Lavender "Lav-Lav" Brown: Character Analysis

[TheShley]

Originally Posted by HRW

Yeah she was a normal girl who looked shallow because people judge her in relation to the trio which is not really fair on her.

That said I don't think she really liked Ron, no more than Ron liked her and I also think she had an inclination that Hermione did have feelings for Ron. In a way Ron-Lavender relationship was perhaps mutually benefiting. It was an example of how relationships should not be and I think both of them were better off with that experience.

I think she did like Ron, but not necessarily for the right reasons. I mean, she had known him for a long time, and to be honest, she was never all that impressed with him before. I think it was because, in his own way, he'd gotten a bit of 'fame' and that made her interested in him. Like she says about Hermione, 'suddenly' caring because he's 'all interesting' now. Which is funny (to me anyway) because that's really the reason she liked Ron in the first place. However, she did spend a fair amount of time trying to get him to notice her. It wasn't a great love, it was much the same as any teenage 'love' affair would be.

[GrimeldaDursley]

[*]Lavender's favourite subject is Divination. We know that Trelawney is a true Seer, although her inner eye is often clouded. Do you think that Trelawney was right when she claimed to see real a talent for Divination in Lavender?
I don't know, but Lavender seemed to enjoy the class very much and seemed to have faith in Trelawney's talents, and also appeared to admire the teacher very much. Only Lavender and Parvarti [or was it Parvati?] Patil among all the students are the ones mentioned as having a genuine liking and respect for her. She probably did very well in that class.[*]Does her name tell us anything about her character?
I think it is a pretty name. It is a very feminine name, and Lavender was kind of a girly girl.[*]In OotP Lavender believed the lies the Daily Prophet spread about Harry but, later on, she joined Dumbledore's Army. What were her motives? Did she change her mind or was it peer pressure?
I think she really saw the truth at last and changed her mind.[*]In HBP Lavender gained in importance by becoming Ron's girlfriend. Despite her usual silliness she seemed to take their relationship seriously; she even interrogated Harry. Do you think Ron broke her heart? How will this affect her future interactions with the trio?
I think at the time it did, but I think she was able to bounce back eventually and focus her attentions on the next target.[*]We have conflicting information about Lavender's background. Is she a pure-blood, a half-blood or Muggle-born and was this or will this be of any importance?[/list][/quote] It was never said to my recollection. So I can't say it would be of any importance.

[HRW]

Originally Posted by FurryDice

I think that's a good point. The trio had to deal with a lot, which forced them to grow up quickly. Whereas Lavender was just like a normal teenager, experimenting with her looks, fancying boys, just like teenagers do. She's a little immature, but then, she was sixteen when she was dating Ron. Some people are immature at sixteen. Hey, some people are immature at sixty.

I agree. I think both of them learned what they did not want in a relationship. Which is something a lot of people learn from teenage relationships. Learning what you do not want is just as important as learning what you do want. And I think what Lavender learned was an important lesson to learn, just as what Ron learned was important; Lavender learned not to settle for being second best - not to date someone for whom she was the second choice.

True and labeling her as shallow person for something she did at 16 is a bit harsh. People don't stay 16 forever, they grow up and learn from mistakes, all that's needed is a trigger to affect the change. Take a look at Ron for example in HBP. He is a lot more mature after after he nearly loses his life. Maybe the trigger for Lavender was the final battle.

I think Ron threw himself at Lavender, too. I think they both threw themselves into that relationship, for the wrong reasons. But I think they both learned from it.

I never got that impression myself. I saw him as a bit confused. He knew who he wanted but did not think she wanted him and Lavender happened to be the person who soothed his bruised ego.

[GingerCat1]

I personally think that in the state of mind Ron was in at the time he would have gotten together with the first girl that showed any interest in him as his self confidence was at a all time low based on what Ginny had said to him. He needed to prove to himself that even if Hermione thought he was pathetic there is some girls out there that might consider him to be desirable.

[FurryDice]

Originally Posted by TheShley

I think she did like Ron, but not necessarily for the right reasons. I mean, she had known him for a long time, and to be honest, she was never all that impressed with him before. I think it was because, in his own way, he'd gotten a bit of 'fame' and that made her interested in him. Like she says about Hermione, 'suddenly' caring because he's 'all interesting' now. Which is funny (to me anyway) because that's really the reason she liked Ron in the first place. However, she did spend a fair amount of time trying to get him to notice her. It wasn't a great love, it was much the same as any teenage 'love' affair would be.

Nor did Ron date Lavender for the right reasons. Neither of them got into that relationship for the right reasons. I think they both learned from that experience.

[*]We have conflicting information about Lavender's background. Is she a pure-blood, a half-blood or Muggle-born and was this or will this be of any importance?[/list]It was never said to my recollection. So I can't say it would be of any importance.

On seeing this, a random theory occurred to me. I agree that Lavender's background does not matter. However, as the question says, there is conflicting evidence - she did not know what a Grim was until Trelawney explained it. However, she was allowed/forced to attend Hogwarts in her seventh year, which rules out Muggleborn. Possibly, she had one wizarding parent, but was raised by her Muggle parent, after the wizarding parent died/left.

Originally Posted by HRW

True and labeling her as shallow person for something she did at 16 is a bit harsh. People don't stay 16 forever, they grow up and learn from mistakes, all that's needed is a trigger to affect the change. Take a look at Ron for example in HBP. He is a lot more mature after after he nearly loses his life. Maybe the trigger for Lavender was the final battle.

Considering Lavender had been at Hogwarts while the Carrows were busy torturing children, I think that might have been the trigger. Despite that, despite the horrors she had seen and endured that year, or maybe because of them, Lavender chose to stay and fight. I can see the evils of that year at Hogwarts pushing a lot of people to either stay and fight, or to get away before things get worse, depending on the person in question.

I never got that impression myself. I saw him as a bit confused. He knew who he wanted but did not think she wanted him and Lavender happened to be the person who soothed his bruised ego.

Then, as I said, he got into the relationship for the wrong reasons. Ego is not a good reason to get into a relationship. Whether inflating or soothing an ego, it's a foolish and selfish reason to get into a relationship.

Originally Posted by GingerCat1

I personally think that in the state of mind Ron was in at the time he would have gotten together with the first girl that showed any interest in him as his self confidence was at a all time low based on what Ginny had said to him. He needed to prove to himself that even if Hermione thought he was pathetic there is some girls out there that might consider him to be desirable.

We know what Ron's state of mind was, but we don't know what Lavender's was. Perhaps Lavender felt down, too. Perhaps Lavender had never had a boyfriend, either.

Lavender's determination to keep Ron as her boyfriend, even after he started holding her at a distance, even after she realised he wasn't the type of romantic person she may have wanted suggests that maybe self-consciousness was an issue for her, too. I know there was some silliness about Ron being "interesting" after he'd been poisoned and that Lavender seemed to start noticing Ron around the time he became a successful Quidditch player and fought DEs at the Ministry.
But I also wonder if Lavender had bought into unhealthy messsages that are peddled to girls - the message that Twilight sells so well, but was around long before that. The idea that a girl must have a boyfriend, that the wrong boyfriend is better than no boyfriend, that you're lesser if you don't have a boyfriend. Lavender wanted to keep Ron as her boyfriend, even after it became clear that he wasn't interested, that she was second choice. I like to think that she learned from that, and after this, refused to be with a guy for whom she was the second choice.

[HRW]

Originally Posted by FurryDice

Then, as I said, he got into the relationship for the wrong reasons. Ego is not a good reason to get into a relationship. Whether inflating or soothing an ego, it's a foolish and selfish reason to get into a relationship.

That I agree with and as I said their relationship was everything a relationship shouldn't be and they were both at fault. What I am saying is I don't think Ron really wanted to get into a relationship with Lavender, she just happened to be there at a vulnerable moment. Doesn't make it right but that's what I think happened. Lavender on the other hand seemed to have an eye out for Ron so I think it was premeditated from her side.