[HPforGrownups] Free Elves Unite?/Harry as Saviour

[ladjables]

No: HPFGUIDX 37094

--- Margaret Dean <margdean at erols.com> wrote:
> 
> My feeling on the house-elves is that JKR is setting
> us up to find out that neither Ron's nor Hermione's
> knee-jerk reaction is the whole story.  Ron, of 
> course, is our standard pointer toward the received
> wisdom of the wizarding world, because he's been
> brought up in a wizarding family:  House Elves like
> it that way and besides, we've =always= done it like
> that.  Hermione here represents the (current) 
> received wisdom of the muggle world:  Work without 
> pay is slavery and slavery is Wrong Wrong Wrong.
> 
> My personal experience (and my estimate of JKR as a
> writer) lead me to espouse, in this case, Pat Wrede
> (?)'s dictum: It's Not That Simple.  Ever.  And I 
> will be =very= interested to see how the 
> ramifications of this work out.
 
This is a very sensible opinion.  For the sake of
argument, however, I'm stealing Margaret's motto, and
applying it to Grey Wolf's thoughts:
> The problem with that paralellism [house-
> elfs=slaves]...is that all known groups that at one
> time or another have been prosecuted *desired* to be
> free and equal and have rights, etc. 

It's not that simple, Grey Wolf!  According to Dobby,
house-elfs ARE exploited:
In CoS, US Edition, p. 177, significance of Dobby's
pillowcase : "tis a mark of the house-elf's
enslavement, sir."
Ibid, p.178, "Dobby remembers how it was when
You-Know-Who was at the height of his powers, sir!  We
house-elfs were treated like vermin, sir!"
In GoF, US Edition, p 380, Dobby explains, "'Tis part
of the house-elf's enslavement sir.  We keeps their
secrets and our silence sir.  We upholds the family's
honor, and we never speaks ill of them..."

Yet, they do not demand better treatment, and we still
don't know why.  OK, I'm going ahead as I usually do
with my thoughts.  You're not going to find a
realistic example of any people who were postively
cheerful about enslavement like the House-elfs.  I
think the point is that slavery is often
psychological, not just physical.  The lyrics from Bob
Marley's Redemption Song come to mind: "emancipate
yourself from mental slavery, none but ourselves can
free our minds".  

Even after official emancipation, ex-slaves did not
immediately adopt the attitude that they were free. 
It's not like they were treated any differently.  And
for the first time, they had to define themselves in
terms of free men, not slaves, which didn't gel with
any identity they had ever had known before.  The
transition actually took over a century, and continues
today, not just because of institutional racism, but
because of the stumbling block that is mental bondage.

It seems to me JKR grasps the concept of mental
bondage very well with the House-Elfs, so that even
though we don't have a precise historical context, the
point is driven home that the the plight of the
House-Elfs mirrors the effects of colonial slavery. 
Not only are they enslaved, but they believe they
deserve to be enslaved, and convince themselves that
they are happy because they are afraid of stepping
outside their clearly defined world and going it on
their own.  What's safe is comfortable.  Freedom is
unknown, and therefore frightening.  Then along comes
Dobby, whose rebelliousness highlights this situation.

Plato's myth of the cave comes to mind: the men are
bound and kneeling, facing the cave wall.    Remember
what happened when the man who was able to free
himself returned and explained that the shadows on the
wall were nothing compared to the real thing?  That
the world is actually far more wonderful that the
shadowy construct they were used to?  It is
frightening when conventions are challenged, and the
idea of exchanging them for the unknown is often
rejected, with horrible results.  Gadflies get
swatted.  Oooh, I hope I haven't predicted Dobby's
fate here!  

Grey Wolf:
> Hermione believes that the elves situation and 
> circumstance could improve by way of her campaign, 
> but the sad reality is that that campaign is 
> *against* the desires of the *elves themselves*. 
> They feel proud of what they are, and DO NOT WANT TO

> CHANGE. Hermione defends her position by the phrase
>"it will be good for them, even if they don't realise
> it". ("For your own good" is phrase that always 
> fills my heart with fear, because it implies -sooner
> or later- quite a bit of pain. I also find it very 
> shacky moral ground.) Hermione also talks about 
> brainwash, but I don't belive that idea. The fact is
> that elves are a happy, proud race both with their 
> lives and jobs (except for the occasional exception:
> Dobby), and I belive firmly in not disturbing 
> someone happy just for the sake of giving them 
> something they don't want (or possibly need!).


The House-Elfs don't strike me as a proud race at all;
they are too servile.  Winky is just pathetic.  I
agree Hermione has to be careful. Bless her heart, she
really believes the house-elfs are brainwashed and
need her help, but this can be interpreted as
paternalistic, and that won't help the house-elfs. 
The impetus for change has to come from within, if the
house-elfs are ever to learn not to depend on wizards,
and develop dignity and self-respect.  Hermione CANNOT
be their saviour.  Can't you just see the elves all
latching on to her?  That's why Dobby, as their equal,
is important.

Don't get me wrong.  I have no problem with the elves
looking after wizarding families and their homes, or
working in Hogwarts' kitchens.  We could say they
represent the very best of the hospitality industry! 
Dobby and Winky could even work with Madam Rosmerta in
the Three Broomsticks, as waiters, or at a wizard
hotel in Brighton!  But they're not actually treated
like Madam Rosmerta are they?  What's with the filthy
pillowcases, and the ironing of hands(or was it
ears?), and the banging of heads on walls?  Taking
care of people does NOT require servility.   Winky can
learn, for example, to take pleasure in her job
without it depriving her of her independence.  I have
more to say on this, but I'll save it for another
post.  I'm not picking on you, Grey Wolf, just
suggesting alternatives to house-elf treatment!

Grey Wolf (on Harry as saviour):  
Unlike JesusChrist case, I think that resurrection
would only devalue Harry's efforts (and the whole
siries). However, I can accept that he's gravely
injured by the end of the figth (I can even see the
title of that last chapter: "The boy who lived",
bringing everything to a nice cycle), with some other
major charater dying in very useful self-sacrifice
that helps Harry win. R.I.C.K.'S.T.H.E.B.O.S.S,
anyone? (Ron Identified with the Chess Knigth:
Surpasses his Triunfant, Heroic or Excelent Brothers 
Only by Self-Sacrifice)

Grey Wolf, filling in for Tabouli's Acronym-machine
while she's on holiday...

R.I.C.K.'S.T.H.E.B.O.S.S.?  S.O.P.E?  Yikes. Tabouli's
gonna kick our hineys when she gets back.
Ama
 







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