Relationships; House Elves

[Bruce Alan Wilson]

No: HPFGUIDX 151518

> >>Susan:
> The girl who is grieved by the plight of the House Elves?

Betsy Hp:
>> An excellent example.  Hermione didn't have a single conversation 
with a single house elf.  Because *they* weren't important except in 
what they stood for, in *her* opinion. <<

BAW:
Right.  House Elves are by definition NOT HUMAN.  Humans enslaving 
other humans is wrong; we all know that; no matter how well their 
masters treat them. But we have seen that most House Elves *like* 
serving their masters, no matter how ill-treated they are.  Dobby 
is the only one we know who actually likes being free.  Mr. Crouch 
presents freedom to Winky as a *punishment*, and she apparently 
agrees.  Stockholm Syndrome?  Perhaps, but that's a HUMAN reaction.

> >>Susan:
> Ron is SO immature.

Betsy Hp:
>> Oh, I think Ron has behaved well within his age bracket.  Both 
he and Harry were bad dates at the Yule Ball.  But then, neither 
of them had mothers telling them the proper way to treat a date.  
(Harry because his is dead, Ron because his is Molly.) <<

BAW:
Even better than a mother to teach a young man how to deal with 
girls is an elder sister or a youngish aunt.  Ron has no elder 
sister and Harry's aunt is worse than useless as far as that is 
concerned; even if Petunia had deigned to give Harry dating advice, 
it would probably have been most inapplicable.  

(BTW, when Harry got paired off with Ginny, my first thought was, 
"I certainly wouldn't want to date a girl with six older brothers; 
she'd probably know entirely too much about guys.")

Nikkalmati:
>> Whether it makes a  difference or not, there is a right and a 
wrong way to handle things and Harry  is doing it the wrong way. <<

BAW:
Conceding that, a little goody two-shoes who handled things right 
all the time would be a rather dull character, wouldn't he?  Would 
anyone read such a book, or find it very interesting if s/he did?

Nikkalmati:
>> Here is something that has been puzzling me.  How can Kreacher 
be dangerous? <snip>  How can Kreacher betray Sirius, the heir of 
the house of Black, even by trickery or deception? Even with the 
collusion of Narcissa?  <snip> Kreacher's treachery does not seem 
to fit what we have seen of house elves. << 

BAW:
Kreacher betrayed Sirius to a close blood-relative; Harry is not 
bloodkin to the Malfoys (or only very distantly).  That makes a 
difference.


BAW