Is Snape so bad as a teacher?

[mary_j_59]

This is a response to the January challenge on Snapedom. I was apprehensive about posting, because the situations I describe are real. But the two crimes against students I discuss (briefly) haven't been mentioned yet, so I took the plunge. The essay follows the cut - It's g rated, as usual, and fairly short - probably no more than 1,500 words.

Comments

[zephre]

Nice.
I hadn't cottoned on to the Slughorn/favoritism implications, but now that you've mentioned them I can see that so very clearly.

I have to respect Snape for keeping his students alive even in extremely trying circumstances. Let's not kid each other that the majority of subjects in a Wizarding school would be safe.

Thanks for this!

[mary_j_59]

Thanks! Yes, about Slughorn (and Dumbledore, for that matter - there's a neat little theory somewhere that Tommy refused his advances! I don't believe that for a moment, but still can see where the theorist is coming from), once you do spot it, it really does stand out. It's sort of like those hidden images in wallpaper, or those pictures that are really psychological tests.

And Severus is genuinely *protective* of the kids. Now that we know exactly how ruthless Dumbledore was, I appreciate that even more.

Dementors/Snape

[terri_testing]

Actually, we don't know that Snape was was willing (as opposed to WANTING) to let Dementors suck out Sirius's soul. What we have to go by is what HE DID. Which was strap Sirius to a stretcher, bring him gently--with no further injury, unlike what Sirius did to him-- up to Hogwarts, and turn him over to the Ministry for judgement by a presumably more impartial source

[freggythepod]

I find the whole Snape vs. Slughorn thing very interesting (incidentally, I may have been the one who compared Snape being prepared and Slughorn not. I recall mentioning it a few times).

It's funny how Harry's always on about Snape being biased, but when he gets into Slughorn's little club, he's not nearly as virulently opposed to him as he is to Snape.

And even when Snape is a bit of an ass, he usually does it because the student is being apathetic or stupid-- things that can be controlled. Slughorn rejects people because of who they are related to, which can't be controlled.

Slughorn, I think, is really the dark side of the gregarious sort of teacher. He takes it too far, to the point where the job is less about teaching and more about forging contacts. No wonder Snape wrote all over his textbook as a student. He must not have been challenged at all.

[mary_j_59]

Good points! And thanks, if you are the person I remembered talking about the preparedness. I do remember being struck by it even as I was reading - Slughorn is the *Potions Master*, and he can't think of a bezoar, nor lay his hands on one?!

I don't hate Sluggy, really, but he does give me the creeps, in a mild way. My older nephew (the bright 12 year old I spoke of earlier) *despises* Slughorn, because of the way he treats Ron. Our boys don't like Harry much, but they relate to Ron.

[shyfoxling]

Slughorn is the *Potions Master*, and he can't think of a bezoar, nor lay his hands on one?!

The impression I got of Slughorn is that he is not an especially quick thinker. Not that he is stupid, obviously, but that being alert to possible problems and having solutions or escapes on hand and ready in his mind is not his long suit.

[mary_j_59]

I do understand your take on the "teeth" comment, and it (often) makes sense to me. But here's the thing: just as Harry *should* have gone to Snape and apologized after the pensieve incident, so Severus should really have apologized to Hermione when he saw how the child (because she was just a child) interpreted what he had said. I wouldn't expect him to do this in public, but he could have done it privately. He didn't. Severus can be mean,and he's not always right in what he says or does.

But still, to any careful reader, he is morally head and shoulders above almost anyone in the Potterverse. I'd never deny that, either. And your point elsewhere is very well taken: Dumbledore was shockingly, horrifyingly cruel to him in POA. My dad stopped reading the books at that point, and I was inclined to - something in that scene annoyed me. Now I know why.

Fabulous Thoughtful Essay and Responses!

[karendetroit]

Thanks everyone for the clarifying! As for those few occasions where Snape makes a really cruel remark....that was where he really fell out of character. Unless that is a product of being in Slytherin House, or of having intimate acquaintance with a Malfoy!

Just as Rowling totally f-d over her characters en masse in Deathly Hallows, she practiced first on the Potions Master. Because the readership really couldn't see how evil he was, she threw in these little bits of Malfoyesque spite so she could point to them and say: "See, what did I tell you? A really unworthy man!"