[HPforGrownups] house elves

[Alina]

No: HPFGUIDX 102326

<snip>
> Anyway, I was just curious if anyone had as visceral a reaction to the
whole
> story line of house elves as I do.
>
> Sherry G

I completely agree with you that the portrayal of house elves in the books
is reminiscent of real life slavery, but I think JKR knows exactly what
she's doing with it. You can see it in the lines of Mr. Weasley when he
tells Hermione that he agrees with her (but it's not the time or place to
discuss house elf rights), then of Sirius in book four who says Hermione has
the measure of Crouch better than Ron because she looked at how he treats
his inferiors. Then in book five, Harry notices how the Fountain Of Magical
Brethren portrays the wizard and witch as over-the-top perfect thus ending
in a rather silly look while the creatures look far more subservient than
they really are (in the case of centaurs and goblins). Then at the very end,
DD tells Harry that Sirius didn't hate Kreatcher, but despised him and
wouldn't take him seriously (as a threat or otherwise).

So, I think JKR is showing us a clear line of wizarding behaviour that the
more sensible wizards understand to be wrong and even damaging to the
welfare of their society, while the mainstream culture and government refuse
to see beyond the tips of their noses.

Alina.