I have to admit I haven't exactly been keeping up with you guys; I've been going so much slower, re-reading chapters and checking things up in the appendices and other books. I've also just been appreciating Tolkiens amazing talent for writing, and for saying things that need to be said, or putting concepts that we're all used too, but never admit too, down in words.
So I though it might be nice to have a thread to make note of and discuss all the really tiny details that, when you take the time to notice them, or the even the larger concepts, make you sit back and go "Wow. That guy's brilliant."

I'll start with something I found in the prologue, and loved. While he hasn't written an entire language for the hobbits, Tolkien does add is words here and there. The one I love most in mathom.



Isn't that so cool? He's picked up on a very human habbit there. We really should have word like that! He doesn't refer to Hobbit words for anything but things that our language desperately needs a word for, but doesn't have. It's awesome. Mathom.

I like how in the beginning of FotR somewhere (I'm too lazy to go see where) Frodo, Sam and Pippin eat and then Sam goes to 'say goodbye to the beer barrel'. It just shows how comfortable Sam is in his surroundings and it makes you admire his so much later for stepping so far out of his comfort zone.

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I think it is really moving when Merry reveals the whole conspiracy and tells Frodo that they will all come with him on his journey. Frodo has been feeling so uncomfortable and miserable up until the moment where he thinks he must break the shocking news to his friends and then Merry relieves him:

And later:
~Both from A Conspiracy Unmasked, FotR

Isn't this just real friendship!

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>>Be the change you wish to see in the world<<



Banner credit: Shadowcat & Nurrantiel Mashiara

Oh yes, and after the council, when they are ready to go become members of the fellowship, Elrond says how they don't know what they are getting into. 'Neither does Frodo', Gandalf says, but he helps them come along because such friendship and loyalty is better than swords. That's one thing I just love about Tolkien. He cares less for the warrior and battle than the true courage and love of friendship.

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going on a journey through my old claims