to overcome that hatred or fail his hero's  quest.)
 
Julie
(who assumes DDM!Snape as always)
 


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