a sandwich

[CreativesMuse at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 178881

 
> Pippin:
> That is an inconvenient truth which  in 
> > no way makes slavery more palatable, but does make it harder to  get 
> > rid of. JKR was brave to recognize that in her books,  IMO.
> 
> Magpie:
> Brave to recognize what? That she hadn't  really created a way for 
> House Elves to be realistically freed? She did  seem to recognize that 
> but I wouldn't call it brave.
>  

a_svirn:
Actually, she does not seem to recognize it. Or rather, she  does not 
acknowledge it. She still insists that slavery is a bad thing, that  
Hermione was right back in her fourth year when she tried to change  
things, and that the HP books are about morality and tolerance. But the  
only thing they teach to tolerate is inequality in its most extreme  
forms. 

~CreativesMuse:
Actually, I think Rowling addressed this at the  ending of the book where the 
House Elves came to join the battle. I think the  picture Rowling was 
painting was the inner emergence of the House Elves. For  generations they did not 
stand up for themselves, they did nothing in the  wizarding world except serve 
their masters orders. The House Elves at Hogwarts  had been under Dumbledore's 
care until his demise. When DD offered Dobby  sanctuary there, he was willing 
to recognize his freedom and pay him for  the work he did, showing DDs   
willingness to follow the example set  by Hermoine and Harry and open that door for 
any elf wishing to be afforded the  same freedoms. The House Elves were 
watching Dobby and his relationships with  Harry and DD. They said they found it 
dishonorable but I think that when day was  done, they decided Dobby, a free 
elf, had chosen his path wisely. Voldemort was  on their doorstep and they 
weren't going to take it any more. 
 
Kreacher sang out a battle cry that he was fighting for  his master, 
"defender of house-elves". Prior to this the house-elves had nothing  to do with the 
inter-battles among the wizards unless ordered by their  masters. This, IMHO, 
is their beginning of self-realization.  Whenever addressed, house elves always 
had their own belittlement/self-loathing  persona going on (I'm sure as a 
result of centuries of being treated as such by  the wizards). 
 
When the castle was taken over the Carrows I  am quite sure they did not 
issue an order to the elves to stand against  Voldemort. The House Elves were 
beginning to think independently and they  chose which side they openly supported. 
I guess I just saw that scene as a  beginning for them, and the ongoing 
battle for them a story not yet written  (unless there is one out there in FanFic 
land I haven't yet seen, lol)
 
~CreativesMuse