Freedom for House-Elves (Was: Kreacher the Plot Device Elf)

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 162113

Carol:
<snip>
> Dobby is just annoying. Dobby is just trying to help Harry Potter, 
> sir, but Dobby is getting on my nerves, sir, with his crying and 
> nose-blowing and head-banging, and Dobby had better stop soon, 
> sir, or I'll shut the book on him. And Winky at first is a female 
> version of Dobby, until (hic) she starts (hic) drinking and at 
> least (hic) shows some spirit in defying Hermione, who is nosing 
> into her master's business (or is that Harry?). Kreacher muttering 
> to himself is actually funny in places("And that's its twin. Nasty 
> little brats of a blood traitor they are") if you don't take his 
> insults too seriously. But his one-note monologues get old fast, 
> and, of course, he's partly responsible for Harry going to the DoM 
> and, indirectly, for his own master's death (though that wasn't 
> part of the plan). 
<snipping>
> Carol, wondering if anyone really likes the House-Elves or if we're
> all just considering them as abstractions

Jen: Carol, stop!  You're cracking me up.  Well, it seems I might be 
in the minority but the interaction between Dobby and Kreacher in 
HBP is one of my single favorite moments in the entire book (and 
there were quite a few good moments, imo).  Not to mention Kreacher 
in OOTP: "'Is it true?  Is it Harry Potter?  Kreacher can see the 
scar, it must be true, that's the boy who stopped the Dark Lord, 
Kreacher wonders how he did it--'  'Don't we all, Kreacher?' said 
Fred."  I mean, JKR is basically making fun of her whole *plot* in 
that one interaction and she's giving the set-up to Kreacher.

Laughing at house elves is a guilty pleasure, though: they're 
*enslaved* for gosh sakes, nothing funny there!  Likewise, feeling 
fondly towards them puts one in the same company as Arthur and the 
Muggles, it's walking smack dab into a stereotype.  I honestly do 
care what happens to the elves though, more than some of the human 
characters on both sides of the fence.  I very much hope Dobby plays 
an important role in the defeat of Voldemort and is the first Elf 
(or any being come to that) to attend Hogwarts.  I want Winky to 
find some happiness in her life other than Butterbeer, whether 
that's a new family, freedom, heck maybe even love <g>.  
Kreacher....he's harder to love.  Maybe Draco will locate his better 
side and Kreacher can live with him and will be treated with more 
respect than Dobby was?  And he will be the first member of his 
family not to be beheaded at death?!?  Not much, granted, but 
something.

My long answer is simply a resounding 'yes' to Carol's question of 
whether anyone really likes the House-Elves.  In fact, unlike Alla, 
I can't think of another non-human group I care so much about.  The 
centaurs would be a distant second and only because I hope the next 
headmaster/mistress continues to offer them sanctuary in the forest 
if that's what they choose.  Goblins?  Eh.  Trolls and giants?  
Won't go there.  No, the elves stand alone in my mind.

Jen