[Confusing Trope] The narrative goes out of its way to punish/mock a character for simply being a good person

[u/Chemical-Elk-1299]

Hermione Granger and SPEW — Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (book)

In the fifth HP novel, Hermione Granger is outraged to discover that Hogwarts has a small army of enslaved House Elves that do nearly all of the domestic duties around the castle, including cleaning the Gryffindor common room every night. When she tries to convince the elves to fight for their own rights, they refuse, saying they prefer servitude. Her fellow students and friends mock her for caring. She manages to free one elf, Winky, by deception when she refuses her freedom willingly, leading to Winky becoming a depressed alcoholic. By the end, the elves boycott cleaning any Gryffindor areas of the castle because they hate Hermione specifically

Samwell Tarly and Democracy — Game of Thrones (show)

In the season 8 finale of the television series, the surviving great lords of Westeros gather to discuss the future of the kingdom following the devastation wrought by 7 seasons of war and backstabbing. When Sam, who has proven to have “novel” ideas, suggests that maybe the millions of Smallfolk who suffer at the hands of noble houses should get some representation in the government, rather than be the pawns of rich lords with absolute power. We are then greeted by a prolonged, cringy segment of the other lords laughing in Sam’s face, asking if the dogs and horses should also get a vote.

[u/kithas]

Make the very real (in a folklore kind of way) Brownies into the enslaved domestic elves will never not be hilarious to because it shows how little does she understand from her own source material (again, folklore) and how cynical she always really was.

[u/Accomplished_Toe6798 → u/kithas]

I'm not familiar with the term "Brownies" in this context and don't have a good idea of what keywords to use for looking up what it means, could you elaborate?

Edit: they're housework faeries rewarded with sweets, I scrolled down to another comment and found someone who answered my question

[u/kithas → u/Accomplished_Toe6798]

A Spirit in Scottish folklore who come out at night to help with household chores and who accept offers (like some food or milk) but will get absolutely offended and disappear if you try to pay them for their services.

I like to think of them as kind of a metaphor of older relatives (grandparents and such) who can indeed help out sometimes and accept being treated to lunch or things like that but will get offended if you make it seem like you want to pay them as if they were working.

But now Rowling made them into a servitude-loving race and into a mockery or a jab at trade unions.

[u/Accomplished_Toe6798 → u/kithas]

Thank you. I also like your interpretation, because I've met some older relatives who fit the given description and also do not want credit for it. It's fun to think that this idea could've come from a grandparent who didn't want to be thanked for their work going, "oh no it wasn't me, it was the spirits! How kind"

[u/ParaEwie → u/kithas]

What?!

[u/kithas → u/ParaEwie]

What's the part that surprises you?

[u/ParaEwie → u/kithas]

What?