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.
What do you call the short ones that have the tent like deals that pop up? And there are a bunch of regular trailer types and some motor home like what you see at the races.
We're still here. Busy afternoon yesterday. Almost forgot I was the one taking Jr. to get his cast off.
We started the second DVD last night. Jr. watched it all, but my wife got home around 10:30ish and we spent a good while talking. Her dad is still hanging on. It's awful to say this, but we're kind of at the "we don't want to lose you" vs. "what are you still doing here" point. I can't imagine it going another day, but we've been saying that since the weekend. Thanks for the continued prayers.
So, I still haven't really seen the second disk all the way through...I will, I will.
Busy here at work today. I shouldn't even be here now, but wanted to check in.
Look, I have a Theme Song on the religion threads!
Cool... 
okay... now I really gotta go... be seein yuh...
Oh, sorry. :)
I don't hang out around the trailer park set much. Anyway, those sort of homes are more commonly referred to as "mobile homes"...at least nowadays. I wouldn't want to stay in one myself. A hurricane or tornado would scatter you across a 4 county area.
Actually Woody found it for me. I just told doc that we knew they were losing when they (he) brought out the "Ward is a liar," argument...
I like that dancin Spidey, g'nad!! So how much of the DVD have you watched, so far?
Uh, have you seen the new 'Midgewater Marsh' scene?
Overtaxed - Sorry I'm late with breakfast, but Sam Cree was right. I was at Farmer Maggot's this morning and he was driving an extra hard bargain on the mushrooms! The old skinflint - he knows I'll spend whatever it takes and thinks he can take advantage. Not so! I threatened to start spreading rumors about nasty toadstools being mixed in with his mushrooms and he relented quick enough. LOL!
Breakfast is biscuits with sausage gravy, fried eggs and grits, bacon and sausage patties. Lots of waffles for the Hole dwellers as well! Have plenty of mushrooms too, of course! Lots of coffee and juice available too! ENJOY!
carton253 - Great review! The points you made were right on the money. I find that the characters have much more depth and thus, the scenes we are used to seeing seem different with that added emotional twist.
Bear_in_RoseBear - Thanks for the link! I'll check it out later.
All - I was so disgusted with the National Geographic DVD that came with the set. They had the audacity to compare some treehugger with Frodo!!! As a matter of fact, they compared LoTR to everything EXCEPT Christianity. Ugh! Save yourselves the frustration and don't bother watching it.
What gets me is that I started to feel like I was in an informercial for Greenpeace instead of a behind-the-movie story. I hate the in your face agenda in what should be an overview of JRRT's work.
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