A sandwich

[prep0strus]

No: HPFGUIDX 178633

> 
> JKR also created Dobby, the elf who acted alone, who wanted to be 
> free, who held Harry to be a saviour, who wore wizard-provided 
> clothes, and who died a hero's death. JKR also created Hermione, the 
> Muggleborn who stubbornly tried to free the elves whether they wanted 
> freedom or not.  Perhaps nobody would be having this discussion were 
> it not for Dobby and the story his life seemed to be telling, along 
> with Hermione's premature efforts on behalf of house-elves.  So tell 
> me, why oh why did JKR even include this storyline at all?  It seemed 
> to be an anti-slavery story at one time.  It ended up being anything 
> but.
> 
> lealess
>

Prep0strus:

I'm with you. I just can't figure out why she bothered to include the
storyline - even at its best, it was annoying, and no one came off
well.  Hermione, on her moral high ground, was
probably-right-but-more-annoying-than-usual, Harry and Ron seemed
insensitive, the house elves who didn't want to be free or have money
seemed ridiculous, and Dobby... well, brave and cute and loyal, but no
one has ever accused him of being the world's greatest thinker.

But, I could respect where she was going.  Finding another 'injustice'
in her world, and showing how steps could be made to change things, at
least a little.

And it's not like I even mind the idea of fantastical creatures whose
entire purpose is to clean and serve.  If that's what they are, I'll
accept them.  Some creature that exists partway between a dog and a
butler, that's how they were created, how they exist, and how they're
happy.

But by making Dobby want not just to be treated well, but to have
freedom and payment, and then by making a huge deal out of it
involving other elves and people and constant discussion on the topic,
it became something more.  It's still a difficult analogy, because
house elves are not human, but they are 'people', kind of (but also,
kind of not), but it seems like an ok fantasy analogy.

But to then completely drop it, kill off the only elf that even wanted
freedom, and have the resolution be... well, Ron thinks elves are
decent enough... what?  Harry getting a sandwich or not isn't the
biggest issue to me - there are a lot of things that could be going
through his head (including that Kreacher might be offended to not
bring it, or that it's something he'll deal with tomorrow, or he's
tired and doesn't care right now, or at least Kreacher won't ask
questions, or... whatever), but that the story brought up this issue,
kept it going over a few books, and then dropped it with zero
resolution just seems odd to me.

I can't even figure out what the message IS - because both 'slavery is
wrong' and 'sometimes we should just accept people how they are, even
if it seems weird to us' both seem flawed and not fully supported by
the text.

Since I can't even figure out what her message was supposed to be, I
have to assume she failed at whatever message she was trying to send.
 This just seems like a really big dropped ball.  And I'm left not
particularly caring one way or the other.  I don't want anybody
torturing a house elf or anything, but other than that... be free, be
slaves, make sandwiches... I just don't care.  Disappointed in this
one, JKR.

~Adam (Prep0strus)