[HPforGrownups] House Elves...

[Ebony Elizabeth Thomas]

No: HPFGUIDX 16940

>Lynn wrote:
>--Which then begs the question that if indeed it is a symbiotic
>relationship, or just the fact that they ARE happy is it not better
>let them continue working. (Since that's what they want!)   The fact
>is we don't really know whether it is elvish nature to serve wizards
>or if its an accquired trait and in fact not at all in their nature.

Moses in The Prince of Egypt:  "No nation should be built on the backs of 
slaves."

>I do admire Hermione but her biggest problem was that she never asked
>these important questions before delving into the fight for elvish
>rights. She never said to herself- "Do they want rights?"

Carter G. Woodson (1875-1950), prominent African-American historian:  "When 
you control a man's thinking, you do not have to worry about his actions.  
You do not have to tell him not to stand here or go yonder.  He will find 
his proper place and will stay in it.  You do not need to send him to the 
back door.  He will go without being told.  In fact, if there is no back 
door, he will cut one for his special benefit.  His education makes it 
necessary."

Someone wrote:
>"When I first read about S.P.E.W., I related it more to the Muggle
>perceptions on animal rights (my own personal S.P.E.W. type thing)
>than to slavery of humans though, since the human slavery issue would
>involve dissidents and overwhelming hatred of being enslaved from the
>inside to change things effectively.  Since that aspect doesn't seem
>to be the case with house elves (at least to any significant degree
>as yet), I didn't go too far with that analogy in trying to
>understand it."

Scott:
>--Animal rights, eh? So does this mean that SPEW was JKR's way of
>poking fun at PETA? I believe strongly in animal rights ( THAT is
>however better suited for the OT-chatter list). There's one big
>difference though, animals can't talk or tell us how they feel so
>it's up to humans to make that interpretation. The HE's can talk and
>so some would argue don't need Hermione to speak on their behalf.
>

That's exactly it, Scott.  House-elves are sentient beings.  They are *not* 
listed in FBWTFT.  Although I do recognize that the textbook is not 
exhaustive, I feel that their omission when gnomes are included is telling.

In the case of America, not all slaves *hated* slavery.  In fact, those who 
hated their condition usually didn't survive half as long as those who 
learned to be content with it.  The myth of the docile Mammy and Uncle Tom 
was perpetuated throughout the Old South... any unjust institution requires 
propaganda in order for it to work, you see.

The idea of there being a symbiotic relationship between house-elves and 
their masters bothers me a great deal.  The same rhetoric was used in this 
country less than a generation ago, and extended back throughout our entire 
history as a nation.  ("They like being slaves!  Look, they're happy and 
singing and dancing."  "I treat my slaves well... they're practically 
members of the family.")

I've recommended Card in the past... over the past year, I've read all of 
his sci-fi and fantasy novels.  The discussion of symbiosis is reminding me 
of ethical issues raised the novels after Ender's Game (not the current 
Ender's Shadow spinoff).

There is nothing symbiotic about the relationship between wizards and 
house-elves.  I agree with Amy Z.  From what we've seen in canon, the elves 
get the short end of the stick.

--Ebony

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><
Ebony AKA AngieJ
ebonyink at hotmail.com

Come join us in Paradise!
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"Those who have ceased to love
Have not ceased to need,
Those who have ceased to care
Have not ceased to bleed;
Do not weigh the words that
Never ask, the minds that never
Seek, nor mark the averted faces,
But see the heart."

--Jean Toomer, Harlem Renaissance poet (c. 1947)

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