Posted on 03/14/2002 5:07:26 AM PST by HairOfTheDog
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
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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.
Seems that for the 8th graders Halloween is "Legend's Day." He's supposed to be his favorite historical (dead at least 10 years) or literary character. After deciding against Mickey Mantle (not dead ten years? and dad wouldn't buy the vintage uniform), he decided on Frodo. I'm so proud, but it ain't easy to pull off.
I think we can piece together the basic clothing. He has to wear shoes and can't carry even a fake weapon, so we won't deal with that. I'm thinking we need the cloak and the ring on a chain. I can handle the ring, but finding a cloak is tough. I found one green sparkly one tonight, but it had a spider-web pattern. That's the only green one I've found. He may have to be Frodo BEFORE Rivendell...
Any ideas folks?
IN OTHER APALLING NEWS: He had to turn the form in to his English teacher (our permission to dress up) and tell her who he would be and what he would be wearing. His "ENGLISH" teacher DID NOT KNOW WHO FRODO WAS!!!! (I pinged the homeschool crowd so you could say "I told you so")
I pinged Sam because she's a UVA graduate... ;-)
You could get a gray material for the cloak and say it's the "book version"...
Sheesh. So she's not just a stupid person who doesn't read, but she pays no attention to popular movies...
This, in my eyes, is inexcusable to the point of blasphemy. I bet she knew all about Harry Potter though! rrrrgggggg!
After 70 years, Tolkein's still gettin' totally dissed.
We may be going with gray anyway. But if it's not something pre-made, it ain't happening...
We're heading out to look again in a few minutes.
Consider it prayed.
You're going to be here after Christmas, right? I'll be looking for a job at the beginning of next year, myself.
Rosie, as I always say to those who are worried about being selfish by asking for prayers for themselves; "you don't ask, you don't get!"
I'll add you to our Parish Prayer line.
My daughter make a cloak at a Live Action Role Playing Props workshop a couple of years ago. I found some sort of thin faux suede that was a grey-green. It was great because it would 'change color' as it moved in the light. You'd even have time to make it because the cloaks don't take long at all, even if you put a hood on it. I've made one in an afternoon for one of my older sons.
Anyway, with a long green sash and some type of weapon it would be a great costume. If I dressed up, ever, that's what I'd wear.
Well, as you can see by my answers to the posts from this afternoon, I am just reading through because I was out and about most of the afternoon. So it may just be us chicks!
They boys used to give me grief because my craftroom in the basement is chock FULL of all kinds of strange stuff, but when they needed something and asked for it, I almost ALWAYS had it. After about the 3rd time this happened, I told them they couldn't complain about all my junk anymore because THEY were the ones who used it!
If you had any more time, you could lightly spray paint the black with some forest green and create a mottled pattern. Kind of like CAMO!!
Nah, black should be fine, and the idea of the ivy to make a pin is awesome!
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