Re-visiting LOTR

[Varda-Me]

Okay, say you're like me and you take time off between reading LOTR the first time and then rereading it the second time. Or third. Or fourth. Whatever. What is new for you? Do you notice something new every time? I usually do. I can't explain it, because I'm a very good reader, but there's usually something I missed. How about you?

[Renille]

I miss the little details. At first, I almost skim over the pages while not really skimming. (Kind of strange to explain, I know.) But on the second or third time, I always get nitpicky and pay attention to every single little quote, etc.

[Eldanuumea]

The complex scenes.....battles such as Helm's deep, the Pelennor, etc......come into clearer focus with each reread. I have a tendency to want to skim long descriptive passages, and when I slow down and reread those carefully, I tend to notice a wealth of detail, some of it quite significant.:rolleyes:

[IronParrot]

First reading: plot
Second reading: characterizations, foreshadowing, etc.
Third reading: minor characters, details of setting, etc.
Fourth reading: hard-to-remember names become second-nature

And so on and so forth.

[Khamûl]

The second time I read it, I remembered stuff that I forgot had happened. (If that makes any sense) I had forgotten all about stuff like the meeting with Ghan-buri-Ghan and some other things. I'm sure that the third time I read it, I'll discover things I never knew and some other things that I forgot that I knew.

[BeardofPants]

I'm terrible for remembering things at the best of times, so everytime I re-read it, there's always some detail that sneaks up on me. The biggest one for me was the second time I read it, and I forgot about the Grey Havens! :( That was so sad.... Now it's more the little details that I pick up on. I'd like to read it again for the 8th time (with the Sil in mind) and see what else I've forgotten (or haven't noticed!), but my reading list is too big at the moment! :eek: And if you think that's bad... just wait 'til I re-read the Sil! :eek:

[Cirdan]

I've just started the third reading. I just book the Collector's Edtion (go ahead, hate me:) ) to replace my decrepit old paperbacks. I have committed to reading it thoroughly and slowly this time.

I last read LotR before the folm, so partly I am looking at things I would have liked to have seen and also appreciating the richer detail of the book.

Since I've read the Silmarillion again recently, I want to keep it handy while I'm reading the legend bits to make sure I see all the links.

I suppose I'll read "The Hobbit" again soon. I'll read it to my son as an excuse. He likes the fastasy stories anyway. He has his limits. I was reading the "Lost Tales Vol 1" and he asked me to read it to him. After two pages he was sound asleep.

[Valacirca]

I notice something new every time, it´s usually the little things that I have read before too but that I have forgotten - I read the book about once in the year (or two), but I don´t want to read it TOO often so that it wouldn´t get too familiar, if that makes any sense. I like the feeling that something surprises me there. I just recently re-read it, and what felt totally new to me now, was the way how Ghan spoke, his lines were so beautiful and I hadn´t paid much attention tothat before, I think.

[sun-star]

I notice the descriptions more the second time round, so the landscape and people's faces become more clear in my mind.

[osszie]

yes I definately find hidden treasures on a re-read
At the last time I only just realised how important a character Imrahil the Swan Knight appears to be

[katya]

i always find new things. i understand everything so much better. i skim songs usually but they are so cool to read carefully. i know all about remembering things you forgot happened. that happened to me in a different book, anna karenina. i forgot all about a suicide attempt (and a lousy one at that) not that thats anything to do with lotr. i like to read out of order because when you already know what happens, you can. like if some war chapters are boring to me, i can read say mt. doom instead. then go back and read helms deep or whatever. i like that.

[markedel]

I think that if one delves deeper into Tolkien (i.e if I ever read the history of the Lord of the Rings) reading the book gets far more interesting. Then one can compare what one sees in the story to the rough drafts. Seeing what vestiges of trotter remian in Strider, seeing how the kingdoms in exile evolve etc. I think that is the most interesting part. People forget that as a work of literature the author has to create not just the concepts and world of ME, but also the plot and characters. Proper literary analysis is always interesting.

The older you get the more depth one can find, from personal things about the author, to views about God etc.

[Rána Eressëa]

Not very much. Just little things I forgot. The first time I read it I was as thorough as possible, and I wrote down all the quotes I liked as I went along; it helped me remember events and such with more ease.

[Rían]

I've read them 8 or 9 times now over the last 20 years, and I still cry at the end of "The Ride of the Rohirrim" chapter, when the king leads the charge, and in "The Battle of the Pelennor Fields" when Eowyn is defying the Nazgul over Theoden's body.

My son just finished reading LOTR for the first time, and I read many of the chapters aloud to him (we had some long car trips over the summer :D ), but I couldn't read the Pelennor chapter to him - I knew I would just break down and bawl!! My husband read it to him while I just listened and sniffed quietly to myself!

Occasionally I'll notice something new, and after 9+ readings, I skip over some descriptive parts, but I still love to read them.

Be sure and try the Silmarillion, the History of Middle Earth (HoME) series, (esp. Morgoth's ring), and Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien - they're really good and help with background info.

[Celebrian]

Each time I read it I can visualize each seen better. It probably sounds weird, but it was only on the fifteenth or so time reading the series that I got a good picture of Shelob. Before she had just been a black blob, but that time it was like Wow! that's what she looks like.
Each time I read it I am sadder at the end. Each time I get there it only gets better!
I only ever notice the descriptive parts after I have read them tons.

[Khadrane]

Originally posted by Renille
I miss the little details. At first, I almost skim over the pages while not really skimming. (Kind of strange to explain, I know.)
I do that too. It's quite annoying.
Anyway, I think I pick up new details every time I read it. I also read the poems better every time I read it.

[mirial]

most of y'all have little pictures under your names...how do you do that? :confused:

[Darkraven]

Not only do I get more out of it every time I read it (I'm on my fourth read now), but it is easier to become emersed in the land of Middle earth. When the names of people and the descriptions of people become more and more familiar, one can become more and more a part of what Middle earth is, and a part of the stories which describe it. The arts of the elves, the evil magic of Sauron, the simplicity of the hobbits, all bring one into the marvelous land that Tolkein has written so many stories about. Basically, I believe that more knowlegde about Middle Earth and its inhabitants allows one to become more enchanted by what it is.

[Rían]

Originally posted by Darkraven
Not only do I get more out of it every time I read it (I'm on my fourth read now), but it is easier to become emersed in the land of Middle earth. When the names of people and the descriptions of people become more and more familiar, one can become more and more a part of what Middle earth is, and a part of the stories which describe it.

Very true! It took me about 3 reads to stop getting Sauron and Saruman mixed up!! :eek: Maybe I'm slightly dyslexic ... Now after 8 or 9 reads, all the characters are like old friends.

[Nilvasaien]

I've lost count of the number of times I've read LotR. I always seem to pick up on small details I missed earlier. Lately I've come to appreciate the poems and songs. Not being much of a poetry fan, I tended to skip most of them. Now I can appreciate them, and enjoy the richness they lend to the tale.

[The Lady of Ithilien]

Definitely pick up details every time I read it. Sometimes I'll just read one section or another; lately I went through the whole thing again for the nth time.

For a while after the first read, I didn't re-read the ending at the Grey Havens. That really got to me, but now I can see how perfect it is. It took me a while to get into the songs and poems, and that was really enjoyable to see how they fit in.

At first the appendices really overwhelmed me, but I've really come to appreciate them a lot now.

[Cirdan]

I'm reading the LotR to my son as a bedtime story since he loves the movie. It is very different when read aloud. I try to do the mivie voices of the characters when possible. The hobbits and gandalf aren't too difficult. I haven't done Elrond yet. I'm sure it will come out sounding like Agent Smith.

I also remember the details better after reading it out loud. I tend to read to fast sometimes under normal circumstances.

[Dunadan]

Coming back to the books after a ten year break, the thing that really stood out was the tragedy and loss of the elves.

Interesting to hear about peoples' experiences of introducing their kids to it. I've done the same with the Hobbit for my son (8), but I think he's a bit too young to appreciate LOTR (and is terrified of Black Riders).

Kids' culture is now very heavily influenced by LOTR; even things like Yuh-Gi-Oh. I wonder if there'll be less of a novelty for them.

[Cirdan]

My son is eight, too. Since I'm a terrible father I have exposed him to scary stuff all along. He liked the movie first. He knows where we are in the story but misses most of the details. I hope it plants a seed in his mind that will bring him to read it on his own later. He asked me the other day if he could be Isildur for Halloween. He also wants to be a black rider. When discussing my costume he said I should be Sauron. I thought that might be a bit tricky. "Hi, I'm a great lidless eye wreathed in flame. What are you?"

Tonight we leave Bree for Weathertop.!

[Dunadan]

It's great that you're reading them to him; I think that makes you a great father, not a terrible one. Just setting out for Weathertop.... ahh, them were the days.

Tell me, do you sing the songs? In the Hobbit, I have to admit to reading them like poetry rather than singing (they don't provide the music or a backing track.. which is a thought: why didn't JRRT think of setting out the music for the songs?).

My boy is into the Redwall books at the moment (fantasy stuff featuring heroic mice, rabbits, hedgehogs, etc; sort of a LOTR meets Watership Down), and certainly appreciates vocalisations, but his reading speed is now faster than my talking, and I think he's getting bored waiting to find out what happens. Kids, eh? Ungrateful or what?

Only a matter of time till he gets into LOTR. I'm going to try and restrain myself and see if he discovers it for himself. We'll see if I can manage it.

cheers

D.

[Cirdan]

OK, but that time I let him watch some of "The Matrix" was just wrong.

Hmm... singing, well I tried a few times until I realised it was enough to just get the meter right. It was not a breautiful thing to hear.

Redwall? Very impressive for eight. (I admit I had to go to Amazon to find out what it was.) It sounds like something to put on the list for later. Mine's a bit of a plodder but he's making progress. He was in a Russian orphanage for 2 years so he has a bit of catching up to do. I guess I should enjoy reading to him before he grows out of it. I read the Harry Potter series to him so I could stand a break.

He's probably ready for the Hobbit if not the LotR. You could just leave the book lying around for him to find.

[Dunadan]

Originally posted by Cirdan
OK, but that time I let him watch some of "The Matrix" was just wrong.

Bad dad! :D
Mine got totally freaked by Men In Black. I might have to consider boot camp...


He's probably ready for the Hobbit if not the LotR. You could just leave the book lying around for him to find.

I've read him the hobbit already and he doesn't want to read it again himself (he just doesn't get it...).

Yes, the lying around trick might work. I've got the Unwin paperbacks from the 70s with the groovy runes on the front and yellowed map pages falling out of them. That ought to do the trick...

He's a good reader for his age, but it's quite a recent thing. For a long time he had no interest at all in books or reading and I was wondering whether I should start to worry about it. Then suddenly, about 18 months ago, along came Pokemon Cards and he took off. Nothing like having to have the latest stats on Charmander to act as an incentive. By the end of last summer he was disappearing for hours with Harry Potter books.

have a grand day, and nice to chat with someone in similar circumstances.

D.

[Snowdog]

RÃ*an said:Be sure and try the Silmarillion, the History of Middle Earth (HoME) series, (esp. Morgoth's ring), and Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien - they're really good and help with background info Be sure to read Unfinished Tales & have a look at the Atlas of Middle Earth by karen Fonstad as well. Good stuff.

I have read the trilogy 8 times.. no, 9 times as I read it once after seeing the movie. As many have said in this thread, I find I 'see' the descriptions of the lands and such differently, and seem to 'fill in the details on the subsequent readings. Of course the first time I read through it I was enthralled with the story.

[Cirdan]

Originally posted by Dunadan
have a grand day, and nice to chat with someone in similar circumstances.

Thanks. Same back. I'm going to wander over the the Literary forum and start a thread on children's lit. since I have gone this long without hearing about a book series that has 15 volumes. Thanks.

[Earniel]

Originally posted by Cirdan
When discussing my costume he said I should be Sauron. I thought that might be a bit tricky. "Hi, I'm a great lidless eye wreathed in flame. What are you?"

LOL :D :D Neh neh neh! "Hi, this is my dad, the great lidless eye!"
Now that's an interesting mental image! :D

[Renille]

" He sees ALL THINGS...from the uneaten icecream bowl under my bed to the books that I really want to read in my heart..."

OH wow...that IS a rather weird mental image...have fun with both the reading and Halloween, Mr. Lidless Eye! :D

[Cirdan]

Originally posted by Eärniel
LOL :D :D Neh neh neh! "Hi, this is my dad, the great lidless eye!"
Now that's an interesting mental image! :D

I getting there.:D

*tucks even more orange and red tissue paper into chicken wire frame*

[Lizra]

I tried reading The Hobbit to my six year old son several months ago. He seemed bored, all those descriptions of food and hobbit holes seemed to make him sleepy. He prefers Star Wars, I guess I'll wait! My 18 year daughter hates scary stuff and won't even watch FoTR with me! I spend time coming up with melodies for the songs, but I really need to record them, it's so easy to forget yesterdays perfectly worked out melody!

[Rían]

We went on a LOOOONNNGG camping trip this summer (from California to Canada and back), and I read the entire Hobbit to the family while in the car (husband, 12 yr old, 7 yr old and 6 yr old). As soon as I would read about 2 sentences, the two littlest would fall asleep, but the oldest absolutely loved it (so did hubby!) and would beg me to start again whenever I took a break to ease my poor dry throat. But what was really funny was how much the 2 littlest retained - after the trip, they were asking all these questions about details from the book! Hmm, subliminal reading??? *sneaks into kids' rooms at midnight - "you WILL like LoTR! you WILL like LoTR!"*

The oldest just finished his first reading of LoTR this year. I had to help him thru some sections, where the English got a little thick, but he totally loves it because of the movie.

The first couple of times thru LoTR, I skipped over the songs, but now I read them and really enjoy their beauty.

[BeardofPants]

Originally posted by RÃ*an
*sneaks into kids' rooms at midnight - "you WILL like LoTR! you WILL like LoTR!"*

LOL! :D

How do you read it in the car without getting carsick? :confused:

[Rían]

I have NO idea ... I just can, and I'm glad! (I can't read when we're on windy mountain roads, though - erg! But most of the drive is just long and boring and straight.)

We made several car trips to Arizona last year (about 8 hrs), and I read a lot of LoTR to my husband and oldest son, which got my son hooked, and he finished it (mostly) on his own. I pitched in and read a few more chapters out loud to him when he got bogged down, but he pretty much finished on his own. I couldn't read the Battle of the Pelennor Fields chapter out loud to him, though - I always cry at the Eowyn/Theoden/Bad Nazgul part!! and I knew I couldn't get thru it, so my husband read it out loud to both of us while I sniffed on the couch. I wanted to see my son's reaction - he was very affected by it - REAL big eyes and mouth open wide!

[Dunadan]

Wow! That's marathon reading. You must have vocal cords of mithril.

Judging from my boy's reaction, 6-8 is a bit too young to really appreciate the story, even of the hobbit. He liked the spiders best, particularly the when Bilbo called them "lazy lob".

You can never predict what they're going to get hooked in a story. If you're keen to get them into LOTR, you could try telling them they're not allowed to read it until they're older...

[Rían]

Originally posted by Dunadan
Wow! That's marathon reading. You must have vocal cords of mithril.
LOL! I could hardly talk when we got to Arizona, though :eek: