House Elves and Inherent Tendencies

[Schlobin at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 14795

> 
> I have trouble with 'inherent' because of the powerful magic house 
> elves possess.  It seems silly to give a creature/being such powers 
> and then disallow them from using their gifts.  It's rather 
limiting 
> to say you can only use your abilities when someone else tells you 
> to.  I would agree that they may be innately docile, but have 
trouble 
> believing that a natural power of an independent-thinking and 
> intelligent being should be suppressed by someone else.  Even 
though 
> Winky was a servant to Crouch, she still did make her own 
decisions, 


I have trouble with innately docile, too....that is something that 
has been said about human slaves...

I do agree that the House Elves are independent thinkers DESPITE THE 
FACT THAT THEY ARE ENSLAVED. Look at what Dobby does....coming to 
Harry, trying to warn him, and at the end of CoS, letting him know 
how Lucius Malfoy entrapped Ginny Weasley.

Winky advocated for Barty, Junior pleading with Barty, Senior to 
allow Junior some fresh air and a chance to see a Quidditch match.

I think that the whole Elves saga will unfold wonderfully in the next 
books.

Susan