House Elves, Hermione And Freedom

[saraquel_omphale]

No: HPFGUIDX 109939

Hi Pentzouli, thanks for your post, I didn't really expect to be 
moved to respond to this before I opened the post, but find that you 
have stirred me more than I thought.  I think there are a lot of 
issues around house elves and I'm not sure that I take the tack of 
the previous posters, having read the thread.

Pentzouli
> Conclusion : all the three house-elves we are introduced to come 
> from "dark" wizards' families, even though their intentions are not 
> always evil. The main thing is that they certainly cannot be 
> trusted. Where are the good house-elves?

Saraquel
JKR, somewhere :-) (i.e. I can't remember where!) said that these 
books are about the nature of good and evil.  I think that one of the 
things she tries to do is blur the distinction - Snape's and James' 
character for instance.  I don't think it's as clear as good and evil 
house elves.  Lots of the characters have stuff to hide in their 
past, but come down on the side of tOotP.  Human beings are flawed, 
and I don't see why house elves should be any different.  

Pentzouli
> So, why Hermione is so willing to set them free, when it is clear 
> that they will not only depreciate the gift of freedom,(at least 
> most of them will), but are capable of magic not easily tamed by 
> wizards?

Saraquel
Hmmm, now we are on dangerous ground IMO.  Wow, where do I start.  
Firstly, why should wizards assume either a patriarchal role, or a 
master slave role towards HE (house elves) in the first place.  
Coming from a country (Britain) who has a long history of 
colonialism, I am well familiar with the very arguments which JKR has 
put into the book.  They are the arguments of Imperial Britain.  They 
begin and end with the assumption of superiority.  Ghandi did not 
automatically have the whole of India on his side when he began his 
epic struggle for independence.  Many Indian people thought that 
British rule was good, and to be fair, it had brought the Indian 
subcontinent benefits - the railway for instance and modern victorian 
technology as well as the benefits of world trade.  So this enabled 
the British to say, well the Indians are better off like they are.  
But, Indian's had grown up under the Raj and did not have experience 
of anything other than British Rule - on what basis were they then 
able to make a choice about freedom?  Choice is something you make 
when you have more than one option. Freedom was then an unknown 
quantity - a leap into the dark, a scary thing. It is easier to keep 
the status quo, rather than fight for something which is just an idea 
and has no tangible substance. It was Ghandi's vision, determination 
and powerful leadership that gradually won people over and the 
movement grew. (He wasn't the first to bid for freedom btw)

The HE in the book, have been enslaved for generations.  They do not 
know what freedom would be like, and are naturally scared of it.  
They do not have a "choice", because, as in the above example, they 
have no knowledge.  It is very convenient for the WW to interpret 
this as a part of HE nature (i.e. they like to be enslaved), or a 
desire to keep the status quo.

Hermione, is a born campaigner.  Unfortunately in many ways, she is 
as bad as the ones who wish to keep them enslaved - she is trying to 
force freedom on them.  Really, IMO, what they need if anything is 
insight into what freedom might give them.  If anyone is responsible 
for doing this it's DD, as he is the one to whom they will listen.  
(back to that in a minute).

As for the HE having a powerful magic of their own, and that's why 
it's better they are enslaved - that's the recipe IMO for disaster, 
and history has shown it to be the case again and again. Eventually, 
enslaved people realise the power they have and use it against their 
enslavers.  Better to respect that power, treat them as equals and 
work together.

OK back to DD - in the fight against LV, DD has a whole army of HE 
willing to be on his side, and I think they will play a significant 
role in the coming war.  If they don't, then DD is not the strategist 
that I took him for. This war is an opportunity for DD to give 
opportunities to the HE that will help them on the road to greater 
choice and hence possible freedom.  Looks like the kids'll be having 
beans on toast from now on folks.

So there you go, I've never agreed with Hagrid's opinion or 
Hermione's tactics really, but then I forgive her because she's young 
and her heart's in the right place and at least she can see that 
there's something wrong in the situation.  Perhaps Hermione will 
carry the standard and lead the charge of the HE on the storming of 
Malfoy's Manor!  Wow, I've quite surpassed myself - thanks for that 
Pentzouli

Saraquel