Hermione's House Elf Hats: Question

[Richard]

No: HPFGUIDX 80599

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, CareALotsClouds at a... wrote:
<snip>
> I think its a plot hole ;)

me (Richard) thinks ...

I don't see Hermione's attempts to give the Hogwarts house elves 
those hats as a plot hole, but as emblematic of her failure to fully 
appreciate the issues of house elf servitude.  She thinks *SHE* can 
free them, being a Hogwarts student and prefect, but in fact cannot, 
as evidenced by the fact that Dobby takes all these items yet knows 
he remains Dumbledore's servant ... though a paid servant, not a 
slave, such as most house elves.

What Dobby says about the other house elves is that they refuse to 
clean Gryffindor Tower because they find these "gifts" insulting.  He 
does *NOT* say that they are afraid of them, or of being released 
from servitude by them.  Thus, Hermione, in failing to understand 
both house elf psychology and the rules of their servitude insults 
those she would set free, alienating both herself and the whole of 
Gryffindor from them, rather than doing anything helpful to those 
elves.  She did not take the time to understand the problem, due to 
her horror at what she believes to be terrible wrong.  She is simply 
wasting her time due to her dogmatic beliefs that these slaves should 
be free, happy to be free, and that the simple gift of clothes is 
sufficient.


Richard, who has seen lots of people (including himself) set out on 
wild goose chases, thanks to failures to understand.