Goblin Traditions was Revenge, Greek tragedies & the heart

[prep0strus]

No: HPFGUIDX 175352

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "lizzyben04" <lizzyben04 at ...> 
> lizzyben:
> 
> You know what was my ultimate WTF moment? When Griphook compliments 
> Harry for being a "very unusual wizard" because he actually seems to 
> respect goblins & treat them fairly. All the while, the Trio are 
> trying to figure out how to double-cross Griphook - like all the 
> other wizards apparantly do. Was that just? At the end, when 
> Griphook takes the sword & runs, I was angry at him at first - that 
> sneaky goblin! Then I set down the book for a second, and thought, 
> wait a minute, we're supposed to think Griphook's a bad guy because 
> he won't let the Trio double-cross him? He did just what he promised 
> to do, and he should get the payment they promised him. Run, 
> Griphook, run! :)

Prep0strus:
Not quite sure I agree entirely - I mean, once they had the cup he
didn't only grab the sword, but abandoned them screaming accusations.
 Real nice, after Harry pretty much had just saved his life.

But reading this made me think again about what Bill told us about the
differences between Wizards and Goblins.  At the time, I thought very
much of Orson Scott Card, and his Ender series, and how making
assumptions about other species being like you can lead to grave
misunderstandings.  But this situation isn't nearly as terrible or
incomprehensible.

If Bill is aware that Goblins feel something Goblin-made can only be
rented for the lifetime of the 'buyer', not bought, while Wizards feel
something bought is bought and that owner can give it to whomever they
want... well, why has no one done anything about this for centuries? 
It just works this way?  Wizards have the power, they do things their
way, and goblins are bitter.  I know these are deeply held beliefs. 
Can't someone bargain in such a way that makes it clear to the goblin
they want it FOREVER, or noodle with the price so it's only a lease? 
I'm sure there's another goblin war coming if they can't work out this
bit of economics.

I was really disappointed when Harry wasn't going to find a way to
convince Griphook to let him keep the sword for a period of time after
regaining the cup, and that he would definitely give it to the goblin
after.  I guess that would be a hard sell to the goblin, but it really
seems like nothing came of Griphook being so impressed by the
uniqueness of harry's position (which, not to take away from harry,
seems more based on naivety of the ww, than any truly innate
differences).  The deal was achieved, barely, w/ Harry trying to at
least bend the rules before adhering, Griphook took matters into his
own hands and betrayed them.  Harry saved his life, and then... well,
Griffindor gets the sword anyway.  I guess Godric's hat wasn't
goblin-made, and it follows WIZARD rules.  True Griffindors get the
sword, not grubby goblins.  Another blow to the hopes there might be
true change in the ww.

But, just in case we were feeling too badly for the goblins, being
kept down by the wizards (except for seemingly unfettered access to
just about all the wizarding gold and treasures), we're shown that
while wizards won't show goblins how to make wands, goblins also
wouldn't consider teaching them their smithcraft.

It would be a lot easier to hope for a world of greater equality if
the other species weren't so often shown in a negative light.  Giants,
centaurs, goblins.  I'm all for the rights of the oppressed, but I
don't always feel JKR wants us to wish for changes in the status quo
as much as Hermione does.  Don't rock the boat...

In fact, I think of all the things in the epilogue that are missing, a
hint as towards those kind of changes might be nice.  Fine, slytherin
exists... but where do we stand on elf liberation, goblin wand-making,
and peace with giants?  Not to mention werewolf job protection. Maybe
we'll find out a bit more of Hermione's influential career in the
Encyclopedia.

~Adam, who yawningly and self-centeredly wonders how the events of the
 7 books affected life in the USA