Join me in a re-read of the Lord of the Rings?

[ArathornJax]

Well, I need to escape back to Middle Earth and so last night I read chapter 1 of the Fellowship. I am not looking for an in depth analysis, I have done enough of that kind of stuff over the last 4 years. I am just wondering if anyone wants to join me in the re-read and just share by a series of chapters what they really enjoyed about reading the books again. Anyone up for that?

[Inanna]

I am!

[Alatar]

Yep

[ArathornJax]

Cool, no other board would I want to share this with. Should we have a schedule? I am thinking a couple of chapters a week or so. Thoughts?

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Yay!

[Inanna]

Yes, great!

[Frelga]

I might join you.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

I will be happy to participate, but not to lead.

Sent from my VS988 using Tapatalk

[elengil]

Just to clarify, you mean just read on our own and then maybe chat about it later, or read it together on a zoom call or something?

[Alatar]

Well it will be the former for me anyway.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Much as I enjoyed the reading that we did, I think it might be difficult to coordinate.

[ArathornJax]

I would love to read it together on a Zoom, but I think that would be hard. I could do a Thursday night or a Saturday night. I live near Salt Lake in the Mountain Time zone and have access to setting up a Zoom so I would do it at 6 pm MDT each Saturday if others want.

I think we read say chapter 1 and discuss. For example, one of the things I really noticed in reading chapter 1 for the first time that I remember I say how there were three meals for Bilbo's and Frodo's BDay party; lunch, tea and dinner (or super). at lunch and tea all the guests were sitting down formally and the rest of the time people ate and drank. Not sure why I picked up on that. I also loved the description of the fireworks, from the green trees with trunks of dark smoke and their leaves opening and unfolding . . . fountains of butterflies that I connected to the time Bilbo climbed the tree and saw all the butterflies in The Hobbit. Also, earlier how Bilbo was rather free with his money and though some thought him queer or different, he actually was kind and considerate for the most part. Last, and I have seen this before in reading, but I l really enjoy how Frodo, after Bilbo vanishes realizes that he loved the old hobbit dearly. I think that is often the fact. We don't realize until someone we love dies, moves away or is no longer in our daily life how much we value, treasure and love them.

I also like how Bilbo realizes that Frodo is content with where he is at, with the Shire and all that goes with it. Bilbo is ready for more, Frodo is not and Bilbo grants that to Frodo. I have learned as the parent of now a 27 year old (my first grand-daughter/child turned 1 a month ago and I LOVE being a grandpa) and a 26 year old how important it is for me to realize where they are at and to accept them where they are at. For me I also loved how Bilbo gives up the ring voluntarily, though with a struggle. Not sure why, but I can relate to Bilbo at least in the sense of letting go of things I think or have thought really matter and just focusing on things that really do.

Frodo's interaction with the Sacville Baggins made me laugh. Lobelia just can't get enough of the items out of Bag End! I love how she hides things in her umbrella. Finally I enjoyed the commentary that as Gandalf walked away from Bag End, Frodo thought he was "unusually bent, almost as if the was carrying a great weight." Little did Frodo know what that implied or the other foreshadowing that is hinted at that this all would come to no good. It comes to good but at very heavy price and that is one thing I love about this story. You don't know the cost until the end. There is always a cost I believe even when you do the right thing and endure great trials and struggle. There is a cost and that cost is not known until after we endure that trial or struggle and if we make it through it. We lose something or multiple things I think, though we gain some things. Anyway, just my observations.

[Daisy]

If I may join in and post my thoughts.


Chapter One
This time round I enjoyed reading the many references to The Hobbit that is sprinkled throughout the chapter, from dragons, lakes, runes to forgotten handkerchiefs and the golden buttons on Bilbo’s waistcoat.
I am again impressed by Sam. There is just a small mention of him by his father who is unsure where all the learning Sam is getting in Bag End will lead. But I see in those few words Sam’s thirst for knowledge and a willingness to learn new skills i.e. reading to further that knowledge. Bilbo’s treasure is mentioned a lot by the folk of Hobbiton. They thought it was gold and ‘jools’. But Sam found a treasure in Bar End that was altogether different and more valuable; Books.
Then I noticed a conversation that was prophetic in its way. It is the conversation where Bilbo tells Gandalf how he hopes to finish his book and has chosen an ending. Gandalf replies.” I hope he will. But nobody will read the book however it ends.” Bilbo replies, “Oh, they may in years to come.” Well. Even Tolkien couldn’t have foreseen he would be hailed as Author of the Century because The Lord of the Rings was voted the best-loved work of fiction of the twentieth century.
Now! That’s an eye opener and no mistaking.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Very happy to have you share your thoughts, Daisy!

[ArathornJax]

Yep, just started this again after taking a few years break . . . lot's of time now, unemployed for now . . . for a while . . .

I forgot after a couple of years not reading how much I have enjoyed . . .

The preparations for the party . . .

The dialogue about Frodo's parents death . . .

Gandalf and Bilbo confrontation in Bag End over the ring

The details of what Bilbo left to who

I forgot a couple of younger hobbits starting digging up in Bag End!

I felt like I had come home again after being away for far too long . . . Tolkien reminded me how much I long for simpler life . . . 6 more years, just 6 more years . . .

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Hi AJ

[ArathornJax]

Hi Voronwë, It's Jay so feel free to use that.

Tonight Frodo taking over Bag End and his walking under the stars . . . I swim 6 days a week for an hour a day (gone from 360 to 212 now) and I am walking 3 evenings a week out on trails near where I live. Nice connection there as like Frodo, I love walking the hills and mountains around where I live.

Gandalf coming back with news of the ring and comparisons to Bilbo and Gollum. Never really realized it until tonight but Tolkien is foreshadowing what will happen to Frodo in his own quest to rid himself of the ring. I like the idea that Bilbo was able to let go of the ring and it's influence, and how Frodo, having to carry that burden back to the heart of Mt Doom where it was made, where the ring's full power exerted itself since it was so close to Sauron overcame him. I realized also that the ring really devours itself by devouring its bearers; Gollum could never get over not having his precious so in the end he gave his life to re-obtain it and the ring by dominating others actually consumed itself as Gollum falls into the fires of Mt. Doom. Oh well, getting way ahead of myself.

I also love the simplicity of The Shire. How people were people, they gossip, they engage with each other and yet their life is really a simple life. Reading tonight though gave me hope, hope that life can be simple and be enjoyable, that we don't need to have lots of things but just a few good friendships, a good home and good food. That's all for tonight.

[Alatar]

Funnily enough I started listening to the Andy Serkis audiobooks so Fellowship is pretty fresh in my mind. Just on Ch 2 of Two Towers now.

I would agree with your thoughts on the opening chapters of Fellowship. One thing that became clear to me as I read it again was how many little changes from book to movie have become ingrained. Also, how obvious it was that much of the time Tolkien was writing with no clear direction in mind, and letting his muse take him where it would. This is, I think most obvious in the first half of Fellowship. I haven't ready HoME's details on the writing process, but I would suspect those early chapters are the least revised.

[ArathornJax]

Last night I was really focusing on Gandalf's account of Gollum. I think it is interesting that Gollum was considered by Gandalf to be the most inquisitive and curious of his people. That he was most interested in roots and groundings. That Gollum or Sméagol was ever looking downward and ceased looking upward. It sounds to me a symbol of Gollum turning inward and becoming self focused and not looking outward towards others or to the wider world. He hints that this made Sméagol strong, stronger the Déagol and thus why he could over power him for the ring.

Also you can see that once Sméagol figured out the ring made him invisible he used it for cruel ends. Gandalf tells Frodo that Sméagol's transformation into Gollum is a sad tale. I love how Gandalf says that Gollum wasn't totally ruined. That there was a little part of his mind that was still his own. We see that with the riddle game with Bilbo and this foreshadows the conflict Sméagol/Gollum has during his journey with Frodo and Sam. Gandalf points out that this only makes the evil part of him angrier unless it could be cured and that there is little hope for that, yet not no hope.

This I love about Gandalf. He is always optimistic. Also, that Gollum showed far greater resistance to the evil of the ring than many others could. Again foreshadowing why Gandalf believes Frodo and the other hobbits need to be on the Fellowship and why Frodo needs to be the ringbearer.

It is also the difference between Bilbo and Gollum. Bilbo is the only one who voluntary gave up the ring, something Gollum could not do and is thus consumed by it.

I would love to hear Aragon's account for his hunt for Gollum but guess I will soon enough.

Bottom line, Bilbo had pity and so does Gandalf. Frodo like so many of us has to learn pity by experience. He will one day feel that pity when he sees Gollum. I think that is one reason Gandalf loves Hobbits. Because of their resiliency and their ability to have pity, to have compassion and to value that which is truly important in life, friends and others. I really enjoyed this last night and reflecting here.

[Frelga]

Tolkien's characters often hope for redemption or at least some glimpse of good in characters who did something evil. But I can't think of any character who actually got a redemption and lived. Redemption usually comes in an act that leads to their death.