The Hobbit Hole VI - And Whither Then? I Cannot Say...

[JenB]

Wednesday afternoon. So I'm here all weekend, at least.

[RosieCotton]

But to pick up about Denethor, I think they did him a disservice in the movies, though the extended edition may fix some things. In the book, he was the wreck of a great man, worn down by his failure against Sauron and his corruption through the Palantir. In the movie...he was just a thoroughly unpleasant fella, without any really obvious reasons why.

[Fedora]

> I think I actually like the movie Boromir a little better in some ways. He was even ruder and more impatient in the book at times!

Yeah, the Jackson version made him better than the book. When I first saw the previous cartoon movie version by he-we-do-not-name (I was warned yesterday, LOL!), they made Boromir pretty unlikeable. Jackson's version brings out his bravery more. *However* I do notice in the book that Boromir helps rescue the hobbits when they're in danger of being buried by snow while crossing the pass at Caradhras, whereas Jackson makes that scene into another example of Boromir being tempted by the Ring.

[RosieCotton]

We should be able to watch a bunch more episodes of Scrapped Princess this weekend! I'm looking forward to that.

[RosieCotton]

Well, he does get his moments in the movie, though. Telling Aragorn to "Give them a moment, for pity's sake" after Gandalf falls...and he's the one who cries out "This will be the death of the halflings!" on Caradhras. But he seems to think of them as kids...doesn't really take them seriously.

[RosieCotton]

OK, it's only ten minutes early and everyone else left at least an hour ago...I'm ditchin'!

See ya from home later, maybe!

[Fedora]

> But to pick up about Denethor, I think they did him a disservice in the movies, though the extended edition may fix some things. In the book, he was the wreck of a great man, worn down by his failure against Sauron and his corruption through the Palantir. In the movie...he was just a thoroughly unpleasant fella, without any really obvious reasons why.

Agree. Here's how Tolkien introduces Denethorn:

"Then the old man looked up. Pippin saw his carven face with its proud bones and skin like ivory, and the long curved nose between the dark deep eyes; and he was reminded not so much of Boromir as of Aragorn."

Also, in the book Denethor pretty much goes toe-to-toe with Gandalf in verbal comebacks, and he's able to coax information out of Pippin despite Gandalf's attempts to stop him. One passage says:

"Denethor looked indeed much more like a great wizard than Gandalf did, more kingly, beautiful, and powerful, and older."

But then it adds:

"Yet by a sense other than sight Pippin perceived that Gandalf had greater power. . ."

[Fedora]

Have a good afternoon!

[Fedora]

Here's some fodder for Boromir-bashing. This is the cartoon Boromir. I'd have to say Jackson made an improvement in this case :)

[JenB]

See ya, if you don't just start watching anime.

Remember to do your run!

[JenB]

Oh, yes, Boromir the Mini-Skirted Viking. Now there was a musclebound moron.

I hafta agree with Rosie... Jackson did a good job of bringing out Boromir's good points. He just doesn't have many. Denethor and Faramir, on the other hand, have lots of good points which Jackson removed entirely. Wonder if he doesn't like Gondorians?

[Fedora]

> Oh, yes, Boromir the Mini-Skirted Viking.

ROFL!

> Now there was a musclebound moron.
>
>I hafta agree with Rosie... Jackson did a good job of bringing out Boromir's good points. He just doesn't have many. Denethor and Faramir, on the other hand, have lots of good points which Jackson removed entirely. Wonder if he doesn't like Gondorians?

It's blatant anti-Gondoritism, I tell ya! :) I've also wondered if this reflects Jackson being inclined to introduce flaws into Tolkien's characters to make them more in keeping with contemporary film's concept of heroes. He kinda made Frodo more flawed than he was, too, and he made Aragorn reluctant to become king.

But on the Gondorians, maybe you can refresh my memory on this before I'm forced to go look it up: are the Stewards of Gondor descended from the men of Numenor, or just the line of Kings?

[JenB]

Stewards are descendants of Numenor, yes. Actually all Gondorians are, some are just a little more mongrel than others.

[RosieCotton]

Home.

Remember to do your run!

I don't know when I'm gonna do this. I'm going to church, then have to get my haircut, then I'm told siblings wanted me to pick them up, but I can't find any of them or anyone who knows when or where they want to be picked up, and I'm so mad I could slug every one of them. They do this EVERY Friday...then call ten minutes before they want to be picked up and give me orders, like I'm just a taxi driver and couldn't POSSIBLY have a life beyond shuffling them around. They find my anger highly amusing and laugh at me every time, which doesn't help matters any. And being just a sibling, I have no way of enforcing anything.

I gotta get ready for church, unless I skip, which I'm tempted to do. Then I could work out and calm down, and it's not like a Sunday.

Did I mention I'd like to do some slappin' right now?

[Fedora]

> Did I mention I'd like to do some slappin' right now?

I think you mentioned slugging, but not slappin' :) Ah, reminds me of my brothers when we were little. . .

[RosieCotton]

What really frustrates me is that I don't live with 'em, and this is something I'm doing as a favor to them - I have to go out of my way to do stuff like this, sometimes by quite a bit. The LEAST they could do is let me know BEFORE I get off work what I'm supposed to do with regards to movin' 'em around.

I'm sooo tempted to just go straight from my haircut to the bluegrass jam I go to on Fridays, without trying to figure out where they are or if they want to go.

[Fedora]

Thanks; that's what I thought, but I wasn't sure.

Okay, here's an anti-boredom exercise. I have here two Tolkien quiz books. From one of them, here's the first 10 questions from Chapter 1, on Hobbits:

1. What was Tobold Hornblower's claim to fame?
2. Who were the Fairbairns of the Towers?
3. What colors were hobbits particularly fond of?
4. What showed that the hobbits of the Eastfarthing were of the Stoor breed?
5. Who was the first hobbit to wear the Ring?
6. What did the Hobbitish word "hlothran" mean?
7. Who were Marcho and Blanco?
8. What breed of hobbits had the most contact with Dwarves?
9. What were the hobbits called in Westron?
10. Who was the only real official in the Shire, and what were his duties?

The questions on Gondor are harder; I'll post those separately. BTW anyone who wants to play, feel free to jump in!--I know I'm going to need help with some of these (unless I cheat and look up the answers, LOL!), maybe between us we can answer all these :)

[Sam Cree]

We couldn't decide if we thought the windmills were scenic or not.

They were *spooky,* though, out there in the middle of nowhere, especially on that grey snowy day. With the limited visibility, they just suddenly loomed in front of you, 350 feet tall, with huge blades turning almost silently.

We were actually thrilled at the sight, and drove back the 20 miles next day to see 'em again. It was even colder that day, about 0 degrees. Close to 3 feet of snow on the ground in the area, some roads not plowed or accessable.

[Fedora]

> What really frustrates me is that I don't live with 'em, and this is something I'm doing as a favor to them - I have to go out of my way to do stuff like this, sometimes by quite a bit. The LEAST they could do is let me know BEFORE I get off work what I'm supposed to do with regards to movin' 'em around.

I know how that goes. Reminds me of something I was just reading Aragorn saying in "Fellowship":

"If Gondor, Boromir, has been a stalwart tower, we have played another part. . .And yet less thanks we have than you. Travellers scowl at us, and countrymen give us scornful names. 'Strider' I am to one fat man who lives within a day's march of foes that would freeze his heart, or lay his little town in ruins if he were not guarded ceaselessly. Yet we would not have it otherwise. If simple folk are free from care and fear, simple they will be. . ."

So take heart: you're in good company! :)

[JenB]

1. What was Tobold Hornblower's claim to fame?

"Old Toby" was the first hobbit to smoke pipeweed.

2. Who were the Fairbairns of the Towers?

Descendants of Sam's daughter Elanor.

3. What colors were hobbits particularly fond of?

Yellow and green.

4. What showed that the hobbits of the Eastfarthing were of the Stoor breed?

They were stockier and wore boots on occasion.

5. Who was the first hobbit to wear the Ring?

Bilbo, unless you count Gollum as a hobbit.

6. What did the Hobbitish word "hlothran" mean?

Cotton.

7. Who were Marcho and Blanco?

The brothers who led the colonization of the Shire

8. What breed of hobbits had the most contact with Dwarves?

The Stoors

9. What were the hobbits called in Westron?

Holbytla

10. Who was the only real official in the Shire, and what were his duties?

The Mayor, who presided at feasts and such.

How'd I do? I am at work and have no copy of the books...