Book 2: Chamber of Secrets
Dobby, a house-elf working for the Malfoy's and later Headmaster Dumbledore, first appears in book number 2, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. He is a "little creature with large, bat-like ears and bulging green eyes the size of tennis balls" and "looking like a large and very ugly doll" (pg. 11/12). Dobby was wearing "what looked like an old pillowcase, with rips for arm- and leg-holes" (pg. 11) He arrives at the worst possible time for Harry, right during the middle of an important meeting for Uncle Vernon. At first, Harry, being raised by Muggles (non-magic humans), has no idea what he is.
Dobby introduces himself as a house-elf. Harry politely asks him to sit down, and Dobby is very surprised, for house-elfs are usually never treated as an equal, so he begins bawling. Harry says "'You can't have met many decent wizards"' (pg. 14). Dobby agrees, but then begins throwing himself against a wall because he almost spoke indecently of his family. Anytime Dobby says or does something wrong, he always punishes himself. Harry wants to help him, and Dobby says "'Harry Potter asks if he can help Dobby ... Dobby has heard of your greatness, sir, but of your goodness, Dobby never knew...'." (pg.15). After that, Dobby feels that Harry is a wonder ful person, "humble and modest" (pg. 15).
Therefore he warns Harry not to go back to Hogwarts. Dobby says that "he will be in mortal danger." (pg. 16). He says there is a plot to make horrible things happen at Hogwarts. He trys to give Harry a hint, but "Harry, however, was completely lost." (pg. 17). After that, he begins injuring himself once again. At that moment, Uncle Vernon comes up, and begins snarling at Harry. He leaves, and Harry discovers Dobby has his letters. Then, when Harry refuses to stay with his uncle and family, and wants to go to Hogwarts, Dobby smashes Aunt petunia's pudding, ruining it, and the deal. "With a crack like a whip, Dobby vanished." (pg. 19)
EXPLANATION
The way Dobby acts when meeting Harry shows how embarrased Harry is by this attention. He did not want to be famous, and it has caused him more suffering than good. This comes to an apex in Book 5.
Harry meets Dobby for a short time in the middle of the book. He is sponging off the injured Harry's forehead (well, it was Dobby's fault, but nevermind that). He accidentally lets lose that the Chamber of Secrets had been open previously.
Later In the end of the book, after Harry has fought the enemy, Lucius and Draco Malfoy are getting in trouble because Malfoy (the father) had given Ginny, Ron's siter, the evil diary that Voldemort survived in. Dobby has accompanied them. Harry gives the diary back to Mr. Malfoy, enclosing a sock inside it. Mr. Malfoy throws aside the sock, and Dobby catches it. Mr. Malfoy tells him that they are leaving, and Dobby "didn't move. He was holding up Harry's disgusting, slimy sock, and looking at it as though it were a priceless treasure." (pg. 338). He tells Mr. Malfoy that he is free because Master has thrown him a sock. Dobby protects Harry when Malfoy trys to hurt him. He also tells Harry that he is the one who tried to save his life multiple times by injuring him. Harry makes him a deal, that Dobby is free as long has he never tries to save his life again. Dobby hugs Harry, and says he is the greatest person he ever knew. "And with a final loud crack, Dobby disappeared." (pg. 339).
EXPLANATION
Both Dobby and Ginny are liberated in this chapter. Everything seems to work out and good triumphs over evil. It is much like a fairy tale.
Harry Potter accidentally mistakes Winky for our favorite little house-elf, Dobby. He sees a creature whose "long, batlike ears were oddly familiar...." (97) It was instead a female named Winky. Dobby appears again in book 4. He has been free for two years but cannot get a job - who wants a houseelf that needs paying? He finds Winky, Mr. Crouch's houseelf who has been laid off'. He travels to Hogwarts and is paid by Dumbledore a galleon a week and some time off, working in the kitchens. In this book, Hermione decides to create SPEW, Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare.
EXPLANATION
Book 5: Order of the Pheonix
Dobby first appears in Chapter 18, waking Harry from his sleep to bring him Hedwig. He is wearing Hermione's hats which she knits, causing "his head seemed elongated by two or three feet" (pg. 385) After a moment, he surveys "Dobby more closely ... [realizing] that the elf was also wearing several scarves and innumerable socks, so that his feet looked too big for his body." (pg. 385) Winky it seems, has also been receiving clothing. Dobby tells Harry he is the only elf who cleans Griffindor Tower because of the clothing hidden.
He asks Dobby where Dumbledore's Army can practice "expecting the elf's smile to vanish, his ears to droop ... what he had not expected was for Dobby to give a little skip, his ears waggling happily, and clap his hands together" (pg. 386), and he tells him of the "known by us as the Come and Go Room ... or else as the Room of Requirement!" (pg. 386). It is a room that had been mentioned by Dumbledore in Book 4.
He sees Dobby again later. "The door of the Room of Requirement opened and then closed again; ... next thing he knew, something was tugging at his robes." (pg. 607) "The elf's eyes were wide with terror."(pg. 607) Umbridge had found out about the DA, was was coming. He tells Dobby to go down to the kitchen, to lie if she speaks to him. "And I forbid you to hurt yourself" (pg. 608)
Movie: Chamber of Secrets
After recently going to the theater to watch Scooby Doo, I saw the promo for Chamber of Secrets. Personally, I did not feel that the computer illustrated character was the slightest bit like Dobby. He has a short, stumpy nose, is very tall, and looks entirely fake. His voice is strange, and doesn't look like a real creature. In an article at harrypotter.com, he's written as "the mysteriously mischievous house-elf Dobby". Mysterious? Mischevious? Mysteriously mischieveous? None of these describe the character Dobby as he is created in the book. I personally feel that one of the reasons the book is so captivating is the characters. They truly feel real, and the types of relationships they go through can be ... 'seen' before it happens, but once you expect something, Rowling throws something unsuspecting in. I love the books and I sincerely hope that the movie will portray Dobby correctly.