SPEW (Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare)

[anne_t_squires]

 "Nightbreed"  wrote:
>
> I think it was nuts for Rowling to make Hermione the Rosetta stone of
> Wizarding World information (and Rowling has stated numerous times that
> information comes readily from Dumbledore and Hermione because the
reader
> will believe what they say) and not until her second year at
Hogwarts even
> know House Elves exist. OTOH that's part of what outrages the 12
year old
> Hermione of COS, she thinks House Elves are a dark, wizard secret
and coming
> from Muggles she thinks they are slaves. Of course, in the U.S. wealthy
> people treat migrant workers from Mexico with much the same lack of
> humanity. 
> 
>  
> 
> I know that Rowling wanted to make social statements with her books, and
> death eater's Nazi-like mantra and the mistreatment of house elves
(remember
> wizards also don't allow non-humans to have wands) makes their
society as
> flawed as all the others. The wizard world is magic, not perfect.
However,
> SPEW ran out of steam, and jokes, and it was obvious Rowling started
> something she couldn't finish. 
> 
>  
> 
> At first I was miffed that SPEW was not in GOF, but, now that I read
all the
> books and see that it never pans out as a subplot I am perfectly
happy it's
> not there. There are so many better threads the film makers could have
> picked up.

Anne Squires:

Actually I think JKR always meant for SPEW to be a major joke to the
reader and the Wizarding World.  I think she had plotted out the
entire story arc from beginning to end.  The purpose of the SPEW
plotline was to show character growth in Hermione.  She finally comes
around to realizing that she is not, nor has she ever been correct in
her pov.  It is important to her character that she learn this. This
epiphany on Hermione's part was instrumental in allowing for Kreacher
to come around to being a true ally for the trio.

Having said all of that, I still could not stand the SPEW plotline. 
It really annoyed me.

Also, many of Ron's lines are put in Hermione's mouth in the films.
Hermione is not a Rosetta stone in the books. In the novels it is Ron,
not Hermione, who provides a lot of information about the Wizarding
World.  Ron is a great source of information.  However, Kloves decided
to have DD and Hermione provide exposition, never Ron.  He regulated
Ron to the status of comic-relief, side kick.  Harry, after meeting
Dobby, learns more about house elves from the Weasleys.  I don't think
Hermione even knows about house elves until GoF.  Harry has known
about them since CoS.  Also, it is Ron, not Hermione who explains
"mudblood" to Harry.  In the book Hermione plainly states that she
didn't know what the Slytherins were talking about.  Although she
could tell it was something, "rude."
> 
>  
Nightbreed:
Of course, in the U.S. wealthy
> people treat migrant workers from Mexico with much the same lack of
> humanity.

Anne:

Do you mean the way illegal immigrants are treated?  Immigrants who
come from many countries not just Mexico.  The same ones who have
children over here so that their children can collect welfare.  The
same ones I stand behind in the grocery store line who are using food
stamps that are paid for by my hard earned tax dollars. The same ones
who send their children to our schools and put a burden on our
education system while not paying anything.  The same ones who are
clogging up the emergency rooms and collecting free medical care
which, I reiterate, I pay for in higher insurance rates.  The same who
are also clogging up the criminal justice system because they have
certain rights to habeus corpus and court appointed lawyers and
translators. Then when they do get sent to jail  my tax dollars pay to
house them.  The same ones who are here illegally. If they are here
illegally then they are criminals.  That's what illegal means.  Not
legal equals criminal.  Also, if they don't like the way they are
treated, they can go back to where they came from.  These people do
not compare to house elves.
End of rant.

Anne Squires
>