[HPforGrownups] CHAPTER DISCUSSION Chamber of Secrets Ch. 2, Dobby's Warning

[Sherry Gomes]

No: HPFGUIDX 188741

Questions for discussion:
1) We first learn of House Elves in this chapter. What was your reaction to
Dobby's self-punishments and description of his the conditions of his
enslavement?

Sherry now:
I didn't like Dobby at first, found him highly annoying in fact.  But the
whole idea of house elf enslavement bothered me in a visceral way, till the
end of the series and beyond.  It was one of the big things left unresolved
at the end of DH and I felt kind of cheated about that.  By the end of COS,
though I still hadn't come to like Dobby, I was happy and relieved that
Harry got him his freedom and moved by his reactions.


6) Harry receives a reprimand by Owl from the Ministry after Dobby uses a
Hover Charm to destroy Petunia's pudding. This is our first encounter with
the Ministry. What was your reaction to this letter? How does it fit in with
what we learn of the Ministry throughout the series?


Sherry now:
I had a mixed reaction to this first Ministry letter.  I laughed at the
ridiculous enjoy your holidays bit, after just issuing the poor kid a
threat, but I also felt irritated that he was basically accused and
convicted without ever being asked his side.  It did not give me a good
first impression of the Ministry, and that impression only got worse as the
series progressed.


7) Dobby reappears in several of the books, and his story culminates with
his rescue of Harry and death in "Deathly Hallows". What was your first
impression of Dobby? How has it changed?

Sherry now:
I began liking Dobby as a character in his own right sometime in GOF.  I
think it had a lot to do with his reaction to freedom, reveling in it as it
were, sticking with it in the face of the ostracism and hostility from other
house elves.  Maybe not exactly ostracism, but Dobby made the rest of them
uncomfortable.  Yet he helped Winky even though she criticized him over his
freedom and desire for getting paid.  By the time of his rescuing Harry and
dying in DH, I cared a lot about him and cried as Harry buried him.  I found
the burial of Dobby one of the more  genuinely moving moments in the entire
series.

Thanks, Zara, for a great summary and questions!

Sherry