I wanted to go ahead and jump in on today's discussion. I appreciate where Hermione is coming from but I really think House Elves are happy doing what they're doing. I don't want to imply a lack of intelligence with this comparison, but I really do think of it like a happy dog sometimes. Dobby was just that dog that wanted to run free in the streets, and that's fine. Most dogs don't want that, and we call them Man's Best Friend, and it's fine. But because House Elves are more intelligent it's expected that they wouldn't want to spend their lives in service. I think that's a silly assumption since even Dobby, who wanted freedom, still doesn't like taking a lot of money and doesn't want vacation or sick days.
SPOILER And the worst thing about this is it led NOWHERE.
In the last book, I kept expecting hordes of supportive house elves to save the day, and it just never happened. It was an annoying subplot to further the idea of intolerance and the class wars.
I believe forced servitude is wrong. I believe you should be kind to all creatures...and even to Kreacher. The way the Malfoys treated Dobby was wrong. I also believe forcing the house elves to be free when they don't want to be free is wrong.
Most of the house elves are slaves because they want to be, they don't trust themselves with freeedom, and they don't want it. Even Dobby didn't want too much freedom.
There are all sorts of voluntary servitude we put ourselves in. We choose to find work, and to accept the money for it, then we are bound to do what our boss wants. We choose to enter into marriage, and parenthood, and afterward are bound to serve our families. Like the house elves, most of the work we do as mothers is unnoticed, invisible, and unappreciated. Sometimes they don't even notice what we do unless we stop doing it...and they complain if they have to do it. However, we entered into the "binding, magical contract" willingly, and, like the house elves, we can take great joy and satisfaction in a job well done, if we choose to.
I wanted to go ahead and jump in on today's discussion. I appreciate where Hermione is coming from but I really think House Elves are happy doing what they're doing. I don't want to imply a lack of intelligence with this comparison, but I really do think of it like a happy dog sometimes. Dobby was just that dog that wanted to run free in the streets, and that's fine. Most dogs don't want that, and we call them Man's Best Friend, and it's fine. But because House Elves are more intelligent it's expected that they wouldn't want to spend their lives in service. I think that's a silly assumption since even Dobby, who wanted freedom, still doesn't like taking a lot of money and doesn't want vacation or sick days.
ReplyDeleteSPOILER
ReplyDeleteAnd the worst thing about this is it led NOWHERE.
In the last book, I kept expecting hordes of supportive house elves to save the day, and it just never happened. It was an annoying subplot to further the idea of intolerance and the class wars.
SPOILER
ReplyDeleteI did enjoy that Kreacher led them into battle, though I do wonder what ever became of Winky.
I believe forced servitude is wrong. I believe you should be kind to all creatures...and even to Kreacher. The way the Malfoys treated Dobby was wrong. I also believe forcing the house elves to be free when they don't want to be free is wrong.
ReplyDeleteMost of the house elves are slaves because they want to be, they don't trust themselves with freeedom, and they don't want it. Even Dobby didn't want too much freedom.
There are all sorts of voluntary servitude we put ourselves in. We choose to find work, and to accept the money for it, then we are bound to do what our boss wants. We choose to enter into marriage, and parenthood, and afterward are bound to serve our families. Like the house elves, most of the work we do as mothers is unnoticed, invisible, and unappreciated. Sometimes they don't even notice what we do unless we stop doing it...and they complain if they have to do it. However, we entered into the "binding, magical contract" willingly, and, like the house elves, we can take great joy and satisfaction in a job well done, if we choose to.
Romana