[HPforGrownups] Re: Harry's detention in HBP

[Bart Lidofsky]

No: HPFGUIDX 168328

From: justcarol67 <justcarol67 at yahoo.com>
>I wonder, by the way, how different the reaction of the students, and
>of Snape, would have been if Harry had thoroughly read and absorbed
>the material. I also wonder whether Draco knew the answers to the
>questions. I'll bet he at least knew what a Bezoar was.

Snape IS a sadist. I think JKR has made that much clear. It may ALSO be an effective teaching technique, and he may pretend that this is what he is doing, but he gets joy over the suffering of others. I know the style of teaching he is pretending to use; you are brutally frank with your students. When they fail, you let them know damned well they failed, and WHY they failed. But, if they succeed, you also let them know that. 

And the students will probably not like you. But they WILL respect you, and your opinion, because they know your opinion is based on objective criteria, and not whether or not you like them, because you hate all of them.

For a much better example, look at Finny Black. NOBODY likes him, but note how he commands Harry's obedience more readily than any other entity in the books. You may not like him, but you KNOW you can trust him.

Bart