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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Libertad" data-source="post: 9824307" data-attributes="member: 6750502">Book 3, Chapter 6: the King of the Golden Hall<ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">The "would you part an old man from his walking stick?" came from Aragorn in the book, but Gandalf in the films. In the book it's a case of Aragorn helping ensure they're not entirely defenseless, but in the films it is Gandalf being clever in making the guard sound discourteous to ask him of that. I like both versions.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">An interesting thing I noticed is that when Théoden asks Gandalf why he should be welcomed when all he brings is bad news, Wormtongue interjects with a "you speak justly, my lord" compliment and then piles on the criticisms. The king asks a guest a question, and the advisor speaking before an answer can be given would be viewed as an unwanted interruption, but it showcases the power dynamics between Théoden and Wormtongue.</li> </ol>Book 3, Chapter 7: Helm's Deep<ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Today I learned what a "coomb" is! Thanks, Tolkien!</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">"But you are a dwarf, and dwarves are strange folk. I do not like this place, and I shall like it no more by the light of day. But you comfort me, Gimli, and I am glad to have you standing nigh with your stout legs and your hard axe." Aw, a nice callback to Gimli going "I find your people weird, but I like you."</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">I also like the brief scene cutaway of Gimli and Legolas counting between each other how many orcs/Dunlendings they can kill.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Aragorn expressing anger at not noticing the forces sneaking in via the culvert due to the earlier discussion with Gamling loredumping about the Dunlendings is rather amusing to me in a "there's a time and place for speeches" way.</li> </ol>Book 3, Chapter 8: the Road to Isengard<ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">I like the banter between Legolas and Gimli of their alternative awe and fear of Fangorn Forest and Helm’s Deep. I particularly like how Gimli speaks poetically of the caves that it deeply moves Legolas.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">New word learned today: <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eyot" target="_blank">“eyot,”</a> or small island in Middle English!</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">I wonder if the strange moving darkness and groaning voices that passed by the group at night was meant to be something we’ll discover later, or like the “things gnawing at the earth” is yet another unexplained mystery of Middle-Earth’s creatures.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">“There stood a tower of marvellous shape. It was fashioned by the builders of old, who smoothed the Ring of Isengard, and yet it seemed a thing not made by the craft of Men, but riven from the bones of the earth in the ancient torment of the hills.” Very poetic phrasing, I like this passage.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">(Some of) the Fellowship is reunited with Merry and Pippin! And apparently there was a great offscreen battle in Isengard. Well, we did get enough action in the prior chapter of Helm’s Deep, so that’s fine.</li> </ol>Book 3, Chapter 9: Flotsam and Jetsam<ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">When first reading Pippin’s reenactment of the Ent-song, I thought it was oddly short at a mere two lines. Then the paraphrased explanation of it being mostly sound-effects is kind of making me wish I could’ve seen Tolkien write a string of onomatopoeias.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Merry’s explanation of the Ent’s battle at Isengard, along with the aftermath and Gandalf’s arrival, is really imaginative and does a good job at “filling in the blanks” of what the rest of the Fellowship missed while on the way there.</li> </ol></blockquote>

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