House Elf Loyalty

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 151628

> Magpie:
> We have a lot more than Winky's reaction to being freed.  It's 
canon that 
> Dobby is the exception and Winky far closer to the rule.  All the 
house 
> elves at Hogwarts together are angry at Hermione trying to make 
them free 
> (and they protest it, though Dobby silences the protest by 
cleaning the 
> Tower himself).  They've all been offered freedom by Dumbledore 
and refused 
> it.  They're very vocal about their feelings about freedom.

Alla:

You are right about Hogwarts Elves of course, but IMO the difference 
is that they are NOT freed yet, they are talking about their dislike 
of freedom, while not truly tasted the freedom yet.

The reason for that could be that they are indeed under some kind of 
enchantment, which makes them dislike the freedom?

I actually really like what Pippin says in the post just before 
yours:

"The more I think about it, the more I think they are both
right about the Elf issue. Hermione is right that the status quo is
unconscionable. But Ron is right that the Elves have grown accustomed
to slavery. Their culture has adapted to it, and so it isn't only 
wizard
culture that has to change."

Again, my main thing is that I don't remember any proof in canon 
that House Elfs willingly entered their service to humans. That is 
why I am hesitant to agree that they really like such service.


Magpie: 
> Which I think means we really can't take it as a metaphor for 
slavery 
> because what group of human slaves (as opposed to individuals who 
may not 
> mind it as much as others) want to be slaves in the face of other 
people 
> trying to free them?  (I can think of a possible example, but it 
still 
> doesn't fit House Elves.) 
<SNIP>

Alla:

But still can we be sure that all house elfs react that way? I mean, 
Hogwarts elfs have really nice working conditions in comparison to 
probably many other house elfs, if not the best ones. Who knows, 
maybe they are just scared of freedom.

And again, to me it really means a lot that JKR states her position 
so clearly here. Erm, I just had a thought. What if Dobby is meant 
to be sort of analogous to Harry Potter in the elfs community?

What if thanks to him the enchantment will be lifted, change will 
start, etc,etc?

Anyways, to tell you the truth I find House Elves to be annoying 
creatures, all of them that we had seen so far, including Dobby and 
would not mind at all that they would have just disappeared from the 
narrative, BUT it also seems clear that they are very important to 
JKR, since she includes them in key plot points and IMO house elves 
will be enjoying their freedom at the end. Some of them I have no 
doubt will choose to stay and serve their masters.

JMO,

Alla