From: deevo37@NOSPAMbigpond.com   
      
   "Here in Minnesota"  wrote in message   
   news:n9Ilp.4967$yp3.3921@newsfe09.iad...   
   > I'm re-reading the half blood prince.   
   >   
   > There's the old is Snape evil debate... bully to the kids, etc.   
   >   
   > I think his worst crime was in his teaching. I always thought he was a   
   > poor teacher, but he wrote all the notes in Harry's copy of the textbook   
   > and never bothered to share this knowledge with his students. And this was   
   > stuff he learned when he was on a teenager; I assume he knew more later.   
      
   A couple of thoughts on that.   
      
   As a potions teacher he may well have been obligated to teach the "official"   
   methods.  The wizarding world may appear enlightened to a casual observer   
   but I think it's clear that there is a deep level of conservatism in their   
   society.  As one of my favourite screenwriters once said in an interview,   
   the more utopian seeming the society, the darker and more sinister the   
   underbelly.   
      
   Secondly there might be an aspect of selfishness about his methods.  His   
   character seems to revel in his superiority and teaching his students more   
   effective methods could potentially create a rival for him.   
      
   Personally I think he was just a mean spirited git who enjoyed making life   
   miserable for students.   
   --   
   Deevo   
   Geraldton Western Australia   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)