Week Seven: Fantasy and Children

            Having read harry potter multiple times as a child I mostly enjoyed it as a world of wonder to escape to like Tolkien rather than a story to act as moral compass for me. I decided to begin to re read the novels and found myself having subconsciously found an identity in Luna Lovegood and was surprised as to how little I’d remembered to relating to her as a child. I never really felt like I was able to connect to many of the other kids because when I tried to talk to them they’d call me strange and even went as far to call me a which. Luna was often called “loony lovegood” for her strange behavior and odd beliefs.  I knew I wasn’t crazy I just knew I’d be exposed to darkness a lot sooner than most children I was around, in the same way that Luna witnessed her mothers day at the age of 9 and could see Thestrals because of it. The thestrals in my life were the parts of things I couldn’t explain to people who didn’t have the ability to see it. Thestrals were creatures that only people who had witnessed death could see. It’s why her and Harry could see them. I loved how much Luna spent time with herself. I remember reading about her dancing by herself at the wedding of Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour at the Burrow and falling in love with her character. It reminded me of the many times that I’d just enjoy myself in a moment and the strange looks I’d get.

            I think that the books serve as a great option for kids to find themselves in characters instead of their friend who are probably sucking in the media that’s shoved down their throats that makes them all carbon copies of one another. I think these types of novels are more important to a child's growth rather than overly biased history books and chanting songs praising our presidents. It also evokes an early thought process of identity both spiritual and physical that we see harry go through. Spiritual self reflection should be much more encouraged than it is now.