I found Chapter Two of Author of the Century quite tedious. The chart on page 104 detailing the movements of the members of the fellowship, and the days in which they travel together and apart is alone enough to give a tired person a headache! Even though I found the numerous plot details, outlines, and information on its organization overwhelming and confusing at times, I believe that this just further reinforces the fact that Tolkien’s book is EXTREMELY complex, and well thought out and put together. This is both what could potentially attract Tolkien’s readers while simultaneously result in people gravitating away from The Lord of the Rings. This intimidating and complex plot is something which an experienced writer would probably have shied away from. For one, it makes much more work for the writer him/herself, but also if the author assumes his/her audience is not intelligent enough to follow such a complex story, he/she may go for an easier, linear plot sans the multiple plotlines to keep track of.
I was especially interested in this chapter’s dealing with of the symmetries in the book. There were some similarities which I had noticed while reading, and others which had simply never occurred to me. For example, I had not realized how many parallels there are between Merry and Pippin’s offer of services to Theoden and Denethor (respectively)(p. 98–99). I was also surprised by the intricacies in the Council of Elrond, and the fact that this chapter is utilized to introduce many new characters and to give dynamic to Gandalf’s speech, which would have otherwise been exceedingly boring.
I thought that the descriptions of Rohan and Gondor and how their cultural differences are seen simply from the differences between their halls and the way in which their people act were extremely interesting as well. For example, Theoden’s hall contains a mosaic floor, painted pillars, and colorful tapestries hanging on the walls. It is also “shadowy, but pierced by bright sunbeams” (99). He sits on a “gilded” throne. In contrast, Minas Tirith is lit by windows and has pillars but is “without life”(99). There is nothing hanging on the walls, and there are stone figures lining the hall. The hall contains a throne, but Denethor does not sit in it. He sits instead on a simple chair at the bottom step. These differences show how the two cultures somewhat contrast one another. This further reveals how Tolkien created two completely different cultures, which is no small feat.
The chapter also points out that the way in which the plot is structured allows for the element of surprise that is so crucial to a novel. The way in which the plot does not allow for the readers to know much more than the characters makes the book even more real. The readers are right there along with the characters, and therefore are further able to understand their distress and waning hope. This creates an emotional and deeper connection between the readers and the characters of the story.
Kelsey Till October 22, 2008, at 07:51 PM
