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The New Hobbit Hole

Posted on 03/14/2002 5:07:26 AM PST by HairOfTheDog

Welcome to The New Hobbit Hole

Concerning Hobbits

The New Hobbit Chronicles

This is a continuation of the infamous thread New Zealander Builds Hobbit Hole originally posted on January 26, 2001 by John Farson, who at the time undoubtedly thought he had found a rather obscure article that would elicit a few replies and die out. Without knowing it, he became the founder of the Hobbit Hole. For reasons incomprehensible to some, the thread grew to over 4100 replies. It became the place for hobbits and friends of hobbits to chit chat and share LoTR news and views, hang out, and talk amongst ourselves in the comfort of familiar surroundings.

In keeping with the new posting guidelines, the thread idea is continuing here, as will the Green Dragon Inn, our more structured spin-off thread, as soon as we figure out how to move all the good discussion that has been had there. As for the Hobbit Hole, we will just start fresh, bringing only a few mathoms such as the picture above with us to make it feel like home, and perhaps a walk down memory lane:

Our discussion has been light:

It very well may be that a thread named "New Zealander builds Hobbit hole" will end up being the longest Tolkien thread of them all, with some of the best heartfelt content... Sorry John, but I would have rather it had been one with a more distinguished title!… post 252 - HairOfTheDog

However, I can still celebrate, with quiet dignity, the fact that what started as a laugh about some wacko in New Zealand has mutated and grown into a multifaceted discussion of the art, literature, and philosophy that is Tolkien. And now that I've managed to write the most pompous sentence of my entire life, I agree, Rosie… post 506 - JenB

Hah! I was number 1000!! (Elvish victory dance... wait, no; that would be too flitty) … post 1001 - BibChr

Real men don't have to be afraid of being flitty! Go for it. – post 1011 – HairOfTheDog

Seventeen years to research one mystical object seems a bit excessive… post 1007 - JenB

Okay...who's the wise guy who didn't renew Gandalf's research grant?… post 1024 – Overtaxed

To the very philosophical:

…Judas Iscariot obviously was a good man, or he wouldn't have been chosen to be one of the Apostles. He loved Jesus, like all of the Apostles, but he betrayed him. Yet without his betrayal, the Passion and Crucifixion would never have occurred, and mankind would not have been redeemed. So without his self-destruction infinite good would not have been accomplished. I certainly do not mean this to be irreverant but it seems to me that this describes the character of Gollum, in the scenes so movingly portrayed above… Lucius Cornelius Sulla

To fun but heartfelt debates about the integrity and worth of some of the characters…

…Anyone else notice how Boromir treats the hobbits? He's very fond of them but he seems to think of them as children - ruffling Frodo's hair, calls them all 'little ones'. He likes them, but I don't think he really respects them… post 1536 - JenB

Yes... Tolkien told us not to trust Boromir right off the bat when he began to laugh at Bilbo, until he realized that the Council obviously held this hobbit in high esteem. What a pompous dolt… post 1538 - HairOfTheDog

…I think almost every fault of his can be traced directly back to his blindness to anything spiritual or unseen. He considers the halflings as children, because that is what they look like. He considers the only hope of the ring to be in taking it and using it for a victory in the physical realm. He cannot see what the hobbits are truly made of, he cannot see the unseen hope of what the destruction of the ring might mean--the destruction of Sauron himself, and he cannot see the unseen danger that lies in the use of the ring itself… I just feel sorry for Boromir--he is like a blind but honorable man, trying to take the right path on the road but missing the right path entirely because he simply cannot see it… post 1548 - Penny1

Boromir isn't a jerk, he's a jock… post 2401 – Overtaxed

-----------------------------------------

Oh, I think by the time Frodo reaches the Cracks, he's not even himself anymore! I think he's not only on the brink of a dangerous place physically, he's on the brink of losing himself completely during the exchange with Gollum. But for some reason, the take-over isn't complete till he actually has to throw the Ring in. The person speaking to Gollum is not Frodo, but the "Wheel of Fire" that Sam sees. After the Ring is destroyed, Frodo not only comes back to himself, but comes back with the unbearable (to him) knowledge of what it's like to be completely without compassion. I think that's why it's so important to him to be compassionate in the Shire… post 2506 - 2Jedismom

…Regarding Frodo's compassion... it's a little too much at the end. Even Merry tells him that he's going to have to quit being so darn nice. But you're right. He's learned a lesson about evil that very few ever learn since it wasn't an external lesson but an internal one. (Those kinds of lessons have the greatest impact) Not only did he totally succumb to it, but he was rather ruthless to my little Smeagol… post 2516 - carton253

Well that Frodo was a big mean bully! (to Smeagol)… post 2519 – Overtaxed

So as you can see, everything JRR Tolkien (and Peter Jackson) is welcome here in our New Row, our soon-to-be familiar New Hobbit Hole…; philosophy, opinion, good talk and frequent silliness.


TOPICS: Books/Literature; Chit/Chat; Poetry; TV/Movies; The Hobbit Hole
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To: Overtaxed
Lewis's fiction wasn't as good as Tolkien's, but he was one of the greatest apologists of all time. So I'll have to defend him when he wasn't writing allegory. Then again, Narnia is a great series, for kids or even adults, since I reread it every few years and find yet another application. Bash him for not liking hobbits, if you like, but remember that's because he loved the Elves... oh wait, you wouldn't care, would you? I suppose you'd be praising him if he'd said that "this Elf stuff is so boring", huh?
1,121 posted on 03/27/2002 4:22:50 AM PST by JenB
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To: JenB
Bash him for not liking hobbits, if you like, but remember that's because he loved the Elves

I thought he didn't like Elves either. Wonder if Merry and Pippin drank all his pints and put a firecracker up his shorts. :)

1,122 posted on 03/27/2002 4:25:36 AM PST by Overtaxed
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To: Overtaxed
I think he liked the Elves. That's why he doesn't have any in Narnia. Ever notice how the Narnia dwarves have a lot in common with Tolkien's dwarves? Especially... what's his name, the DLF. Trumpkin. Not a Tolkien-dwarf name, but definitely related to Thorin Oakenshield
1,123 posted on 03/27/2002 4:34:40 AM PST by JenB
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To: JenB
Who was the guy who said something like "not another bloody Elf"?
1,124 posted on 03/27/2002 4:36:12 AM PST by Overtaxed
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To: Overtaxed
Where? In a story? Or real life... it sounds familiar but I can't place it. I hope he died miserably when he was attacked by orcs and there were no Elves to save him.
1,125 posted on 03/27/2002 4:41:42 AM PST by JenB
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To: JenB
Real life I believe...I thought it was Lewis.
1,126 posted on 03/27/2002 4:43:04 AM PST by Overtaxed
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To: Overtaxed
Humph. He shouldn't dislike Elves, since their mythological roots are in the Northern myths that he and Tolkien both loved. Oh well, what can you say about Lewis? One of his most memorable characters was a talking mouse. Compared to that, Hobbits look downright profound!
1,127 posted on 03/27/2002 4:47:13 AM PST by JenB
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To: JenB
Yeah really. Although I like Reepicheep, I was thinking about bashing the whole talking animal thing. :)
1,128 posted on 03/27/2002 4:50:23 AM PST by Overtaxed
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To: Overtaxed
At least Tolkien only let Eagles, dragons, and spiders talk. Since the spiders are descendants of Ungoliant, the Eagles are a special case, and everyone knows dragons are something else entirely, it's ok. Oh, and there were those ravens but again, a special case. Sheep don't go around talking to Hobbits. Nor does Bill the pony speak. I think we're all quite glad of that!
1,129 posted on 03/27/2002 4:58:03 AM PST by JenB
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To: JenB
Nor does Bill the pony speak

According to Sam he would if he spent much more time around Elves. Maybe that's what happened to Francis the Talking Mule and Mister Ed. (Willlburrr!)

1,130 posted on 03/27/2002 5:06:46 AM PST by Overtaxed
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To: Overtaxed
No. You can't blame them on the Elves, much as you'd like to. You just can't!
1,131 posted on 03/27/2002 5:14:50 AM PST by JenB
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To: JenB
Hehehe. But I like Francis and Mr. Ed.
1,132 posted on 03/27/2002 5:17:06 AM PST by Overtaxed
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To: Overtaxed;JenB
Good Morning.... bickering already this morning I see?
1,133 posted on 03/27/2002 5:35:20 AM PST by HairOfTheDog
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To: HairOfTheDog
Yes...in a nice hobbity manner. Do you actually have to work today or can you stay and play? :)
1,134 posted on 03/27/2002 5:43:10 AM PST by Overtaxed
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To: Overtaxed
I am working at home today, but the phone company is coming to install two new lines for fax and modem. (I can't use my cable to dial into some client's machines) For the most part I will be able to play, but first I thought I would clean up behind the desk where the dust bunnies live, and give the guy some room to work.
1,135 posted on 03/27/2002 5:46:22 AM PST by HairOfTheDog
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To: HairOfTheDog
Cool!

After going through all the Frodo references in the index, I'm not having much luck on answering Sam Cree's question. However, I did find out that Faramir's appearance in Ithilien was a surprise to Tolkien!

1,136 posted on 03/27/2002 5:53:10 AM PST by Overtaxed
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To: Overtaxed
Faramir's appearance in Ithilien was a surprise to Tolkien

Man, I hate it when that happens! ;~D

1,137 posted on 03/27/2002 6:01:02 AM PST by HairOfTheDog
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To: HairOfTheDog
He also had no clue who Strider was or what he was doing in Bree.
1,138 posted on 03/27/2002 6:04:36 AM PST by Overtaxed
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To: Overtaxed
Wow - writing novels is scarier than I thought. I always assumed an author had control over the content - or at least the characters!
1,139 posted on 03/27/2002 6:06:00 AM PST by HairOfTheDog
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To: HairOfTheDog
Maybe I should just get some hobbit-sense and read all the Letters from start to finish.
1,140 posted on 03/27/2002 6:06:35 AM PST by Overtaxed
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