House-Elves & the Tie That Binds. (long)

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 71752

There is an interesting sub-thread going in the 'Golden Statue' thread
about the nature of House-Elves. I don't have a specific response to
anyone so I am just going to gather my thoughts here and post them.


What are House-Elves?
The House-Elf that JKR describes is her own personal variation of
another mythical creature for Scotland know as the Brownie. More on
that later. They are not Elves in the normal tradition sense of Elves,
they are specifically HOUSE-Elves. Normal elves are a variation of
Fairies.

Brownie/House-Elves attach themselves to a family, especially families
with kids. They are very loyal and protective, and if a good Family
moves, their Brownies, unseen, will move with them. The Brownie only
comes out at night and works anonymously, and they are invisible.
Although, they are occasionally seen by the innocent eyes of children.
They don't accept payment for their efforts, however, they aren't
against eating a bit of cake and milk if you leave some out for them.
However, if you treat them badly or you insult them by offering pay or
a reward, they will vanish without a trace; never to be seen again.

We can easily see JKR's model in the Brownie. House-Elves attach/bind
themselves to a family (not to a place or a specific person). Being
bound to the House of Black doesn't mean being bound to the dwelling
of Black, it means being bound to the genealogical House of Black
which just happens to be centered around the family dwelling of the
patriarch of the Family. 

They work for free, although it is a reasonable assumption that their
'Masters' provide them with shelter and food. However, we see that
'shelter' doesn't amount to very much. To offer a House-Elf a reward
is an insult, and to force clothes on them, breaks the bond that holds
them to the family. More so, it alienates them from the family; they
are forced to leave. 

Back to Brownies, Brownies volunteer their services. They do what they
do, because it is what they love to do, they do what is at the very
core of their nature. I believe the same thing is true of House-Elves,
despite what those who would draw comparisons to slavery would say. It
is in the nature of an eagle to soar and hunt; it is in the nature of
a House-Elf to serve. This isn't the slaves like being slaves argument
because slaves generally don't like being slaves, but none the less,
Elves do like serving their families. Nothing makes the happier. 

Elves don't want to be carpenters or lawyers or doctors, in that
sense, Elves don't want to BE anything; Elves want to DO. More
importantly, they want to do things for others. Is that such an
ignoble desire? Aren't there many people in our world who live by the
same philosophy? People who believe that the greatest reward is not
what others give you, but what you can do for others. I once summaries
all moral and religious philosophy in six words; two phrases of three
words each; "Do no harm. Do some good." It would seem that to 'do' is
indeed a very noble thing.


What binds a House-Elf to the family House?
Honor. Nothing more, nothing less than fierce unwavering elfin honor. 

When a House-elf come calling and asks if you need a servant, and you
say, "Yes', and the House-Elf agrees to serve your family, the Elf is
giving his honor bound word and solemn oath that he and all his
successive generations will be loyal to and serve your family forever.
Since to serve a family is the most important and life fulfilling
thing an elf can do, he takes this commitment seriously. 

I genuinely believe that there is no force of law or force of magic
that binds an elf to his master. He is held by nothing but thousands
of years of proud history, the bond of his word, and his bond to his
ancestors. 


So, where is the problem?
The elf made a commitment, a commitment he seems happy with; happy
elf, happy master; so once again, where is the problem? 

The problem is that the wizard doesn't enter into the agreement with
the same sense of honor. We all know that in everyday life good and
honorable people are taken advantage of all the time. As a society, we
even look down on good and honorable people for their naivety. 

The wizard does all the taking and gives little or nothing in return.
Far beyond that, wizards take advantage of Elfin honor and the power
that gives them over the elf. You can beat them, abuse them, mistreat
them, make them as miserable as is possible for a living being to be,
and the elf will honorably stand by his word. Given the slightest
provocation, the wizard doesn't not feel similarly honor bound.

We can ask, why does a bully bully people? Why does a tyrannt seek to
perpetuate his tyranny? Why does an oppressor oppress? The answer is
because he can; because the bullied and the oppressed allow it.
Because good men stand by and do nothing. But the oppressed usually
won't tolerate it forever. Sooner or later tyranny, brutality, and
oppression must face a day of reckoning. 


What do House-Elves want and deserve?
An honorable commitment from the wizard they serve to treat their
agreement as something mutually beneficial and equally benevolent. 

Contrary to Hermione's belief, elves really don't want material
things; money, possessions, property, holidays, pension plans,....
They want something far more fundamental than that, they want honor,
dignity, appreciation, respect, compassion, empathy, kindness, perhaps
even to be loved by their family to the same degree that they are
certainly willing to love the family they serve. 

Elves act with the deepest most heartfelt benevolence toward the
family they serve, they deserve to receive the same in return.


So Elves really don't want to be carpenters, lawyers, and doctors?
No, I don't think they do, but the doesn't mean they would have no
interest in carpentry, or matters of law, or medicine. That also
doesn't mean that some of them like Dobby wouldn't want to serve
humanity as free agents. That doesn't mean these free agents wouldn't
want to start businesses, and have clothes, and real estate. It just
means that clothes and real estate are very secondary things to
fulfilling their true nature which is to serve humans in a benevolent way.


That seems to be a contradiction, how could that possible work?
In a fan fiction I am planning to write(work in progress). Harry and
Ron hire Dobby as a business consultant. A ginger ale brand (Harry
likes ginger ale) that Ron created as a lark, as a very small limited
personal private brand for Harry which is bottle with their labels by
an existing ginger ale company, has now grown to the point where
friends and the general public have expressed an interest in it.
[Harry Potter's Wizard's Brew - All Natural Surprisingly Strong Ginger
Ale] 

So, Harry and Ron hire Dobby, to come up with some new original
recipes and find some available house-elves to work in their new
bottling plant. Everybody is happy; Dobby gets to serve Harry and Ron,
who make absolutely sure he accepts fair pay for his work. Several
more house-elves get new jobs working for someone they like, doing
something they like, and after the usual struggle against their
natural instincts, Harry, Ron, and Dobby convince them that being free
and having clothes doesn't mean they are being cast off, or that they
aren't going to be allowed to serve Harry and Ron. Once they get past
that, they are happy because they have what they truly want, someone
to serve. Harry being a decent and honorable guy makes sure the elves
have comfortable lives and are protected, and of course, paid. An
honorable agreement and commitment by both parties.

Another thought, after a spectacular catering job at a wedding for
someone very beloved by Dobby, Harry suggests that Dobby hire some
elves and start a catering business. The elves are happy because they
get to serve so many people, and the pay and other stuff are an
insignificant side benefit.

Point: It's not about clothes; it's about honor and dignity.


How misguided is Hermione?
We all know Hermione has the right idea, but we all also know she
doesn't have a clue how to go about it. She is taking a typical
colonialist attitude. She, being the Western European and the supreme
race on the face of the earth, will use her own frame of references
and experience to decide what is best for a foreign culture. OK that
was a little blunt, but that is the attitude she is taking. That
typical western European attitude which isn't much different from the
American attitude, has consistently failed over thousands of years to
solve any problems for any foreign culture they have entered.

Take the latest book, 'Order of the Phoenix', and Hermione's attempt
to knit hats and socks, and leaves them around for the elves to pick
up. That's just nuts. What makes her thing she has the authority to
free any elf? Even if an elf picked up a hat, they wouldn't be free.
Elves have to wash and iron clothes all the time. I certainly don't
see Harry, Ron, or Hermione doing it for themselves. I don't see Filch
doing it. I certainly don't see the teachers doing it. So that leaves
the elves. I think the idea that an elf touching a piece of clothing
is instantly free is ridiculously wrong. 

The bond is between an elf and his master, and that bond must be
broken by the elf or his master, and not by people who just happen to
be wandering by. 


So how does Hermione free the elves?
In my mythical yet unwritten fan fiction, Hermione with the help of
Percy, pushes through a bill that formally outlaws slavery in the
wizard world. The impetus for this bill is rooted in a very highly
publicized incidence of human slavery, but Hermione seizes the
opportunity to add some language relating to house-elves. This
language acknowledges my idea that nothing binds a house-elf but the
house-elf's honor. Consequently, this presents  Ministry and rich
elf-holding wizards with a dilemma. If they deny this, they are
admitting to slavery. The elves are either subject to free will or
they are held against their will. 

Even in the somewhat backward wizard world, in the year 2015, slavery
is not a good thing. So the prominent members of society are never
going to admit to slavery. They have no choice but to accept the Bills
language that house-elves are not bound by law or magic to their
master. So now the Master's either have to accept that they have no
hold on their elves in which case, legally, the elf can do what he
wants, or they have to enter into a legal and mutually beneficial
contract of service with the elves.

The minimum Elf Service contract which is definded in the Bill,
doesn't really offer elves that much, which isn't all bad because most
elves don't want much. They get adequate food and shelter, and
reasonable working conditions. So now Elf holders/owners are bound by
law to treat their elves fairly and humanly, it they don't, the elves
have legal backing for grievances against their masters. What's more,
extreme inhumane treatment, becomes a criminal matter.

Hermione... YOU GO GIRL! ...or at least, that's how you go in my book.

That's my story (although not finished) and I'm sticking to it.

bboy_mn