Friday, July 29, 2016

A Glimmer of Hope (Happy Birthday, LOTR!)

We have come to the end of the very first Silmarillion Awards, my friends, and what fun it has been! We shared our enjoyment of beloved fantasy characters, creatures, and objects with other readers . . . we perked up our ears when books we have yet to read were enthusiastically discussed . . . we saw the most popular nominees and, with hearts splitting from multiple loyalties, voted for our favorites . . . we waited with bated breath as the winners were announced one by one . . . and at last, we celebrated!



This is sadly my only Middle Earth book.
I needs more, precious!
Fantasy is the genre that inspires perhaps the most loyalty in its readers. Fall in love with a fantasy world, and there's no going back.


And one of the authors who played a great part in shaping the genre--in making fantasy what it is today--was J.R.R. Tolkien. Just think of how many fantasy book covers say, "Fans of Lord of the Rings and [fill in the blank] will love [this book]." Think of how anytime someone writes about elves, they're compared to Tolkien's elves. When someone writes about dwarves, about wizards, about fantastical creatures and epic battles and death-defying quests--it's very often held up to the standard of Tolkien.


In honor of him, and of everything related to Middle Earth, a celebration is taking place across the blogosphere this weekend. That's right: we're having a Tolkien Party!



As I was trying to figure out just where to go with this post, I decided to smash all my ideas together. Because parties are fun and chaotic that way. So. On today's itinerary, we have . . .


  • Which LOTR character are you? (link to a quiz)
  • A selection of some of my favorite LOTR and The Hobbit quotes
  • A few of my favorite pieces of music from the soundtracks
  • A tribute to LOTR


Which Lord of the Rings character are you?

I admit, I can't get enough of personality quizzes, and they're especially fun when they relate to book or movie characters! Recently I took THIS ONE and wound up being Gandalf.



I don't know how accurate it is, but I can't complain about the results! (Eccentric: check. Silly: check. Warmhearted: check. Shrewd and powerful tactician? I have no clue. Bwahaha, I just might be awesome at being evil too, who knows?)

If you take the quiz, let me know which character you get! My brother, curiously, was pegged as Gimli. Both my sisters were Sam, and my mom was Merry. (According to the little blurb, she's a prankster--since when?)

I also saw this Meyers-Briggs personality chart for LOTR characters. According to this, I'm Galadriel.

Sorry it's so hard to read. This is as big as I could make it.

Book Quotes

"Do you mean to wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not; or that you feel good this morning; or that it is a morning to be good on?" ~Gandalf, The Hobbit

***

Now it is a strange thing, but things that are good to have and days that are good to spend are soon told about, and not much to listen to; while things that are uncomfortable, palpitating, and even gruesome, may make a good tale, and take a deal of telling anyway. ~The Hobbit

***
"Go back?" he thought. "No good at all! Go sideways? Impossible! Go forward? Only thing to do! On we go!" So up he got, and trotted along with his little sword held in front of him and one hand feeling the wall, and his heart all of a pitter patter. ~Bilbo, The Hobbit

***

All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.
~The Fellowship of the Ring



***

"It is not despair, for despair is only for those who see the end beyond all doubt. We do not." ~Gandalf, The Fellowship of the Ring
***

"It would be the death of you to come with me, Sam," said Frodo, "and I could not have borne that."

"Not as certain as being left behind," said Sam.

"But I am going to Mordor."

"I know that well enough, Mr. Frodo. Of course you are. And I'm coming with you." ~Frodo and Sam, The Fellowship of the Ring

***

"I would cut off your head, beard and all, Master Dwarf, if it stood but a little higher from the ground," said Eomer. ~The Two Towers

***

"I had forgotten that," said Eomer. "It is hard to be sure of anything among so many marvels. The world is all grown strange. Elf and Dwarf in company walk in our daily fields; and folk speak with the Lady of the Wood and yet live; and the Sword comes back to war that was broken in the long ages ere the fathers of our fathers rode into the Mark! How shall a man judge what to do in such times?"

"As he ever has judged," said Aragorn. "Good and ill have not changed since yesteryear; nor are they one thing among Elves and Dwarves and another among Men. It is a man's part to discern them, as much in the Golden Wood as in his own house." ~Eomer and Aragorn, The Two Towers



***

"It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were. And sometimes you didn't want to know the end . . . because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it's only a passing thing . . . this shadow. Even darkness must pass." ~Sam, The Two Towers

***

"As I have begun, so I will go on. We come now to the very brink, where hope and despair are akin. To waver is to fall." ~Aragorn, The Return of the King

***

"What do you fear, lady?" he asked.

"A cage," she said. "To stay behind bars, until use and old age accept them, and all chance of doing great deeds is gone beyond recall or desire." ~Aragorn and Eowyn, The Return of the King

***

". . . And so a great evil of this world will be removed. Other evils there are that may come; for Sauron himself is but a servant or emissary. Yet it is not our part to master all the tides of the world, but to do what is in us for the succour of those years wherein we are set, uprooting the evil in the fields that we know, so that those who live after may have clean earth to till. What weather they shall have is not ours to rule." ~Gandalf, The Return of the King

Soundtracks

[source]

The soundtracks of the LOTR and Hobbit movies are some of my all-time favorites. By turns sweeping and majestic, dark and sinister, heartrending and melancholy, and soft and beautiful, they encompass so very many emotions. I was going to share a few of my favorite tracks, but there's too many, so I'll include one from each of the six movies. These would be among my most beloved tracks, but the list is certainly not exhaustive. (Links lead to YouTube.)

From An Unexpected Journey: The Adventure Begins
From The Desolation of Smaug: Thrice Welcome
From The Battle of the Five Armies: Mithril
From The Fellowship of the Ring: Concerning Hobbits
From The Two Towers: Riders of Rohan
From The Return of the King: The Steward of Gondor

And there are so many more! I love Smaug's exotic theme and the dark choral parts of the Black Riders' theme. I love the swelling heroism of the Fellowship's theme. I love all the elven music. I love the moments of peril sung by frantic violins and low, bellowing brass. I love the soft flutes painting a picture of beauty. I love the poignant strings, the gorgeous vocals, the relentless percussion, the whistles that hearken back to home. I love "I See Fire," "The Last Goodbye," and "May It Be." I LOVE IT ALL.

[source]


And lastly, a tribute . . .

I was sixteen (almost seventeen), starting grade eleven, when I read The Fellowship of the Ring. The following spring, I read The Two Towers. And then, at seventeen-almost-eighteen, I read The Return of the King. Sometime prior to all this, before I started keeping record of my books, I read The Hobbit. So I was a lot older than many LOTR fans who picked up the books during their childhood, but they impacted me nevertheless.

With the bold brushstrokes only Tolkien could paint, I witnessed the strain of Frodo's burden, the courage of hobbits, the wisdom of wizards, the corruption of power, the loyalty of truest friends, and the light of hope. I followed the Fellowship across mountain and plain, through forest and over river, to a place of darkest despair--and then to victory. I saw the small and weak press on in the face of overwhelming evil--and win. I saw a best friend seldom thanked for his steadfastness, and stay faithful regardless. I saw races once at odds with each other become allies and brothers-in-arms. I saw a man take up the kingship he was destined for, but not without pain and heartache.

In Middle Earth, I saw a star of hope gleam bright in a sea of darkness. And that is why I love LOTR. Yes, I love the worldbuilding, the humor, the depth of character, the spectrum of emotion, the epic scope, and the lofty themes. But I treasure the picture of hope presented in these books the most.

I recently watched the LOTR movies for the first time, and though they differ somewhat from the books, they stirred up the same emotions all afresh.

My heartfelt thanks goes to Tolkien today, on the 62nd birthday of Lord of the Rings. Thank you for inspiring so many readers in such a profound and memorable way!

(And now I'm longing to reread the books. And re-watch the movies. And play all the soundtracks all at once. But mostly to reread the books.)

Anyway, if you'd like to participate in this big LOTR birthday celebration, please do! We'd love to see your post, whether it's on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, your blog, or any other platform. Use #silmawards2016 to make it easy to find. Then go to Jenelle's blog to add your link to the fancy little link-up. And be sure to check out other posts, too--there are lots of awesome articles and tributes and even trivia being shared. Huzzah for Middle Earth!

So tell me, dear questers, what LOTR means to you! Do you remember when you first read it? How as it impacted you? (And if you took the quiz or used the personality chart, which character are you?)



34 comments :

  1. Lovely tribute! I took the quiz and got Frodo, though I am Elrond according to the Meyer Briggs rating. So, Gandalf, when shall we go destroy the ring of power?

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    1. Thanks, Abbey! Those are both great characters to get--and yes, we shall destroy the ring... just as soon as I round up a Fellowship. ;)

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  2. I still find it amusing that you turned out to be Gandalf personality-wise. *snickers behind my hand* But that I was Gimli is just as humorous. XD I've never taken the Meyers-Briggs personality test; I'll need to do it sometime so I can find out who I am!

    Those are some good quotes! I take it you looked up quotes from the books on the internet, seeing as you don't own all the books? Unless you stole mine, in which case I'll have to move them to a better location. Gotta keep them secret, keep them safe. :P

    Anyone who does not love the LotR soundtracks is not a true fan. (Well, maybe not... but they'd have to be crazy not to love the music.) As I mentioned to you earlier in real life, I love Howard Shore's ability to contrast good and evil so perfectly through music. The fact that he keeps the soundtracks theme-oriented goes to show his talent as a composer. And that he's Canadian makes him that much more awesome. :D

    Lastly, your tribute to the LotR series was very well-written; I couldn't have said it better myself. It's been so long since I read the books, and when I did, I was of the age where I slogged through them and found them to be dull at times. *shakes my head at my younger self* I would appreciate them a lot more now.

    Thank you for your great Silmarillion posts! I look forward to the awards next year. *cough cough with less Narnian winners cough cough* :P But before that rolls around, you should read The Children of Hurin.

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    1. JOSIAH I GOT GIMLI TOO. So hilarious! XDDD

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    2. I know, right? I love Gandalf, but I never thought his personality was anything like mine. Or that you were anything like Gimli! XD ("So I can find out who I am!" Yes, because you have no idea who you are until you take the MBTI test... Just kidding.)

      Well, I'd written a few down in a Word doc. of book quotes that I sporadically kept up for a couple years in high school, but the rest I found on the internet. Didn't even breathe on your books, I promise! ;)

      Howard Shore is a genius. That is all. And he's Canadian? Even better! ^_^ Seriously though, his music portrays SO much.

      Thanks, bro! I remember finding some parts overly long as well, but I know I'll feel differently when I reread them. :) Like you said, we'd appreciate them even more now.

      Glad you enjoyed them! I'm looking forward to next year's awards too. (Hey, Narnia deserves those awards! But I understand, more variety next time would be good too.) YES. CHILDREN OF HURIN. I NEED TO READ IT.

      Thanks for the comment, Josiah, and for the follow as well! ^_^

      @Christine: That IS hilarious, because I don't see either of you as being similar to Gimli! Nor do I think you two have the same personality to begin with. XDDD

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    3. I KNOW. XD I don't think I'm anything like Gimli, and I also think Josiah and I have pretty different personalities. I guess you can't base your life on a random quiz on the internet. *giggles* (But they're so fun regardless.)

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  3. I loved this post, Tracey! Great one! ^_^

    EEEK THAT COPY OF THE HOBBIT! It's so adorable and cute and pretty and perfect... it must be a Canadian version because I've never seen one like that before. o.o I LOVE IT!

    Heehee, you make a great Gandalf. XD I took the quiz and got Legolas? O_O Um... not sure, but I'll totally not complain. ;)

    Aaand you're Galadriel too! Nice! :D According to that Meyers-Briggs chart, I'd be Frodo, which does NOT please me. XD But according to other things I've seen, I'd be Faramir (most seem to peg me, Tolkien, and Faramir as INFPs, which makes sense since I'm a lot like Tolkien and Faramir's my favorite and Tolkien said Faramir's the most like him... heehee!).

    THOSE QUOTES!! <3 So many of them are favorites of mine. ^_^

    Oh goodness, I love like all of those songs. The soundtracks are definitely among the best! I also LOVE how you describe the music. O_O You're a word wizard! The Last Goodbye is my favorite of the credit songs. I JUST LOVE AAAALL THE THEMES AND MUSIC AND IT'S MY FAVORITE! <3

    I also loved your "tribute" and hearing how you came to it! That's the best! :D I totally agree, too, that hope in darkness is a great theme in LOTR. I WANT TO REREAD THEM ALL TOOOO. ^__^

    This was a fantastic post (in more ways than one! ;)) and I adore it. Thanks for sharing and hurray for LOTR and its birthday, precioussss! :D

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    1. Thanks, Deborah! I loved YOURS! :D

      Maybe it is the Canadian edition--I don't even know. o.o But yesh, it's adorable and whimsical and so very Hobbity. *pets it fondly*

      *tips wizard hat in thanks* YOU GOT LEGOLAS. That's awesome! Fabulous hair, mad skills with a bow, melodramatic expressions, and overall epicness. Yep. That's so you. ;)

      It's a little scary to think I'm Galadriel too! Especially when she gets all freaky and tempted by the Ring. O.O Although I do wonder if I would desire to use it for "good" as well... (Like I said, scary thought.)
      Aww, but I like Frodo! XD I can see Faramir as the more accurate result, though, and he is AMAZING. (Oh my goodness, that's so cool how you, Tolkien, and Faramir all have the same personality type!)

      I could read LOTR quotes all day. <3

      Aren't they incredible?? D'aww, thanks! I'm just inspired by those scores every time I listen to them, and can't really help piecing words together because of it. ^_^ The Last Goodbye...*sniffle* It's so gorgeous.

      I feel so...behind? Old?...compared to people like yourself who fell in love with Tolkien's work at a much younger age. But I guess it doesn't matter *when* we find an amazing book, just that we do. :) YESH, REREAD EVERYTHINGGGGG...

      Haha, thank you! I'm so glad you enjoyed it and that we got to revel in the LOTR fun through the Silm Awards this summer. It's been loads of fun! :D

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  4. Oh, what a fun tribute! *basks in all the Tolkien goodness*

    Your copy of The Hobbit is so precious!!! I've never seen that copy before! *pets it*

    Isn't it amazing how one man utterly shaped the world of fantasy literature? It really makes one think about the impact one can leave in the world. And all I can say is, I'm SOOOOOO happy Tolkien took the time to write these stories! <333

    I can't help but chuckle at you getting Gandalf on the quiz. XDD Haven't we joked before about you being Gandalf? It seems familiar... But the description kinda fits, to be honest. XD You're silly (in the BEST way) and so very warmhearted. And also just wise, and I find a good teacher as well. I can totally see this. BUT THE EVIL THING. *dies* Honestly, if you were a villain I'd say the world WOULD be in serious trouble...

    AND TRACEY. I got Gimli! XDDD *chokes* I'm laughing SO hard.

    Oooh, I've seen that MBTI chart for LotR characters. I'm simultaneously a ENFJ/ESFJ (because I have to have multiple personalities, apparently XD). So that'd put me as Bilbo and Faramir. Which...honestly kind of fits. And they're two of my most favorite Tolkien characters, so! :D

    *pets all the gorgeous book quotes* I sometimes just want to quote the ENTIRE books. Every line is gorgeous or witty or both. TOLKIEN WAS A GENIUS.

    And the music, my word. So much gorgeousness, my ears can hardly stand it! You explained the feel of the soundtracks perfectly. <3

    "In Middle Earth, I saw a star of hope gleam bright in a sea of darkness. And that is why I love LOTR." <---THIS. I 100% agree! These stories are SO powerful in how they put light vs. dark. How they make everything seem so hopeless, and then next thing you know the most insignificant person swoops in and saves the world. They're beautiful and hopeful and just...wonderful. Gracious, I love these stories! <333

    If you can't tell from this long, incoherent comment, I LOVED THIS POST. I'm seriously drowning in Tolkien goodness. THIS WAS SO FUN!

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    1. I love my cute little copy too! (Though someday I want to find a really pretty, basic/elegant copy as well. Hardcover, maybe?)

      It's amazing how he impacted the genre so much, to the point that if someone says they're a LOTR fan, they're pretty much guaranteed finding a bunch of people who love it too. See, it even brings friends together!
      I'm so thankful he wrote these stories too. <3

      I think we have...? I've used being a wizard to excuse my lateness for things before. XD But awww, Christine, YOUR SWEET WORDS. ^___^ (But you have no idea how much trouble the world would be in if I were a villain. My truth & justice side would override my compassion and I'd probably try ruling the world and taking away free will in an effort to fix things. O.O)

      OH GOODNESS, SO AM I. You, Gimli?! Aside from maybe enjoying food, I can't see many similarities. Too funny!

      (Eh, MBTI doesn't *define* anyone, so fitting multiple categories makes sense.) Bilbo and Faramir! Now this I can definitely see. So, Farabo, wanna join my Fellowship and carry the Ring to Mt. Doom?? XD

      Oh yes, we could quote the books all the day long and still enjoy ourselves. "Gorgeous or witty or both." Amen to that. :D

      Such phenomenal music! My brother smirks at me every time the Shire music plays because, I kid you not, every single time I smile or gaze wistfully off into the distance. It's like clockwork, I can't even help it. XD

      They paint light and dark so vividly, the contrast is profound and the inspiration gleaned really sticks. Ah, I love everything you said in that paragraph! <3

      THANK YOU! Now I'm off to properly read yours and drown in even more Tolkien goodness.

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    2. FARABO. Oh my word. XDDD

      Yes, I, Farabo, will join the Fellowship. You have my...erm... *glances around* PEN. You have my pen! *brandishes it*

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  5. I loved this post so much! I took the quiz and got Frodo... which is fine by me. It said I have compassion, determination, and wide-eyed curiosity... and that I'm braver and stronger than I think I am... all of which seems fairly accurate. According to the chart I'm Frodo... or any of the other characters who start with "I" because I'm kind of right at the 50% mark on the N/S, T/F, J/P letters... so even though I've taken the actual test (which I think classified me as an INFJ... but every letter other than I was either at 49% or 51% ... which makes me think I'm kind of unclassifiable) I'm not sure I really fit in any of the categories correctly. LOL

    I love that you highlighted the hope that is so evident throughout these beautiful stories. In a world that is often so dark and filled with despair... it is stories that shine a glimmer of hope into our hearts that inspire us to do better, to be better, and to not give up. And that is also why Tolkien (and Lewis) and their stories are so very dear to me, as well.

    Thanks for coming along on this crazy ride with us this summer!

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    1. Oh, thank you, Jenelle! Yay, you're the hero! I do love Frodo. So neat that both the quiz and the chart pegged you as the same person. And your split down the middle just goes to show that as fun and informative as personality types are, they don't truly define a person. (Besides, being unclassifiable makes you all mysterious, LOL.)

      Yes, when world events so often seem negative, we need beautiful stories like LOTR to remind us that hope exists! I love how you put that. (And Lewis most definitely does the same thing for me. <3)

      It's been my pleasure! Thank YOU for inviting me along on this crazy ride!

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  6. This post is awesome!! :D
    Okay, how ironic is this? I got Aragorn when I took the quiz! XD But on the personality chart I got Galadriel too. :)
    THE MOVIES HAVE SUCH GREAT MUSIC. I especially love the score from The Hobbit trilogy. <3
    Hurrah for Lord of the Rings, giving us fabulous-ness all-around! :D *cheers!*

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    1. Thanks! :D Ha, you got Aragorn? What an awesome coincidence! Maybe that's why your post was so convincing. ;) High five to another Galadriel.

      THEY DO. So far, I own only the Hobbit scores, and they sure are something special. All the epicness!

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  7. What a fantastic way to end the first Silmarillion Awards! I'm already looking forward to the next one!

    I first remember being introduced to Tolkien's work when I was around 7, and my younger brother around 4. That's when our mother started reading The Hobbit to us. As I grew older, reading the Lord of the Rings (Return of the King, especially) taught me to appreciate the poetry in the archaic style of writing. Later I'd be inspired to read Beowulf because of Tolkien.

    I'm enjoying all these soundtrack links, by the way. Thanks!

    As it turns out, according to the quiz I'm Gandalf, and according to the chart I'm Aragorn. This pleases me.

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    1. Me too! The response was so great, I'm sure it'll become an annual thing.

      That's so precious! There is a special kind of beauty in that older writing style, I agree. Ooh, you read Beowulf? How was it?

      You're welcome! Glad to share the amazing music.

      Nice! Now which would you rather do: lead a Fellowship or take up your crown? ;)

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    2. Beowulf was a good read. I believe I could see its influence in Rohan and Beorn.

      That's a question I'd have to think on some more. With either route I'd be leading the Fellowship (or part of it) and defending Gondor. I suppose it all settles on if I want that crown or not. Hm, but even if I don't want the crown there's a chance I'm going to get it regardless.

      Also, If I took the Aragorn route, I'd get to chase orcs with Deborah and Christine. If I took the Gandalf route, I'd have to keep a close eye on Lucy Agnes.

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    3. Nice! I'll have to pick it up sometime. (Rohan and Beorn are awesome.)

      Hmm, a position of leadership either way. The only choice is between small scale leadership and large scale. :)

      Haha, true! There's plenty to do with either route.

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  8. I would be happy to get Gandalf, I got Frodo, which is okay. I am Galadriel too!

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    1. Without Frodo, we wouldn't have a story. And yay for another INFJ! Hmm, so should I call you Frodriel now? Or Galadro? XD

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  9. My dad read The Lord of the Rings to my siblings and I oh, probably five years ago or so, when I was about twelve. It took us a year or two to get through it, and reading sessions were the highlight of the night when we got them. Like Narnia before it, it totally took over our daily lives, occupying our imagination and invading our conversation. We were on an epic fantasy journey together, sharing as siblings all the excitement and fear and hope and sorrow and delight and laughter along the way. That's why The Lord of the Rings isn't just a book to me - it's a treasured part of my life. :)

    I took the quiz and got Pippin. I think that's fairly accurate...

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    1. It's so sweet that your dad read them to you! That sounds like such a beautiful memory, sharing it with your family like that. <3 And what a picture of the power of a good story.

      Love Pippin! He makes me laugh. ^_^

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  10. I love all the quotes you chose. There are so many aren't there? And I love what you wrote about the soundtracks. Truly, we are blessed to have such beautiful music to go along with these wonderful stories.

    Thanks for sharing your thoughts and love of Middle-Earth!

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    1. Yes, I had trouble narrowing it down to just three per book! And the beauty of the music, the movies, and every creative work that has sprung from the books just goes to show how RICH those books are.

      Thank YOU for bringing the Simarillion Awards into existence with Jenelle, and for inviting me to participate! I had a blast. :D

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  12. ACK I'M SO LATE TO COMMENT ON THIS!!

    This post was AWESOMENESS Tracey, I loved it! And those quizzes are so fun, my sisters and I have taken them before :D. On the first quiz I never get a good answer, but I'm ESTJ so Boromir all the way on the second one!

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    1. Not if you're a wizard. ;D

      Thank you so much! Quizzes are one of my favorite ways to waste time. XD You got Boromir--cool! Promise me to stay far away from the One Ring, okay? We want to keep you alive.

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  13. On that chart I'm Galadriel. (So many bloggers are INFJ! I don't know.) (Though when I took the proper test it listed Sam as one of the people who shared my type. Curious.)

    Anyway, I loved this post! One of my best friends is extremely obsessed with Lotr, it's her favourite book, so in April 2014 I finally read it (having read The Hobbit a couple of months prior). It was absolutely beautiful. The worldbuilding was a definite stand out for me -- the SCOPE of Middle Earth, I really felt it; I really experienced the length and breadth of the journey, the scale of the quest. The world is SO big, which Tolkien, of course, juxtaposes with the Shire and the size of the hobbits. I was thinking about this the other day, actually; size is a big theme of Rings. Both the hobbits and the Ring are small things that can do a lot of good or damage. Even the title, The Lord of the Rings, shows that juxtaposition between a big and small thing.

    I love the unlikely hero that Frodo is -- rather than being the Chosen One. Also, Sam's quotation from Two Towers here gave me goosebumps! So beautiful. One of my favourite bits is when Gandalf speaks to Merry and Pippin at the end of Return about the elves going over the sea and Bilbo with them ... argh! My heart!

    I'm just really very desperate to reread. Though I haven't seen the films.

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    1. You're INFJ as well? There seems to be a lot of us, considering we're supposed to be the rarest personality type. I guess INFJs must like blogging. XD (Hmm, Sam would make sense too. That chart was kind of a fan-made thing, so it depends on how you interpret the characters.)

      Yes, Tolkien's worldbuilding is phenomenal! So layered and complex, I don't think I'll ever discover everything there is to know about it. That bigness really does come across, and I love what you said about the contrast with the smallness of Rings and Shires and hobbits. ^_^ So good! (That's a great essay right there, I'm sure.)

      At first glance, Frodo is the last person you'd expect to be the hero. OH, THAT QUOTE IS ONE OF MY FAVORITES EVER. <3 And that bit of Gandalf dialogue is perfect too--I can't help but feel a bittersweet whenever I read it.

      Me too. ^_^ You haven't seen the movies? Well, I'm sure the LOTR fan community has probably tossed them at your head often enough, so I won't do that. But seriously, the films are incredible.

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  14. Lovely tribute post, Tracey! I took the quiz and got Legolas, LOL. But the personality chart says I'm Galadriel. So...quite a difference between the two! XD

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    1. Thanks, Elise! LOL, there sure is a big difference between the two. XD The chart is probably the more accurate one, I'd assume. Glad you enjoyed the post!

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  15. Got Frodo on the quiz. :P This post was so fun to read, and I'm with you - I just want to go read all the books and listen to the soundtracks and watch the movies all over again now.

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    1. LOL, nice! (It seems there's a fair number of people who don't like Frodo, but I think he's great.) Thank you! Ahh, yes, gotta go relive it all over again. Watching the movies, or one of them, anyway, would be a great idea for our next get-together. ;D

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