Teaching the Themes in Luna
Gender Roles and Expectations
In my education classes I’ve learned a great deal about how the media, film, literature, and advertisements, portray specific gender roles in society. For example, masculinity is defined as rough, big, and tough in film and advertisements. In Fantasy literature women are often portrayed as damsels in distress who need a man’s help to survive. It is important for us as educators to have students realize these gender stereotypes are mere constructions, not reality. The YA novel Luna, is one way in which teachers can help students realize this. With Luna’s character, students will realize that not all boys are “masculine” by today’s definitions. Mr. O’Neill expects Liam to join the baseball team and play sports. Regan’s mom asks her to make dinner, but she has to babysit. When Liam offers to help, his dad explains that cooking is “not his job.” Regan asks her dad, “What do you want me to do, quit my job so I can stay home and cook your dinner? Clean your house? Wash your clothes?” Regan is frustrated with the sexist gender roles that her parents fulfill and she realizes early on that she does not want to be like that. Regan recognizes various other instances in the novel that she deems sexist. Bruchac, the chemistry teacher sarcastically apologizes to the girls for having to wear the safety goggles, saying “sorry girls… chemistry is not a beauty contest.” Also, Cody and Mirelle, the kids Regan babysat for play with “boy” and “girl” toys. Cody plays with a T-Rex and Gi Joe action figures, while Mirelle plays with Bride Barbie. As a class we would discuss where gender expectations come from? (In doing this we could critically analyze advertisements geared towards men or women… men have a strict definition of masculinity, while women are dainty, helpless, etc…). As a homework assignment, students can write if they ever felt like they were expected to act a certain way or do something to fulfill a specific gender role. They would write about how they felt in that situation and how it affected them. It is important to talk about gender expectations in class because students deal with it every day in real life. Discussion Questions
What are some examples of gender roles in our society?
What are some examples of gender roles in the book?
Where do gender roles come from?
How do you feel about gender expectations?
What gender expectations do you feel affected by?
Why does Mr. O'Neill believe that it is Regan's job to cook?
What happens when Liam says that he will cook instead?
Why does Liam's father pressure him to play sports and try out for baseball?
Is Mr. Bruchac sexist?
Imagine yourself as the opposite gender. What would be the biggest challenge?
What happens when people dress or act differently than their gender roles specify?
Identity
In Luna there is also the theme of self-identification. Adolescents who are struggling with their sexual or gender identities can relate to Liam’s struggles and realize that they are not alone in theirs. Liam explains, “I’m strangling her. She’s not the one I want to eliminate. All this suppressing and holding her down, keeping her caged, perpetuating this fraud, this sham… It won’t go away. No matter how much I wish, or pray, she’s always with me. She is me. I am her. I want to be Luna.” It is obvious that Liam’s only shot at happiness is to make a permanent transformation into Luna. Students can relate to this feeling of being a stranger in their own body. Students can also relate to Regan’s identity issues and her teenage crush on Chris. Discussion Questions
How does your gender role or sexual identity affect your place in society?
Do you judge people based on your experiences with them or based on stereotypes?
What is Liam's true identity? Why does he want to transition?Why is Liam excited when he finds Teri Lynn (a transgender who made the transition)?
How did hiding his true identity hurt Liam?
Why does Regan become nervous when she is around Chris?
Why does Regan think Chris is out of her league?
Tolerance for Differences in Others Luna is also beneficial to use in the classroom, because it shows students a true encounter of transsexuality. In the twenty first century, being gay/transgender isn’t obscure as it used to be; yet YA novels about transsexuals are quite uncommon. In the novel, Luna is scared to be his true self (a woman) at first because of the rejection he might face from his friends and family. Students reading this will realize Liam’s internal and external struggles with himself. Regan is an important character, as she is the only one who knows his secret and she supports him and loves him nonetheless. As the novel progresses, Luna tries to break free of the cocoon that confines her true self. I think it is important to start introducing more books like Luna into the classroom, that challenge societal norms, because what really is “normal” and who decides what “normal” should be? The novel could be used to teach our children to embrace the differences in others instead of dismissing them. Discussion Questions
Have you ever had a friend that was different from you in relation to religion, ethnicity, or sexual orientation?
Being transgender is different from being gay, lesbian, or bisexual. Can you explain how?
Like Luna, many LGBTQ people have tried to hurt or kill themselves. Why do you think this is?
How can we create accepting environments for LGBTQ people, so they don't have to fear being themselves in public?
Do Liam’s parents just not realize the signs that he wants to be a girl or are they purposely ignoring them? Why?
What happens when Luna exposes herself in school and the mall?
How do bullies like Hoyt affect people like Luna?Mr. and Mrs. O'Neill become angry when Luna reveals herself. Are they wrong?Why do they make Luna change in the airport?
How would you feel if you were not allowed to board a plane just because you were wearing clothes you liked?
At the end Luna leaves behind her family and friends. Is she selfish for this?
Are LGBTQ individuals accepted in your community?
What would happen if Luna went to your high school?
How can you further educate yourself about LGBTQ issues to improve your attitude about LGBTQ people?
Gender Roles and Expectations
In my education classes I’ve learned a great deal about how the media, film, literature, and advertisements, portray specific gender roles in society. For example, masculinity is defined as rough, big, and tough in film and advertisements. In Fantasy literature women are often portrayed as damsels in distress who need a man’s help to survive. It is important for us as educators to have students realize these gender stereotypes are mere constructions, not reality. The YA novel Luna, is one way in which teachers can help students realize this. With Luna’s character, students will realize that not all boys are “masculine” by today’s definitions. Mr. O’Neill expects Liam to join the baseball team and play sports. Regan’s mom asks her to make dinner, but she has to babysit. When Liam offers to help, his dad explains that cooking is “not his job.” Regan asks her dad, “What do you want me to do, quit my job so I can stay home and cook your dinner? Clean your house? Wash your clothes?” Regan is frustrated with the sexist gender roles that her parents fulfill and she realizes early on that she does not want to be like that. Regan recognizes various other instances in the novel that she deems sexist. Bruchac, the chemistry teacher sarcastically apologizes to the girls for having to wear the safety goggles, saying “sorry girls… chemistry is not a beauty contest.” Also, Cody and Mirelle, the kids Regan babysat for play with “boy” and “girl” toys. Cody plays with a T-Rex and Gi Joe action figures, while Mirelle plays with Bride Barbie. As a class we would discuss where gender expectations come from? (In doing this we could critically analyze advertisements geared towards men or women… men have a strict definition of masculinity, while women are dainty, helpless, etc…). As a homework assignment, students can write if they ever felt like they were expected to act a certain way or do something to fulfill a specific gender role. They would write about how they felt in that situation and how it affected them. It is important to talk about gender expectations in class because students deal with it every day in real life.
Discussion Questions
What are some examples of gender roles in our society?
What are some examples of gender roles in the book?
Where do gender roles come from?
How do you feel about gender expectations?
What gender expectations do you feel affected by?
Why does Mr. O'Neill believe that it is Regan's job to cook?
What happens when Liam says that he will cook instead?
Why does Liam's father pressure him to play sports and try out for baseball?
Is Mr. Bruchac sexist?
Imagine yourself as the opposite gender. What would be the biggest challenge?
What happens when people dress or act differently than their gender roles specify?
Identity
In Luna there is also the theme of self-identification. Adolescents who are struggling with their sexual or gender identities can relate to Liam’s struggles and realize that they are not alone in theirs. Liam explains, “I’m strangling her. She’s not the one I want to eliminate. All this suppressing and holding her down, keeping her caged, perpetuating this fraud, this sham… It won’t go away. No matter how much I wish, or pray, she’s always with me. She is me. I am her. I want to be Luna.” It is obvious that Liam’s only shot at happiness is to make a permanent transformation into Luna. Students can relate to this feeling of being a stranger in their own body. Students can also relate to Regan’s identity issues and her teenage crush on Chris.
Discussion Questions
How does your gender role or sexual identity affect your place in society?
Do you judge people based on your experiences with them or based on stereotypes?
What is Liam's true identity? Why does he want to transition?Why is Liam excited when he finds Teri Lynn (a transgender who made the transition)?
How did hiding his true identity hurt Liam?
Why does Regan become nervous when she is around Chris?
Why does Regan think Chris is out of her league?
Tolerance for Differences in Others
Luna is also beneficial to use in the classroom, because it shows students a true encounter of transsexuality. In the twenty first century, being gay/transgender isn’t obscure as it used to be; yet YA novels about transsexuals are quite uncommon. In the novel, Luna is scared to be his true self (a woman) at first because of the rejection he might face from his friends and family. Students reading this will realize Liam’s internal and external struggles with himself. Regan is an important character, as she is the only one who knows his secret and she supports him and loves him nonetheless. As the novel progresses, Luna tries to break free of the cocoon that confines her true self. I think it is important to start introducing more books like Luna into the classroom, that challenge societal norms, because what really is “normal” and who decides what “normal” should be? The novel could be used to teach our children to embrace the differences in others instead of dismissing them.
Discussion Questions
Have you ever had a friend that was different from you in relation to religion, ethnicity, or sexual orientation?
Being transgender is different from being gay, lesbian, or bisexual. Can you explain how?
Like Luna, many LGBTQ people have tried to hurt or kill themselves. Why do you think this is?
How can we create accepting environments for LGBTQ people, so they don't have to fear being themselves in public?
Do Liam’s parents just not realize the signs that he wants to be a girl or are they purposely ignoring them? Why?
What happens when Luna exposes herself in school and the mall?
How do bullies like Hoyt affect people like Luna?Mr. and Mrs. O'Neill become angry when Luna reveals herself. Are they wrong?Why do they make Luna change in the airport?
How would you feel if you were not allowed to board a plane just because you were wearing clothes you liked?
At the end Luna leaves behind her family and friends. Is she selfish for this?
Are LGBTQ individuals accepted in your community?
What would happen if Luna went to your high school?
How can you further educate yourself about LGBTQ issues to improve your attitude about LGBTQ people?
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