[HPforGrownups] Re: house elves

[Mrs.) Lee Storm (God Is The Healing Force]

No: HPFGUIDX 102467

| From: finwitch
| Sent: Tuesday, June 22, 2004 6:19 AM
| Hermione and her SPEW - well, if she was to truly help the elves
| free, to get well-treated, respected etc. Why, I ask, why did she NOT
| give the elves some respect by asking what they want instead of
| coming up with things like "pay, clothes, retirement...". After all,
| that's what the conditions of work with Guilds/Unions was about: What
| the Workers wanted and then a compromise with the employers to get
| some of it. Hermione begins her SPEW and protests without speaking to
| anyone involved...
|
| -- Finwitch

[Lee]:
Hermione is seeing things with, in this case, muggle eyes and values, IMO.
She sees what she considers enslavement; the things she was brought up to
know and the value system she's been given calls for workers to have decent
wages, time off, etc., etc.  For them to not desire this is unfathomable to
her...probably, she thinks, the result of brainwashing.

So, considering her upbringing, she's acting in, what she considers, a
normal manner.  She probably doesn't realize that there are some
enchantments, personal or otherwise, which bring house elves to serving one
family, etc.  Perhaps, Harry hadn't mentioned what Dd had said about
that...well, why should he?...He's had enough on his mind and this is a most
trivial item.

Perhaps, Hermione will learn the secret of how house elves work and discover
that things are really not what she thinks and that it's more a loyalty and
need-to-serve thing rather than slavery.  And, maybe, she might be able to
get a change of attitude going and foster respect for house elves,
punishment for elf abuse, etc.  Who knows.... :-)

Cheers,

Lee :-)

Do not walk behind me,     | Lee Storm
I may not care to lead;    | N2FGC
Do not walk before me,     | n2fgc at optonline.net (or)
I may not care to follow;  | n2fgc at arrl.net
Walk beside me, and be my friend.