House-Elf Justice (was Re: Kreacher - workable solutions?)

[finwitch]

No: HPFGUIDX 129591

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "sophierom" <sophierom at y...> 
wrote:

> 
> I think, however, that the house-elves must ultimately have the 
choice
> to serve rather than the compulsion to serve.  If they are the ones
> who place magical bonds on themselves, so long as they can also take
> the bonds away, then I'll agree with you: house-elves aren't slaves
> but free servants.  But IMHO, house-elves will continue to be slaves
> (no matter who or what enslaves them) until they have the choice to
> make their own futures. I think I've said this before (I'm very
> repetitive!), but I do believe that, in a story that revolves around
> the power of choice and free will, the house-elves' lack of choice
> represents a real problem.  The poor treatment of house-elves is a
> symptom of this problem, but it is the lack of choice that is the
> fundamental illness here.  
--
Winky and Kreacher have some serious
> emotional issues. They are not "fine"; they are incredibly unhappy.
> This may be because of the mistreatment, and it could be argued that
> if they hadn't been mistreated, then they'd be fine.  But at the 
risk
> of repeating myself, how is it possible to make someone like Mrs.
> Black respect house-elves when she doesn't respect other humans? Is 
it
> possible to make Malfoy respect house-elves when he doesn't even
> respect Muggleborns?  And if it's not possible to reform the wizard,
> what happens to that house-elf? Dobby was able to get out of a bad
> situation. Other house-elves might not be so lucky. 

Finwitch:

Well, Kreacher was unhappy due to having been alone for too long 
(because Mrs Black died and Sirius was in Azkaban) and a bit insane 
for it as well. Still, Kreacher *does* show great affection to 
Sirius' Parents and even that Mrs Black-Lestrange... Though I suppose 
that with a *choice* to leave when he so wished, would have meant 
that Kreacher would have gone to Narcissa even before Sirius escaped. 
(and therefore not been a security risk to the order and annoyance to 
Sirius...)

As for Winky, she's unhappy because she was freed. If freedom ever 
was her choice, she wouldn't have left Mr. Crouch. (And quite 
possibly, Voldemort wouldn't have succeeded in Imperio'ing Winky's 
master and we would have no Harry in tournament for GoF...)

As for Dobby, we cannot know how long he would have chosen to stay...

Anyway, I think the house-elves have ways. If they *really* want to 
be freed, I think they would strike until freed. A strike - meaning 
not doing anything unless specifically ordered, and even then taking 
the order in manner with worst result to the master. I suppose that 
would eventually result to freedom, death or better conditions.

And of course, any decent wizard would free an elf by mere request. 
Even if the Ministry would issue some law about treating the elves 
(we don't know they haven't) how would it be controlled? I don't see 
a Malfoy respecting any laws... these people kill and torture for 
fun, remember?

I think that while only the master has - formally and nominally - the 
power to END the employment (aside from tricks like Dobby&Harry -- or 
bad behaviour as Kreacher tried to do) - it may be that only an elf 
can BEGIN it. It is apparent to me that Dobby has began a servitude 
to Harry; his bound to Malfoys tied him not to be good at it, but... 
yes, I'd say Dobby's already bound to Harry. He's accepted employment 
at Hogwarts - for *pay*, with days off - and using, supposedly, all 
of that pay, days off and even some of his official duty-time to 
serve Harry. Any oppurtunity he gets, that is.

Think of those elves in the fairy tale who - secretly, at night - 
were serving the cobbler until given clothes in gratitude? That the 
humans aren't exactly supposed to even notice them, just their work?

Look at Hogwarts - the elves there are happily doing the work. (I 
think Dumbledore WOULD let them off if they asked) - most students 
didn't know house-elves *existed*, that house-elves clean up and 
serve the food - until Hermione's SPEW brought that matter into 
light. I think Hermione has serious trouble understanding house-elves.

"You should have time off, paid..." and Winky (and frankly, all but 
Dobby) find the notion insulting. Because as I see it, house-elves 
define their self-worth by the work they do. Dobby has chosen a 
master who - due to being a minor and living amongst Muggles - cannot 
be served by a house-bound elf (so Dobby took this temporary binding 
with Harry's school)... but a free school-elf can, so Dobby's being 
that...

Finwitch