JKR's Intent

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 178782

BetsyHp:
> What I'm protesting (and I'll admit I drifted from the main point a 
> bit... it's kind of what I do <g>) is that we're to base the theme
> of the books on something that happened off page and was never 
> mentioned.

Jen: Admittedly I'm not that interested in the house-elf debate at 
the moment and was taking the thread in a new direction given the 
information that piqued my interest.  The segement I read was an 
example of an ongoing debate since DH about what counts as 'in the 
books.'  That interests me because it appears to be important for 
future debates on the list.   

Betsy HP:
> We can *imagine* Hermione continuing on as a crusader for house-elf 
> rights, but JKR gives us nothing to suggest this actually happens. 
> What *is* important to JKR is that we know who Hermione married,
> how many children she has, and what their names are. Which doesn't 
> do much to support the idea JKR was going for a message about
> slavery, IMO.

Jen: This is where I would veer off to say that the last line of a 
book or an epilogue does not a story make.  Others have said it with 
points from the story so I'll leave them to it.:)

> Betsy Hp:
> I think they are two different things.  Your imagination is engaged 
> in the realm of fanfic and fun.  What if's, wouldn't it be cool
> if's, etc.  But thematic (for want of a better word) debates should
> depend pretty much solely on what's on the page, IMO.  The books
> are done so the time of unlimited speculation within the realm of
> debating is also done.  (I mean, obviously you can debate however
> you want to, but there will be fuddy-duddies insisting on text 
> evidence or episode numbers.  And, um, sometimes they'll be down
> right strident. ::glances shiftly at Star Trek fans::)

Jen: I honestly don't see why the cases put forth for the house elf 
situation are any more or less 'in the books' than someone making the 
case that Slytherins represent Jewish people, imo.  So which case can 
be presented as in the books and which can't?  Who decides?  I 
appreciate you taking time to write everything you did Betsy, really 
I do, my answer doesn't do your post justice, but what's in the books 
is perception as far as I can tell and not a fact like a math 
problem.  In my perception that particular idea about Slytherin isn't 
in the story; in your perception it is.  I don't know where it goes 
from there if the only answer to offer one another is 'it's not in 
the books.'