SPEW how do you do ? (was Re: SOCKS and other presents)

[KathyK]

No: HPFGUIDX 78418

Snos:

<snip>
>>>So why does Hermione think she can free the house elves? Maybe 
because (as its already been stated I know), the house elves are in 
service to all who live at Hogwarts (see Kitchen scenes in Book Four -
 the way the elves rush to do HRH's bidding and see to their 
comfort)? I guess its just one of JKR's mysterys left for all of us 
to debate on and on and on, and lets face it, what would this list be 
like if JKR explained everything to finest detail?<<<

KathyK:

This is also being discussed in the thread, "Hermione's Hats."  I 
posted my thoughts on this very subject several hours ago.  The more 
I think about it, the more sense it makes to me.  Here is a snippet 
of my post:

"What she's doing with the hats is symbolic of freeing them. She's 
trying to get the elves used to the idea of freedom. If the house-
elves take the hats, in her mind it's a step in the right direction. 
If they were to begin wearing the hats, that would mean her message 
was getting through.

"The house-elves also obviously know that Hermione's hat's won't free 
them. They're refusal to even clean Gryffindor Tower because of the 
hats is their way of telling her that she is wrong. They do not want 
freedom. They're house-elves. They're built to serve. Hermione is 
offending their sense of being with her actions." 

I base this on the assumption that in all Hermione's research into 
the enslavement and conditions of house-elves she learned exactly 
what freeing a house-elf entails, and probably knows what this means 
in terms of Hogwarts students.  

Hermione is a very careful and meticulous person when it comes to 
research.  She reads everything she can on a subject.  And since SPEW 
is so important to her, I find it unlikely that she's just confused 
or doesn't know how house-elf enslavement works.

The house-elves abhor the very idea of freedom.  Since clothing is 
the means to free the elves, Hermione knows she must do something to 
get the house-elves to see their condition.  They may be well treated 
at Hogwarts, but in Hermione's book they're still slaves, forever 
working and never paid.  Even if she cannot bring freedom to a house-
elf's being, she hopes to bring freedom to its mind.

And, as Snos mentioned but I snipped before thinking of adding this, 
it doesn't appear that just anyone can free a house-elf by looking at 
how Dobby was freed.  It was Harry's sock and it was a mistake, but 
Malfoy was the one who gave Dobby the sock.   

Leaving hats and socks all over Gryffindor Tower may not be working, 
but at least Hermione is trying.  

Hope that makes some sense,

KathyK