House Elves: Enslaved by Mind?

[Jenny from Ravenclaw]

No: HPFGUIDX 30799

Okay.  I just came up with this theory while I was in the shower and I 
thought it was great.  I mean, I had to pat myself on the back for it.  
First, though, I must give much of the credit to David Frankis for 
putting the initial idea in my head.  Second, I have to add a 
disclaimer that I believe that House Elves are enslaved and that their 
situation sucks.

David sent me a note offlist about House Elves, with an interesting 
comment about Elves and clothes.  He wondered if there may have been 
times when Winky, while still with the Crouches, was given an article 
of clothing by mistake (maybe for the laundry or to put away) and 
overlooked it because she believed she was happy with the Crouch 
family.  Dobby, however, was eager to leave the Malfoys, probably 
sought the opportunity to do so before Harry helped him out and would 
have been gone with the wind if a pair of dirty undies had ever been 
handed directly to him.

What if part of the tragedy of the House Elf situation is that their 
enslavement is in their minds?  I mean, what if they have been utterly 
convinced that serving witches and wizards is their lot in life, but 
really, they can leave *whenver they want to*?  What if there was no 
spell at all that kept them in servitude to their masters?  Wouldn't 
that add a sad and complicated twist to the whole House Elf subplot?  

It's one thing to let someone free who was in prison for years, 
because that person was very much aware of her/his situation and knew 
that one day, their situation could change.  However, it is much 
harder, IMO, to convince someone that their actual life situation is 
what is incarcerating her/him.  I think it would be really interesting 
if that was what was going on all along with House Elves and Dobby was 
the first one to see the light.  There is actually a chapter in "The 
Last Battle" that is similar; the ones who won't open their minds (if 
I recall properly) are the ones who are convinced they are living in 
darkness and thus do not physically see the light.  That has a much 
more religious meaning really, but the comparison fits.

Wow.  I hope that made sense.  I also hope I am the first one to have 
come up with this because I am really impressed with myself here.

--jenny from ravenclaw, ready to be torn apart by the vicious listies 
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