House Elves' enslavement (long)

[demetra1225]

No: HPFGUIDX 114141

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "arrowsmithbt" 
<arrowsmithbt at b...> wrote:
>  I'll bet my best cauldron that we're missing some very important 
> information about House Elves. I did once suggest that for once 
Hermione 
> was going to be wrong, but she was going to be wrong in the right 
way, if
> you get my meaning - caring about Elves but misunderstanding their 
true situation.



Demetra:

Perhaps it's old age creeping up on me, or perhaps I'm channeling 
Moody, but I'm starting to question everything I once believed to be 
fact about a lot of the characters in the books, including the House 
Elves.  I agree with Kneasy, I think there is something more to the 
whole HE issue.   

It seems to me that the HE's were introduced as a rather benign 
group.  Dobby is the first HE we meet, and he comes across as more 
ditzy than dangerous.  And he has Harry's best interests at heart, so 
we excuse a lot of his behavior.  But the elevation of the danger of 
his actions is rather disturbing.  He starts out by ruining Aunt 
Petunia's pudding, then seals the entrance to Platform 9 ¾.  Finally, 
he charms a bludger so that it goes after Harry during a Quidditch 
match.  Really, think about what might have happened – bludger to the 
head causes concussion or skull fracture, bludger to the body causes 
a spectacular fall from the broom a la the fake!dementor scene in 
PoA.  The minimization of harm to Harry is probably more due to 
Harry's skill as a flyer rather than any well thought-out plan of 
Dobby's. 

Next we are introduced to poor, pathetic Winky.  Who didn't have a 
Hermione-like reaction?  Canon does show Winky's "master" treating 
her poorly.  It is merely another opportunity for Crouch, Sr. to act 
the part of the concerned and outraged ministry official, betrayed by 
a family member.  Winky was clearly "wronged" by Mr. Crouch.  But is 
Winky really innocent and harmless?  She aided and abetted her master 
in committing an Unforgivable crime against his own son (who also 
happens to be part of Winky's "family") for over a decade.  We have 
seen that HE's can sneakily disobey their master's orders.  But Winky 
chooses blind devotion to Mr. Crouch, and there is nothing noble in 
that action.  It rather reminds me of the wife who looks the other 
way when her husband abuses the children.  It is morally wrong for 
the wife to allow that to continue, despite the existence of a sacred 
vow of marriage.  And it is morally wrong for Winky to keep quiet, 
despite the magical bond between Winky and Mr. Crouch.

Then in OotP, we are introduced to Kreacher, and it is so easy to 
loathe him.  But is he really so different from Dobby and Winky?  He 
is as cunning as Dobby in finding a way to disobey his master's 
order.  He is as devoted to a morally corrupt "master" as Winky is.  
But he is snide and obnoxious, not as weepy and pathetic like Winky, 
so we don't feel sorry for him.  And he does not claim to love Harry, 
so we don't automatically assume he's a good guy, like we do with 
Dobby. 

I wonder if we are being lulled into a false sense of security about 
the HE's.  Despite Hermione's bull in a china shop approach with 
SPEW, most probably believe that the HE's will naturally line up on 
the side of good.  But maybe it's not as clear-cut as that.  Dobby 
has warned Harry that Hermione has "insulted" the Hogwarts HE's.  Her 
actions and attitude are patronizing in the extreme.  She doesn't 
realize that, despite her best intentions, she is forcing her will on 
them, thereby doing to them exactly what she criticizes 
their "masters" of doing.  This does not make for a good starting 
point for negotiation.  Plus, it seems that HE's, like humans, can be 
very devious and cunning to get what they want.  I think Hermione is 
right about one thing, the good guys need to pay some attention to 
the HE's or I could see a scenario where LV et al. could persuade the 
HE's to join them.   

Demetra