03/ 20/ 2013
Since the start of 2013, I’ve felt this renewed sense of hope. This outlook’s partly inspired by the film adaptations of The Lord of the Rings. I watched the trilogy 3 times in a row while on winter vacation (click here if you’re intrigued) and entered the new year feeling supported and ready for anything. Of course this made me want to read the novels, to experience them in their original form and relish this sense of rejuvenation.
Written by J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings is a trilogy published as three separate installments. The first book, The Fellowship of the Rings, reveals the dark secret behind the ring and the evil that its existence brings to the setting, Middle-earth. We’re introduced to the central characters throughout the series who form the Fellowship, an unlikely group of males: 4 hobbits, 2 men of noble birth, 1 wizard, 1 elf and 1 dwarf. Together, they begin their arduous adventure—to destroy the ring and restore peace.
Prior to beginning my journey through Middle-earth, I didn’t understand why people found Tolkien’s work boring. After finishing The Fellowship of the Ring I can at least perceive why this stereotype exists. Tolkien writes in a very matter of fact way. Even though you can imagine what the characters feel or the tone in which they’re speaking, Tolkein doesn’t lay it out for you. He writes in a very unbiased way, like he’s strictly providing an account of what happened. So it’s understandable why people find the books dry because it’s hard to relate and difficult to delve into each character. That being said, I completely disagree with this notion. I didn’t find the novel the least bit boring. Quite the opposite; I felt empowered as a reader, as though Tolkien gave me a way to make the book my own. For me, this autonomy came by figuring out the mystery behind each of his main players.
If you haven’t read any of the books and have seen the movies, you really should read them. It’s impressive how well adapted to screen this one was, so I’m eager to see what I think of the other 2 novels.
after many years of putting it off, i have found an old copy and after each page I tear it off, slowly the book has become more manageable, less daunting
That’s a very clever strategy. It can feel a little intimidating at times. I’m in the middle of the second one right now and had to step away for a bit. So this week, I’m reading a book that can best be described as brain candy. Thanks for checking out my post!