Teaching Styles

[lupinlore]

No: HPFGUIDX 157898

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "eggplant107" <eggplant107 at ...> 
wrote:

<SNIP>
> 
> Irrational or not most children (and many adults) fear humiliation
> more than death. Tell me Snape has some good in him if you want to,
> tell me he will do something heroic in the last book if you like; but
> don't tell me there is a 11 year old child on the planet who wouldn't
> be terrified of the Severus Snape as described in the books. Snape is
> many things but warm and fuzzy he is not.
> 

Well, rationality and Snape make for an interesting mix.  He is, after 
all, such a sane and clear model of balance and propriety in all his 
dealings.  

The subject of good and Snape is even more interesting.  Will Snape do 
good?  Who knows?  I suspect that he will, one way or the other, 
simply because that seems to be the way the series is heading.  But IS 
he good?  That's a much more interesting question.  Based on his abuse 
of Neville and Harry, the answer is a resounding NO, I think.  He is 
an evil character (probably in the end evil with a small "e") who may 
well undertake some good actions.  I suppose you could argue the 
Dumbledore is the opposite, a good character (the epitome thereof, we 
are told) who undertakes some evil actions (not least toleration of 
Harry being abused by Snape and the Dursleys).  I guess that makes for 
an interesting mirror effect, but doesn't excuse either Snape's 
essential small "e" evil, or Dumbledore's particular actions (or 
inactions, as the case is here).


Lupinlore, who thinks a final confrontation between Snape and Neville 
might be even funnier (in a Snapey-poo humiliating kind of way) than 
one between Snape and Harry