Dobby & Elves - Bound Past, Present, & Future

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 53382

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "nobodysrib" <nobodysrib at y...>
wrote:

> 
> GulPlum AKA Richard wrote:
> <snip>
> > Dobby does *NOT* make any promise not to save Harry .... 
> > .... Dobby's only reaction is a big smile. ... this could ... 
> > be considered acquiescence, (or) ... a very sly way of getting 
> > around making the promise.

> 
> My comment: (Nobodys Rib)
> 
> We don't know much about house elf magic. ...  He smiles to Harry's
> "don't save my life  again" comment because he knows this is a 
> promise he cannot make.
> 
> ... And Dobby having a greater (life-saving) role ahead of him 
> correlates well with HP themes of bigotry and choices.
> 
> ... house elves .. are not as looked down upon as werewolves, 
> (but) their liberties certainly go unrecognized, ....  What's the 
> best way to show that house elves are capable of being their own 
> masters?  Have one save the day.  What better way to make the WW 
> question what other tragedies might have been averted had their own 
> house elves had free will?  And what better way for Dobby to show 
> the other ... house elves that their lives are good for more than
> following orders ...
> 
> - Nobody's Rib

bboy_mn:

Interestingly, in relation to a fan fic I may someday write if ever I
get over the lazy slump I'm in, I've been giving the plight of house
elves some thought. 

So first I pose the question, are house-elves slaves?

Answer: yes and no. They are in a form of /Voluntary/ Servitude. Which
is not the same as an indentured servant. An indentured servant
voluntarily becomes a slave for a fixed period of time in return for
some compensation. Hold on to these two key words; voluntary and
compensation. 

Now I ask, what is it that holds an elf to his Master and his master's
house? Is there any binding document or magical, civil, or criminal
legal precedent that establishes a Masters ownership of his alleged
elf slave? 

I don't think so; I don't think a Master has any legal hold over or
ownership of his elves. I think the only thing that binds an elf to
his Master is the fact that the elf has volunteered to serve that
person and his house, and that an elf's honor does not allow him/her
to go back on that commitment, but once again, an elf's honor is not a
legally binding contract.

So in a sense, any elf can walk off the job anytime they want, and
their Master will have no legal recourse; no means other than brute
force and intimidation for enforcing his preceived ownership of that elf.

Owners/Masters exploit this elf's honor to their advantage, and
physically and psychological oppress the elves to keep any thought of
free will or independant action from ever entering an elves mind. 

One thing that re-enforces this strictly voluntary agreement is that
elves receive no compenstation for their efforts. You could say that
room and board are the compensation, and while that could be
reasonable compensation for their services, I can't see it as
reasonable compensation to legally justify the ownership of another
sentient being.

So what's my point? I see this as the loophole through which elves
will gain their freedom. During the past Voldemort reign by Dobby's
own statement, elves were treated like vermin. Did you stop to think
what that meant. What we used to do with 'vermin' is go out to the
city dump and use them for target practice. That's what it means to be
treated as vermin; that's how low your status is. You are reduced to
the point where you have negative value, meaning that there is more
value (entertainment value) in destroying you, than there is in
keeping you. Afterall, there are house-elves that go from house to
house begging for someone to serve. Kill one house-elf; big deal,
they're free, you can always get another one.

Once our good and loyal friend Dobby with the help of the smartest
witch of her age, make the elves realize that their masters have no
genuine hold over them, Dumbledore will have a network of extremely
powerful spies and extremely powerful magical soldiers. 

It wouldn't bother me at all, if in the end, it was Dobby who defeated
Voldemort. Seems ironically fitting that the lowest and least
significant of all sentient creatures defeats the greatest wizard of
all time.

So, my basic point is that I don't think Masters truly own their
elves. I don't think they have any genuine legal hold over them.

Just a thought.

bboy_mn