First lesson WAS: Re: Marietta, was Slytherin's Reputation

[montavilla47]

No: HPFGUIDX 185820

> >> Montavilla47:
> > Sorry to interrupt here, but I went back and read the relevant 
> passage
> > and I'm not seeing a lot of anger or hatred in that first lesson.  
> Snape
> > is being demanding, yes.  But it doesn't seem that personal.
> 
> jkoney:
> You might not be seeing it now, but put yourself in Harry's place. 
> Your an eleven year old, who is away at school in a totally different 
> world, you are in your first class that had no pre-requirements and 
> the teacher insults you and then starts questioning you on something 
> you have never studied. Not only that, but he isn't questioning 
> anyone else. You've lived and dealt with people like this you entire 
> life. Now you just have to survive five years of this bully. I don't 
> think potions is ever going to hold an interest at this point.

Montavilla47:
I did put myself in Harry's place as I read it.  And, looking at it from
the perspective of an eleven-year-old boy, who is new at school, I
see a teacher who is trying to make a strong impression on his class
and has unfortunately chosen me to do so.  But thems the breaks.  

It's not like Harry has never been in *any* school before.  Sometimes
teachers call on you when you're not prepared.  Sometimes they ask
questions that nobody in the class can answer.  Sometimes they
make unreasonable demands.  

But, I wouldn't assume that Snape was doing this to me personally.
Especially when my new best friend Ron informs me that Snape is
hard on a lot of people.

It's hard to remember back, but I'm pretty sure that even on the 
first reading--before I was hyper-alert to the Harry filter--that
I read Snape as a typical mean teacher and I didn't think that it 
*was* personal until the end of the book when Dumbledore 
mentions the James hate.