A 5-Point Ode to Luna Lovegood

One of the first ever posts I wrote, almost a full year ago (scary, right?), was A 5-Point Ode to Hermione Granger, and it was also some of the most fun I've ever had while writing. So I really, really wanted to replicate that with an equally awesome Harry Potter character - enter Luna.

(There may be spoilers in this post, by the way. So go ahead and Potter-binge first, if you haven't already.)

This post isn't about forcing you to love Luna, and in fact I'd love to hear if you disagree with anything I mention. I, however, believe she is uniquely amazing - maybe even better than Hermione, but she didn't hear me say that - and would like to write a little tribute explaining why:

#1 - She was absolutely not afraid to be herself.

A lot of YA book characters are constantly concerned about popularity and what other people think of them. That makes sense, because a lot of real teenagers are too, but what made Luna such an utterly unique character was that she embraced her uniqueness. She was never afraid to skip down the corridors or wear radish earrings to the school ball - and it was those things that made her happy, even when other people called her names. Luna showed me that I could do that too: I seriously needed it at the time, and I'm sure a lot of other readers did too.

#2 - She showed me that academia isn't the only kind of intelligence.

We all knew that Luna wasn't your average smart girl, the teachers' pet. She was far too dreamy to pay much attention in lessons and liked to answer questions in the most tenuous way possible - but what a lot of people forget is that she was a Ravenclaw, and that proves that you don't have to get amazing grades to have "wit beyond measure". In fact, it's Luna's creativity, her tenuousity, which made her think of things no-one else did.

You know, like the threstrals.

#3 - Her fashion sense is . . . wacky. But it's also utterly amazing.

Luna's clothes were a brilliant facet of her personality, and well-described by Rowling, of course, but it's Jany Temime, fashion designer for the Potter films Luna appears in, who I really have to thank for cementing her style in my head so much, although apparently Evanna Lynch, the actress who plays her, also had a hand - isn't that cool? I love how much the costume must have influenced their knowledge of the character and made her an even more memorable presence onscreen.

I could also really do with borrowing that headdress, if that's okay. Does anyone know who I should call?

#4 - Her Quidditch commentary is pure genius.

Luna did not seem to have noticed; she appeared singularly uninterested in such mundane things as the score and kept attempting to draw the crowd’s attention to such things as interestingly shaped clouds and the possibility that Zacharias Smith, who had so far failed to maintain possession of the Quaffle for longer than a minute, was suffering from something called ‘Loser’s Lurgy.’

You just need to read this quote, and try to hold in the giggles. I need her commentating on the football matches my Dad watches - you know, to avoid my mind folding in on itself from the crushing boredom.

#5 - She helped thousands - probably millions - of Potterheads to be themselves.

This is what makes J.K. Rowling such an inspirational writer, an idol to so many people. Her characters are designed to show readers that they can be anything they want to be, consciously or not. (And yes, I know that's mind-numbingly cheesy, but I am absolutely sure that it helped me be the person I am today. So I don't really care how it sounds.)

Luna might not be everyone's cup of tea - people like her rarely are - but that's why she's one of my favourite characters, and also why I'm so glad such a fitting actress was found to play her. That's another story though, I suppose.

Thank you, Queen Rowling, for another character who showed me it was okay to be the person I want to be.

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In the comments: Luna fans, what's you're favourite thing about her? Do you think she shaped your life as much as I cheesily think she did mine? If you aren't so keen, then how come? (I promise I won't bite you for disagreeing, I'm truly interested.)

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Labels: Reading Life