Free Elves Unite?/Harry as Saviour

[serenadust]

No: HPFGUIDX 37098

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "talondg" <trog at w...> wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at y..., ladjables <ladjables at y...> wrote:
> 
> > 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. 


DG wrote:
> Well, maybe.
> 
> Or maybe the House-Elves have a distinct (if somewhat alien) 
culture 
> that simply doesn't map into the Western sensibilities of 
Hermonie, 
> and Hermonie's efforts to force her interpretation of 
their "plight" 
> onto the Hogwarts House-Elves instead mirrors Western intrusions 
into 
> other cultures?


I agree completely.  I wrote an elaborate post last night concerning 
the elves culture/natures being distinctly different from the 
Western Humanist model, but Yahoo ate it and I was too tired to do 
it over (I even used the term Cultural Imperialism!).

DG again:

> Perhaps Dobby really _is_ a degenerate from a House-Elf point of 
> view. Certainly all the HEs at Hogwarts view him this way. And 
while 
> a HE in the employ of a DE is likely to be poorly treated, I don't 
> think the Hogwarts' elves are. Hogwarts seems to be House-Elf 
heaven.
 

Considering what a *deviant* Dobby is from the house elf point of 
view, I thought the other elves were quite tolerant of his 
eccentricity.  Winky, on the other hand, seemed to deeply embarrass 
them by her emotional breakdown, even though she completely buys 
into the standard elfish social norms.  Maybe they were just being 
British <g>.

Jo Serenadust