[HPforGrownups] Re: house elves

[Lady Macbeth]

No: HPFGUIDX 102349

Sherry  wrote:
You don't.  Slavery is wrong and house elves are slaves.  If that ends up
being right in these books, then everything else in them has been a lie.
We're seeing all this from Harry's point of view.  We're taught it's bad to
hate muggles or muggle borns, it's bad to hate werewolves, to judge them
simply because they are a werewolf--or a giant or half-giant.  You can't
then turn around and tell me--and I mean the person telling the story, not
you, June--that it's ok to enslave a magical race.  If wizards and elves
need a win-win situation, then elves can work and be paid.  Hmmm.  Guess   I
sound little like Hermione, don't I?

Lady Macbeth replied:
Except that elves of various kinds, but particularly those who linger around
human habitations, have a long history of doing work for no pay.  Ever heard
of brownies?  They weren't always the little girls in brown uniforms that
sell cookies.  The elves and the shoemaker?  That story almost certainly
lended itself to Jo's "house elves".  They worked tirelessly for the
shoemaker because he was worrying and working himself to exhaustion trying
to keep up with his work.  When the shoemaker and his wife discovered what
the elves had been doing, they made little clothes and shoes and left them
out for the elves.  The elves took the clothes and then bam - they were off
like a prom dress.  Now, according to the story, the elves were overjoyed to
have the clothes, dancing and prancing about, and the shoemaker and his wife
were thrilled that they were so happy.  But, if the elves had done the work
for the pay off, wouldn't they have come back and done more work, hoping to
get more things?

Even Dobby's not working for pay.  He REFUSED the amount of money that would
have been "pay" because it was more than he needed to buy his knitting
supplies.  And what did he do with those supplies?  Made socks to give to
the humans around him.  His needs of food, shelter and companionship were
covered by his "place of employment" as are all elves.  He doesn't seem
inclined to leave Hogwarts and find his own place.  He won't accept money
that could be banked or used excessively on himself in any way.  He's using
his money and his freedom to BETTER SERVE THOSE HUMANS AROUND HIM.

Yes, some house elves are slaves.  Slavery is being kept against one's will
doing things that one does not want to do.  Dobby was a slave to Lucius
Malfoy.  He didn't agree with Malfoy's plans or the orders that he was being
given or how he was being treated.  Dobby as a SERVANT at Hogwarts is
perfectly happy.

Winky is a heartbreaking case of someone who's spent their life and loyalty
attached to one family and then suddenly lost all of it.  I'm certain she
DID NOT care about Voldemort or whether or not he came back.  She loved both
Crouch Jr and Crouch Sr and was unendingly loyal to them no matter what they
did or what goals they had.  She's the wife who keeps going back to the
abusive husband or the mother who hides her son despite his being guilty and
wanted for felony manslaughter.  We may characterize it as "weak" or
"illogical" or any other word we have for that which we don't understand,
but the attachment is still there.  Bonds of love, loyalty and attachment
don't end with people who are "good".   I'm certain that Winky spends most
of her time drunk because she doesn't want to feel, think, or even live any
more, but between Dumbledore and the other house elves, she's not given any
choice.

The only problem I personally have with the house elves' situation are those
who AREN'T happy with where they are and are mistreated by their masters.
The house elves at Hogwarts are happy, otherwise they'd have taken
Hermione's hats and run while they had the chance.  The house elves at the
Malfoys may or may not be happy, but they are being mistreated, some
probably more than others.  Winky was being mistreated in Crouch's care, but
she was happy there.  The "win-win" situation would be in turning around the
HUMANS' attitude toward house elves - making laws and restrictions regarding
the care and treatment of house elves.  I'm of the firm belief that ALL
creatures deserve the same or better care than we give ourselves.  However,
there are people on this planet who think otherwise, and hold an unending
contempt for others, particularly those they see as their inferiors - thus
the need for legislation to prevent abusive behavior.

-Lady Macbeth




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