Harry and the house-elves---another view

[Beatrice23]

No: HPFGUIDX 162153

> Carol responds:
> But what exactly is this enchantment? Who placed it, on whom, and
> when? does it affect all house-elves as a species or individual
> house-elves or house-elves descended from the first elf bound to a
> particular family? What if it can't be lifted or they placed it on
> themselves?
> 
> The only quote I can think of related to such an enchantment is
> Dobby's remark in CoS that he's "bound to serve one house and one
family forever," which turns out not to be true. <Snip>

Beatrice:
I must say that this seems to be a bit pedantic – certainly we can 
concede  that there is some kind of magic that binds these house 
elves into slavery.  And yes I did say slavery, even if some of them 
are "willing" (although I will take issue with this in a moment).  
Whether or not we can call it an enchantment is really irrelevant.   
I think that you are being a bit too fastidious in your textual 
analysis.  It seems quite obvious from the text that house elves are 
magically bound to a "family" or a home until such time as they are 
freed by someone else's actions.  Therefore, they do not have the 
right or ability to choose their servitude.  Perhaps it would be 
better to think of house elves as analogous to African-American 
slaves in the U.S.  True some were "happy" under slavery and felt a 
loyalty to their "family,"  but it doesn't mean that their conditions 
were just or that they are better off under the thumb of slavery.  

While I agree that one can't lift a blanket enchantment, the WW could 
force families to free all house elves and allow the elves to choose 
IF they want to serve in this capacity.  I think that Alla makes an 
excellent point about not really being able to understand the true 
nature of house elves while they are bound in such a way.  I know 
that Hermione is made fun of in the text for SPEW and even Harry is 
unable to see her view point, but I think that she is right on the 
money.  House elves are slaves, even if they are treated well and it 
is appalling that a society would allow such a condition to exist. 
 
> Alla:
> <snip>
> > And I do not see wizards go and try to imprison Giants. Who sure 
are 
> > dangerous and violent, many of them. <snip>
> 
> Carol:
> So you concede that giants are by nature different from humans 
(Wizard
> or not). Maybe house-elves are different by nature, too, not only in
> their appearance and their magical abilities but in their 
psychology.
> They seem to *want* to serve humans, to take pride and pleasure in
> serving them well, especially humans who treat them with kindness 
and
respect (as Dumbledore says)

Beatrice:

But isn't this simply a way of perpetuating fascist discourses?  
Simply to label a group as other and indicate that somehow they do 
not deserve the same rights and privileges of the hegemony?  Hermione 
reminds me in many ways of Woolf trying in vain to point out the 
inequities of society to demonstrate that fascism is alive and well 
in all aspects of linguistics and culture.  (Don't forget the legal 
definition of an African American under slavery was that they were 
only ¾ human).
 
> Carol: 
> If serving humans is in their nature (as the evidence I've cited
> indicates) and they enjoy doing it (as they clearly do when they're
> serving a master they love and respect), why deny them the right to 
do
> it? Why insult them by offering them freedom when they don't want 
it?
> IMO, the Weasleys, who have grown up in the WW, understand house-
elves
> (and giants) much better than Muggle-raised Hermione does.
> 
> Let them do what they do well. Let them be happy. If you treat them
> kindly and give them basic comforts--food, tea towels, and shelter,
> with the means of keeping clean--they'll be happy. Unless they're
> atypical house-elves like Winky and Kreacher, both of whom may be 
too
> far gone to be helped.
>
Beatrice:
So are we to support a system of slavery, just because house elves 
have learned to adapt and be grateful for what little comfort they 
are afforded?  The Weasleys, Hagrid, et al are just as blameworthy as 
the Malfoys IMO.  Certainly they have grown up surrounded by an 
intolerable system of bondage, but their inability to examine this 
system critically is inexcusable.  Their logic is the same kind of 
logic that perpetuates racism and intolerance.  Don't look at the 
Weasleys (who are wonderful, but blind in this instance).  Look at 
Dumbledore who tells Harry repeatedly that house elf enslavement is 
intolerable, that it is based lies that wizards tell themselves.

Beatrice, who wants to get beyond the minutia to have some truly 
discursive moments.