Hermione's Hypocrisy?(long)

[a_svirn]

No: HPFGUIDX 129143


> Sophierom:
> <snip>  May I again point you toward this example
> from canon: 
> 
> **
> 
> Kreacher: "...and there's the Mudblood, standing there bold as 
brass
> ... and there's a new boy, Kreacher doesn't know his name, what is 
he
> doing here, Kreacher doesn't know ..."
> 
> "This is Harry, Kreacher," said Hermione tentatively. "Harry 
Potter."
> 
> Kreacher's pale eyes widened and he muttered faster and more 
furiously
> than ever.  "The Mudblood is talking to Kreacher as though she is 
my
> friend" (OotP, Am. ed., 108).
> 
> **
> 
> Hermione actually introduces Kreacher to Harry.  She uses his name;
> she speaks to him respectfully and answers his question, even after
> he's just called her a Mudblood.  I don't know too many people who
> introduce their pets to their friends.  I do know people who use
> introductions as a way to establish an equal playing field. And 
this
> is why Kreacher is so disturbed.  "The Mudblood is talking to 
Kreacher
> as though she is my friend," he says, and then he worries what his
> Mistress would think of him keeping such company.  He's not worried
> that old Mrs. Black will think the Mudblood is treating him like a
> pet; he's worried that she's trying to establish equality between 
the
> two of them.

a_svirn:

Or thank you for the quote! I don't have the book at hand, but I had 
this episode in mind while answering another post
 You see, that's 
exactly the attitude I called "oppressive friendliness" earlier. I 
believe that there is nothing respectful in ignoring direct insult. 
It only shows that NOTHING Kreacher can say or do really matters to 
her. He just as well could have spoken Greek or Troll. Or bleated or 
barked. She's devised certain rules on how elves should be treated 
and she would stick to them despite everything. But I read this 
episode differently, you know. I don't think Kreacher is disturbed 
by her gesture. I think he is incensed at the Hermione's sheer 
audacity when she persists with her overtures of friendship in the 
face of his open hostility. And he is not really *worried* about his 
mistress's reaction. It was just an exclamation, just like "Oh, if 
only your father could see you now" or like "O woe! O woe! O 
wretched fate!"  He has no reason be afraid of his mistress's 
reaction since she, after all, keeps the same company of mudbloods 
and blood traitors. This is something they both simply cannot help.
> 
>> Sophierom:
> 
> I agree with you that Harry does the best of all three teens in
> dealing with the house elves. You and Betsy (in post 129106) both 
make
>    fabulous points about Harry's natural empathy.  
> 
> But I continue to disagree with you about Ron.  I
<snip>

a_svirn:
Yes, you and Betsy are both right about Ron. I was thinking more 
about Harry when I wrote my earlier post.
 
> 
> Sophierom:
> 
> I agree that Sirius is not an empathetic character; I chose him for
> comparison, however, because you compared Hermione to him in the 
first
> post, arguing that Sirius "acknowledges" Kreacher's feeling (post
> 129035). 
> 
> In fact, Dumbledore refutes your argument at the end of 
OotP: "Sirius
> did not hate Kreacher," said Dumbledore.  "He regarded him as a
> servant unworthy of much interest or notice.  Indifference and 
neglect
> often do much more damage than outright dislike....The fountain we
> destroyed tonight told a lie.  We wizards have mistreated and 
abused
> our fellows for too long, and we are now reaping our reward" 
(Am.ed,
> 833-834).

a_svirn:

Yes, I know. But I'm afraid DD is either not completely truthful or 
not quite aware. Sirius might not really hate Kreacher (*hatred* is 
indeed a bit too strong a word, better be reserved to the likes of 
Snape), but he certainly dislikes him extremely. And the closer the 
end of OotP is the more it looks like a real revulsion. It is 
certainly doesn't bespeak of indifference when a grown man – and one 
we've been told who is generally kind to elves— never misses an 
opportunity to taunt and bully the poor broken creature Kreacher. 
But the other part of DD's statement – that Sirius though 
Kreacher "unworthy of much interest and notice" is true. And we know 
that his mistake in underestimating Kreacher turned out to be fatal.

 > Sophierom:
> 
> Whether Dumbledore approves of Hermione's "blunt" methods or not, 
he
> certainly approves of action:  "Indifference and neglect often do 
more
> damage," he argues.  Of course, you may disagree with Dumbledore. 
<snip>

a_svirn

I do agree, truly! It's not Hermione's intentions that make me 
uneasy, but her motivations. 

  
> 
> All the best,
> Sophie

Likewise!
a_svirn