Lavender "Lav-Lav" Brown: Character Analysis

[hermy_weasley2]

Welcome to the post-DH discussion of Lavedar Brown. Previous discussion without spoilers can be found here:Lavendar "Lav-Lav" Brown: Character Analysis


Study questions

• 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?
• Does her name tell us anything about her character?
• 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?
• 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?
• 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?

[YellowRose]

I want to know..did she die? Was she the girl Ginny comforted? Did she become a werewolf or end up like Bill Weasley?

She fell off a balcony and then Greyback attacked her but Harry still saw her move slightly.

[Hes]

Originally Posted by YellowRose

I want to know..did she die? Was she the girl Ginny comforted? Did she become a werewolf or end up like Bill Weasley?

She fell off a balcony and then Greyback attacked her but Harry still saw her move slightly.

I think she was just saved in time. I don't think Fenrir Greyback really had the intention to contaminated, but to kill. So I guess she survived but might be a lot like Bill now. I have the feeling that if she has died, it would have been mentioned, she was a "speaking" character, not anonymous.

[moe_shalash]

oh please Lavender be alive, I really don't know why i like her so much (i always like the minor people in a book or a movie). but i thought that fenrir was going to attack her but hermione stopped him in time.

[adam_12]

I think that, like Fleur, Lavender is a character who has grown a lot over the recent books. To see her fighting alongside the rest of Dumbledore's Army was very gratifying. She seemed to be very girly (I'm not saying that that's a bad thing! ) in the earlier books and I would have expected her not to want to join the battle for fear that she would break a nail. It was good to see her show that she really is loyal to Harry and to the DA.

[sweets7]

Our girl Lavender; I loved her in this book. What she did took real guts: staying behind to fight.

I do remember though, that in one of the earlier books, she remained behind with the trio and some others to fight off some of Hagrid's beasts. I hope she lived, poor Lavender.

[SydneyCartonFan]

I think DH proved why Lavender was in Gryffindor.

I kinda get the impression that Lavender has been hesitant to show courage, maybe that is an oxymoron. I think she likes being girly and likes to be treated like one, if that sounds right.

I would like Jo to tell us what happened to Lavender after the Fenrir attack.

[Mrscole]

All through the series I saw her as kind of a Paris Hilton type of person, and can't see that she changed in any way. She stayed to fight simply because everyone else was, and probabley developed a crush on Neville because he wagiving off the "bad boy type" of image according to the authotity

[KOTMods]

I think Lavender was plainly just used. Ron never liked her, did he? He was just using her to get back at them all for calling him frigid (Not in those words though...)

I felt sorry for her, because I think she was genuinely interested in Ron, and if Ginny hadn't of said what she had, he wouldn't have given her a second glance.

[Hes]

Originally Posted by Mrscole

All through the series I saw her as kind of a Paris Hilton type of person, and can't see that she changed in any way. She stayed to fight simply because everyone else was, and probabley developed a crush on Neville because he wagiving off the "bad boy type" of image according to the authotity

I think that this a bit unfair to Lavender, she might have been a bit of a gossip but she wasn't stupid (no pun intended at Paris Hilton). Lavender was just the typical teenage girl of which there are thousands, interested in teenage things. But she did have the courage to join the DA, even though her parents had probably forbidden her to associate with Harry Potter and co. That took a lot of guts and she didn't run away, if she was an airhead that only cared for girly things she wouldn't have stayed away from the battle.

[eatus_Benevol1]

I was surprised, frankly, to see Lavendar mentioned at the closing of DH - for her to come back and fight for Hogwarts shows she had more in her than I suspected all along. I guess everyone who was in Gryffindor really was courageous although a lot of them didn't show it in the first 5 or 6 books - it is true that great trials and tribulation separate the wheat from the chaff - turns out Lavendar was golden wheat. Good for her.

[Harsh_Potter]

Originally Posted by eatus_Benevol1

I was surprised, frankly, to see Lavendar mentioned at the closing of DH - for her to come back and fight for Hogwarts shows she had more in her than I suspected all along. I guess everyone who was in Gryffindor really was courageous although a lot of them didn't show it in the first 5 or 6 books - it is true that great trials and tribulation separate the wheat from the chaff - turns out Lavendar was golden wheat. Good for her.

It also shows how brutal wars and such difficult times bring out in people their best or their worst! (Didn't Sirius say something like that in GoF?)

It brought out the best in Lavender(and also all the Hogwartians who fought in the last battle) and I think it'll be good for her...to believe in herself...that she can be a "hero" too!

[strange magic]

I think the battle brought out her best, but I'm not so sure what the future holds for her. Greyback got her and we don't know if he killed her or contaminated her. She was moving - a bit, so I'd give her 75% chance of being alive. If she is alive, she probably has scratches all over her face - and she was known as the "pretty girl" how will that affect her?

Yes, Ron did use her - and I felt sorry for her. I know what that feels like and he was being a jerk to her.

[Cheruth]

All through the series I saw her as kind of a Paris Hilton type of person, and can't see that she changed in any way. She stayed to fight simply because everyone else was, and probabley developed a crush on Neville because he wagiving off the "bad boy type" of image according to the authotity

To be fair, Lavendar was always brave in her own way. As someone else mentioned, in GOF she was one of the few to stay and fight the blast ended skrewt. Most students ran into Hargrid's hut (including most Gryffindors, like Dean Thomas) she wasn't just following the crowd. And she got her robes burnt. Something that would be a deal breaker for a real Paris Hilton type. She still fought. She also joined the DA.

And she fell for Ron. She could have gone for Harry or someone else more glamorous. But she fell for the "sidekick". I do think she looks beyond what is perceived as cool and follows her own convictions.

Its just that we are comparing her to impossible standards. SHe is a fairly typical school girl. But next to someone like Hermione she will always come off poorly.

I like Lavender. Always did. I don't think Ron ever sat down and thought "You know what would show Hermione..." I think he was hurt and got caught up. But I did feel bad for her. She got a raw deal in the sixth book.

[Alucinor99]

Originally Posted by Mrscole

All through the series I saw her as kind of a Paris Hilton type of person, and can't see that she changed in any way. She stayed to fight simply because everyone else was, and probabley developed a crush on Neville because he wagiving off the "bad boy type" of image according to the authotity

Aw, now that's not really fair to compare her to Paris Hilton, she is a Gryffindor after all, even though a little flighty, she's a brave girl. Yes, her and her Parvati were self absorbed at times, but their hearts are in the right place. They joined the DA, and the both stayed behind to fight did they not? And yes, Lavender was one of a the few who helped round up the blast-ended screwts. Even though she would probably have ruined her hair, nails and gotten burns all over. She still stayed. Despite her not being the biggest Hagrid fan, she was not heartless.

[Moriath]

ATTENTION PLEASE

I'd like to direct your attention to:

REVISED: Character Bashing/Worship: aka Shades of Gray

Please read it carefully and post accordingly!

And no, this is not a thread warning. I want to make sure that everyone reads the revised guidelines.

[leah49]

Originally Posted by hermy_weasley2

Welcome to the post-DH discussion of Lavedar Brown. Previous discussion without spoilers can be found here:Lavendar "Lav-Lav" Brown: Character Analysis


Study questions[list][*]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?

No. I think Trewlaney says this because Lavender (along with her friend, Parvati) is someone who enjoys the class. Not many do, so Trewlaney draws herself to the ones that do.

[*]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 for the moment her heart was broken, but she'll get over it quickly. She comes off as a girl who wants a boyfriend, rather than a soulmate. Once she gets to the next guy she's over Ron. No offense to Ron, that's just who she is. It will affect her future interactions with the trio. She won't hate them for she's not heartbroken anymore over the breakup, but if she doesn't have to interact with them, she won't.

[RemusLupinFan]

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?
She just may have been saying that because Lavender was one of the few people who showed a real interest in Divination. But it's possible she may have had some measure of talent in the subject.

Does her name tell us anything about her character?
I don't think so...

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'm not sure we know her well enough to decide. She may have just wanted to be popular/do what the popular people were doing, or she may really have had a change of heart. Or she may have just joined to stand up to Umbridge. I'm not really sure.

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 Ron may have broken her heart, but I also think she'll get over it and find someone else eventually. I'm sure she likely didn't want to have that many interactions with the trio because it would have been too awkward to face Ron and his friends after their break-up.

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?
Since there are more people of half-blood and muggle-born descent than pureblood descent I'd go with either half-blood or muggle-born. But all in all I don't think this is/will be of any importance.

[Hufflepuff_Dace]

Originally Posted by strange magic

I think the battle brought out her best, but I'm not so sure what the future holds for her. Greyback got her and we don't know if he killed her or contaminated her. She was moving - a bit, so I'd give her 75% chance of being alive. If she is alive, she probably has scratches all over her face - and she was known as the "pretty girl" how will that affect her?

Yes, Ron did use her - and I felt sorry for her. I know what that feels like and he was being a jerk to her.

I really don't remember Greyback attacking her or any mention of her to be honest - I think I need to re-read DH lol :]

[horcrux4]

Originally Posted by KOTMods

I think Lavender was plainly just used. Ron never liked her, did he? He was just using her to get back at them all for calling him frigid (Not in those words though...)

I felt sorry for her, because I think she was genuinely interested in Ron, and if Ginny hadn't of said what she had, he wouldn't have given her a second glance.

I think this is a bit of an overstatement! Yes, I think she probably was genuinely interested in Ron, and she did pursue him for most of HBP. But he did react to her earlier than the point where they got together - I seem to remember that when she laughed at him playing with the Fanged Frisbee he looked pleased and strutted a bit. He was flattered by her interest. But I agree that without Ginny's jibing he probably wouldn't have got together with her. I don't think he was using her to get at Hermione or Ginny, but wanted to feel that someone was interested in him.

Anyway, back to Lavender! In the early books I couldn't see why she was in Gryffindor as she seemed very wet and girly in the most irritating way. But she certainly had hidden depths and showed she was a true Gryffindor when she joined the DA and fought in the last battle. I think she probably then reverted to being like she was before though - she can pull it out of the hat when she needs to but in general prefers to be frilly.

I hope someone asks JKR what happened when Greyback attacked her - I'm sure she lived but I can't imagine a girly werewolf!