The point is that two days ago was September 22nd, which happens to be the birthday of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins, which happens to be the start of the sixth annual Tolkien blog party, hosted by the lovely Hamlette at The Edge of the Precipice! This blog party includes a very fun tag, which I confess I thought I was too busy to do this year, but as I have been struck by a sudden cold and have no inclination to get up off the couch, it seemed like the perfect opportunity! :D I would definitely recommend participating...it's immense fun! So, without further ado, I shall stop wasting time and actually answer the questions!
1. What's your favorite Middle-earth story/book?
I think The Fellowship of the Ring. For some reason that one has always been my favorite, where there's still lots of lighthearted "hobbit talk" and the whole fellowship is together, as opposed to the other two books, where they are separated into a couple groups. Of course, The Hobbit is amazing too, because it just is and always will be--there's more chatty humor and witty banter, I think, in The Hobbit, which is always fun.
2. Do you have a favorite subplot?
I'm not sure if this technically counts as a subplot, but I love the whole section in the books where Frodo plans his move away from Hobbiton to Buckland. That whole part, basically from Frodo's departure at Bag End to the Fog on the Barrow-Downs, is really fun! It fleshes out the story and what exactly is going on, and I like how planned and precise all of the hobbits' events were...Frodo was moving to Buckland to avoid suspicion of "disappearing," and that whole section when the four hobbit join forces and continue together was great. Sadly, we missed that entire bit, along with Farmer Maggot, the old forest, and Tom Bombadil in the movies...
3. What's your favorite theme in Tolkien's books? (Can be in one specific story, or overall.)
I like how everyone is essential, in really all of his writings, especially the Middle-Earth ones. Every single character has a purpose and nobody is left out. Some serve more obvious purposes than others, but everyone contributes to the story and has some special way that they function as a person. Nobody is "extra" or put in just for comic relief.
4. Do you have a favorite weapon from Middle-earth?
Sting all the way!
5. Would you like to be a hobbit?
Absolutely! I could eat like seven meals a day, be surrounded by my family and friends, and never have to bother putting shoes on to go outside!
6. Do you have a favorite romance/couple?
Hmm...although Tolkien never wrote about it in detail (or if he did, I don't know it...maybe he did, but I haven't heard so), I have always liked Elrond and the story of how his wife was almost killed by orcs (or some other foul beasts) and he wasn't able to heal her, so he sent her "into the west" for protection. I think that their story could be really nice if we got to see the whole thing. On a more down-to-earth level, though, Sam and Rosie are just so adorable! They're so happy together...and that makes me happy.
7. What's your favorite Middle-earth creature? (Can be "real" or "imaginary.")
Hmm...I like horses a lot, but not just the regular old horses, the Shadowfax kind...oh, and Ents. I like the Ents, even though they are reeeeeeeaallllllyyyyyy sloooooowww sometimes.
8. What character do you look the most like?
Well. Hmmm...I guess, since I'm a girl and I have dark hair, I would have to say Arwen. However, you will most often find me making faces like Bilbo...
9. Are there any books about Middle-earth or Professor Tolkien (but not written by him) you recommend?
Someone might have already said this one, but the Tolkien Dictionary by David Day is super helpful. It even tells us the names of the two blue wizards!
10. List up to ten of your favorite lines/quotations from the Middle-earth books and/or movies.
"Never laugh at live dragons, Bilbo you fool!"
-The Hobbit, Inside Information
"It was at that point that Bilbo stopped.
Going on from there was the bravest thing he ever did.
The tremendous things that happened afterward were as nothing compared to it.
He fought the real battle in the tunnel alone,
before he ever saw the vast danger that lay in wait."
-The Hobbit, Inside Information
Well, I guess that's about it! That was fun! Thank you, Hamlette, for hosting, and Happy Tolkien Week! :)
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| I have no idea where this came from, but it's fitting... |
Ooh, ooh! That quote from The Hobbit about the bravest thing Bilbo ever did. I was thinking of including that in my answers, too--it's such a good one! Bilbo is awesome. <3
ReplyDeleteAwwwwww, that "Look at me, look at me, look at me" picture. *sniffles* I'd forgotten that part. <3
HAHAHA, that gif at the end! *instantly steals it* That is beautiful and golden.
Nice answers! :D
It is a good one! It was soooo hard for me to choose specific quotes, I mean, is there a line from Tolkien that ISN'T quote-worthy?
DeleteI know!!! That and the "my brother, my captain, my king" lines are the only parts of the movies that I'm GLAD Peter Jackson added...both are such bittersweet moments.
:D Haha, I'm glad you liked it! *nods* I see you have excellent taste in gifs.
Thanks, Olivia! :)
Even thought I (almost) always love movie adaptions to bits, they do change some things that are (to me) very important to the story. Well, not necessarily very important, but you know, like you said, the parts you enjoyed in the books and then they don't bother to put it in the movies. And sometimes they change a LOT. That's just annoying.
ReplyDeleteOh, Sting! I forgot about Sting for a moment there when I was answering the questions.
I guess that Elves(my answer) don't count really as ''creatures'' but more as ''races'' like Olivia said, but well, what's done is done.
Ha, the expressions of Bilbo! They're really funny :D
That gif on the end XD
Is that Orlando Bloom, who plays Legolas? He looks different in the gif(or maybe that's just because he's being silly ;))
Oh wait, that's Elrond, isn't it?
Yes, I love the movies so much, but there ARE parts of the book that I wish would have been put in the movie too...maybe they aren't completely necessary to the story, but they certainly would add a lot, I think.
DeleteYes, Sting has always been my favorite weapon! Probably because it's a small, Hobbit-sized weapon and both Bilbo and Frodo use it. :)
I don't know, I guess it depends on how you think of "creatures." The elves are beings that live in Middle-Earth, just like the Ents and all the other races, but they are a lot more humanish, which maybe makes them seem more like "people" and less like "creatures." Anyway, it's no great matter! :)
Haha, yes! :P That is Orlando Bloom! I think he just looks different because he is grinning in such a silly way! :)
That last gif...XD XD XD
ReplyDeleteOH MY WORD I FORGOT THAT QUOTE FROM THE HOBBIT with Bard and Bain. That is such a sweet part! (Plus he kills the dragon and all so it's a cool part too. XD)
OOH I MUST LOOK FOR THAT TOLKIEN DICTIONARY. That sounds super helpful! :-D
And also, Bilbo's facial expressions. XD
Great answers Anna! I had fun reading this. :-) Happy Tolkien Day\Week to you! :-D
Hahaha! :D I'm glad that you like it too! :P
DeleteI KNOW!!! I absolutely LOVED that scene (even though it wasn't in the book, *cough*). It was really well done.
Yes! It is supremely helpful, and, though not something I would sit down and read through "for fun," it's a great resource if you don't feel like paging through the Silmarillion to find something.
I know! :) Bilbo is amazing...
Thank you, Mem! :) I had fun writing it too! Happy Tolkien Week! :D
I don't want to say I'm happy you came down with a cold, but I AM happy you had time to participate in the party and do the tag :-)
ReplyDeleteI love what you say about how no characters are there just for comic relief or to fill in the gabs -- they're always important somehow.
Shadowfax and the other mearas are so great.
David Day's books are pretty nifty! I have 4 of them myself.
Ohhhhhhhhh, you include a Bard line! And photo. I have a deep and abiding love of Bard.
Pretty sure that Legolas gif is actually Stephen Colbert, not Orli. Here are some more...
Right, exactly! :) While it was somewhat unpleasant, it did give me some down time that I wouldn't have had otherwise!
DeleteThat's one thing that I have always loved about Tolkien's books. Every character is essential in their own ways; they are all very different but very essential...which is probably why it's so hard for me to pick a favorite character!
They are! Horses are just beautiful creatures, I think...
Yes, my family owns the dictionary and the atlas by David Day! Both are extremely helpful!
I was torn over whether to include the Bard line (and the Boromir line) or not, because they aren't from the books and, well, I am a 'book is better than the movie' kind of person, but I just love those lines so much...and Bard was very well done in the movies, even if there were some things that were changed about his story. He was still wonderful.
Oh my goodness...I am remotely disturbed by the fact that I thought it was Orlando for so long...:D They certainly got the costume right! Oh wow, that is so weirdly funny!!!
Thanks so much, Hamlette! :)