CHAPTER DISCUSSIONS: Chapter 10, "Luna Lovegood".

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 89325

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Kirstini" <kirst_inn at y...> 
wrote:
<snipping>
> The narration then focuses in on Neville for a time. We are 
reminded –
>  yet again – that Neville is very forgetful, that he has an 
interest 
> in Herbology, and of his unusual family circumstances. He shows 
off 
> his new pet cactus – the Mimbulus Mimbletonia – to Harry, and 
there 
> is a comic moment where he accidentally manages to cover the whole 
of 
> the carriage in Stinksap. This chapter only focuses on the comic 
> aspects of Neville's personality, and no mention is made – even in 
> passing – of his parents or their tragedy. 

JenR: I found this incident with the Stinksap interesting, both 
because it happened without Ron and Hermione present and because of 
the focus in OOTP on potion ingredients (ie. Confusing and 
Befuddlement draughts; properties of moonstone).

So Neville, Harry, Luna and Ginny were covered in Stinksap. 
Recently, someone pointed out that these four were uninjured (or 
slightly injured) in the battle at the DOM, and could that be 
because of the Stinksap?  I think it was, because of the "amazing 
defensive mechanism" of the Mimbulus that Neville tells us about in 
this chapter. And the fact that Ron and Hermione weren't covered in 
Stinksap seems ominous for the future.

Kirstini:
While the carriage is 
> recovering from the Stinksap attack, Cho Chang drops by to see 
Harry, 
> much to his embarrassment. Although the Stinksap is bad enough, 
Harry 
> is also embarrassed to be seen sitting with Neville and Luna 
rather 
> than "a group of very cool people". 

JenR: This was funny--since when has Harry worried about being cool, 
and who exactly are the cool people at Hogwarts?? I guess this was a 
way to remind us Harry is not a kid anymore and is interested in 
dating, etc., but Harry's never been one to apologize for his 
friends before. 

Kirstini:
>> Is there a sense that, by introducing a new character, subverting 
> Harry's expectations for the journey, deliberately taking time out 
to 
> describe the weather and spending a lot of time over aspects of 
the 
> story – like Neville's cactus – which might be seen to be 
deliberate 
> red herrings, this chapter seems to be slightly more self-aware 
than 
> the others? Does an awareness of reader expectation pervade the 
> chapter?

JenR: Good point. The confusion on the train was definitely a 
precursor to Harry's disappointing and chaotic year. The way Luna is 
introduced and the absence of Ron and Hermione is particularly 
jolting. We're used to Neville and Ginny being attached to the trio 
at times, but having Luna appear without Hermione/Ron present--well, 
it feels unbalanced, Harry seems more vulnerable.