OOP: Re: Book Six

[idlerat]

No: HPFGUIDX 65844

"peterhbrine" <peterhbrine at y...> wrote:
> > Where does the plot go from here?  My vote is Book 6 will be 
> > dedicated to brining non-human magical creatures to the anti-
> > Voldmort side.  House Elves, Goblins, Centaurs, Giants and
Merpeople will 
> > major characters and Harry's showdown with Voldmort will result in 
> > Voldmort being unable to keep these groups from uniting against 
> > him.
> > Expect to see a strong fight in the Ministry (and Hogwarts) over 
> > anti and pro-S.P.E.W. legislation.

then "sueeeyqbong" <sue at s...> wrote:

> 
> I definitely think 
> that the non-human magical creatures will feature strongly in book 
> 6. I reckon, though, that they will actually be more tempted towards 
> Voldemort's side, because throughout OoP, there are constant 
> reminders of how wizards and witches have abused their non-human 
> peers.
 
SNIP SNIP
>  Anyone agree?

me (idlerat):
I do agree--sort of! (great citations by the way).  I agree that we
are being given every indication that these creatures have been
ill-used and have resentments, and that some of them will be tricked
by LV (even though he's just as much a wizard, and worse).  However, I
think that the HP series will have a happy ending (lol-don't think I'm
going out on a limb here) and that, to me, means not only that LV will
be defeated but that there will be some (modest) progress on the
'social justice' issues that JKR has foregrounded.  I am surprised at
how many people on the list think that we are supposed to disdain
Hermione's efforts on behalf of the house elves, though she goes about
it rather ham-fistedly; after all, she is JKR's alter.  

Anyway, I get the feeling that the giants are doomed, a dying species,
but that the elves, with Dobby in the lead, have a future as a free
species.  Obviously that can't happen overnight; for it to happen at
all, two things need to occur: the house-elves must realize there is a
limit to the satisfactions of slavery (as Dobby learned under the
Malfoys and as he indicates many elves learned during LV's last
ascendency).  That's thing one.  Thing two: the WW needs to learn the
cost of their own arrogance and the extent of their reliance on
creatures whom they subjugate.  Meaning? that the liberation of the
HEs must somehow be a vital element of the war effort.  Like, all the
oppressed DE family elves are somehow given socks and then betray
their masters, and once some of them are free it becomes the height of
hypocrisy not to free the rest.  I don't think it'll be thorough but I
think we'll see the first glimmers of elf-emancipation, and that it
will be a result of the war (like the desegregation of the US armed
forces in WWII).

I think it was very important that, contrary to all expectations,
Hagrid's efforts with Grawp did have some success.  I think that's a
clue that what seems immutable can actually change given sufficient
compassion.  But the giants are clearly tragic figures.

Oh, centaurs; except for Firenze, I can't see them helping either
side.  After all, LV and the DEs (tra la la) are wizards and witches
also.  Bit of a eco-fable, dontcha think? (human arrogance, other
species)? & colonialism...

cheers
idlerat
badge-sporting SPEW member since 2001
"it's fun to have fun but you have to know how"