Stockholm Syndrome - was No sympathy for Kreacher
finwitch
finwitch at yahoo.com
Wed Feb 16 15:13:24 UTC 2005
No: HPFGUIDX 124684
> Del replies:
> Well, Dobby *is* an odd ball, that much is clearly said in the
books.
> He is widely different from the vast majority of House Elves, in
that
> he enjoys and desires freedom. House Elves, as a rule, want and need
> to be enslaved. They don't want to live for themselves, they value
> themselves only insofar as they are good servants to their masters.
> They actively look to surrender their free will to their masters.
They
> are the ultimate kind of slaves : slaves who want to be slaves. They
> don't want free will, which is what Hermione fails to understand.
Finwitch:
And even Dobby chooses to use his freedom to serve HARRY. He takes
salary from Dumbledore (less than Dumbledore was ready to pay, by his
own choice - because he LIKES Dumbledore)- and uses it to buy thread
to knit socks for Harry.
Dobby likes to be free (because as such he can serve Harry), but what
he loves, is serving Harry Potter. He's completely willing to do
anything for Harry.
As for the elves - Dumbledore says that 'they are what wizards make
them to be' - I think he's underestimating the elves' ability to make
choices. And he's seeing them as a mass of enslaved beings. And
thinks that kindness is in order no matter what the elves do or say,
just because they are house-elves. (Something Hermione agrees with)
Sirius - 'is kind to house-elves in general - and makes exception to
Kreacher (but he wasn't really being UNKIND either...)'. Sirius, what
he thinks of Kreacher: 'he was always a foul little...' - I think
he's seeing the elves as individuals. Sirius also underestimates
house-elf abilities to make choices (can't leave house).
Harry - well, he doesn't underestimate them. He questions Sirius'
underestimating with a counter example: 'Dobby could'. (and he was
right about where Kreacher was, as we later find out).
Logic dictates one counterexample is enough to foul a rule. He also
sees *how* Kreacher left. 'Interpreted OUT as an order to leave the
house'. Harry sees the elves as individual beings, and has a much
clearer insight, mainly because he asked a house-elf what house-elves
are.
Oh, I'd say the elves are perfectly able to make choices. They may
not be able to disobey direct orders from a family member, but
they're perfectly capable to deliberately misunderstand them.
Kreacher could leave the house (and visit Narcissa Black-Malfoy) each
time Sirius said: 'Go away' or 'OUT'. Dobby could interpret that sock-
cover thrown out (not even directly at Dobby) as 'clothes'. Winky,
well, since Barty Crouch a) directly TOLD her he was giving clothes
and b) gave actual *dress* he threw to Winky, there was no room for
misinterpretation.
Finwitch
More information about the HPforGrownups
archive