A Look At Luna Lovegood (longish)

[The Kirk]

No: HPFGUIDX 84068

My opinion on Luna in terms of the narrative and symbolism is 
as the "anti-Hermione". 

There is a physical similarity in that they are both characterised 
by their hair (Hermione's is bushy, and Luna's is dirty blond). 
Luna is in Ravenclaw (where some think Hermione *should* 
be), yet she doesn't appear to have the same rationality as 
others in her house.

Hermione is guilty of being too rigid in her thoughts- when it 
comes time to "think outside the box", such as when dealing with 
the Devil's Snare in PS, she often fails to think properly, and her 
failure to predict the Centaurs' reaction in OotP. Yet there is no 
doubt that her brains are invaluable to the group.

Luna is the oppposite; she believes in too much, too readily. I 
don't know if I'm imagining things, but I recall someone saying 
that if there was hard evidence that somethign existed, that she 
wouldn't believe it. Yet her intuition and ability to empathise with 
Harry, which is something Hermione couldn't achieve with brain 
power, are things Harry is only just beginning to realise as 
important

Both Luna and Hermione have strengths stemming from their 
different perspective on knowledge and life in general. But in 
keeping with the theme of working together and breaking down 
boundaries, both will be of importance in the coming War, and 
will probably both have to learn to accomodate some of the 
other's traits.

Roo