[HPforGrownups] House-elves and laundry

[Andrew MacIan]

No: HPFGUIDX 33615

Greetings from Andrew!

A 'yes, but' comment, alas....
--- lotusmoondragon at aol.com wrote:
> In a message dated 1/16/2002 6:54:11 PM Eastern
> Standard Time, 
> blenberry at altavista.com writes:
> 
> 
> >  Now, if 
> > freeing an elf can happen as inadvertently (on
> Malfoy's part) as it 
> > did to Dobby, how can elves do any of these jobs
> handling clothes?  I 
> > thought one had to be careful not to pass them
> even a sock.
> 
> I think there is a big difference from handing them
> clothing to asking them 
> to pick up clothing. I think if a house elf picks up
> clothing on their own, 
> it's not the same as giving them clothing to wear. 

A question of intent, perhaps.  I read that being the
case when Crouch Sr. sacks Winky (who, oddly enough,
is called 'Whiney' in these parts).  Yet, the opposite
side is represented when Lucius Malfoy inadvertantly
tosses Harry's sock to Dobby; I seriously doubt that
he intended to free his 'slave'.  Comments on this
occur in GoF at the World Cup game, of course.

So, I would offer that if the human intended to free
the house elf, then giving him/her a piece of clothing
carries one significance, whereas simply handing the
house elf a bundle of laundry carries another.

Cheers,

Drieux

PS  Emails follow to those I owe responses.  Blame my
undergrads for the delay; I certainly do! {grin}...

=====
ICQ # 76184391

'Each game of chess means there's one less
      Variation left to be played;
 Each day got through means one or two less
      Mistakes remain to be made.'
      --'Chess' by Sir Tim Rice

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