I am lying in bed, rereading The Hobbit, because today I am going to see the movie; unlike the rest of the world, we only get to see it from today. I have been pretty good about trying not to read too much in the way of reviews, though I do know now it ends well before the point I'm up to.
I always get something out of a reading of Tolkien. There's a strength and beauty even in this short novel intended for younger readers. The hero develops over the course of the novel, from a man glued to his home into one who can do far more than he would ever have thought, yet remains himself - and in the end, it's his love of the ordinary things of life that is most important, as ever Thorin finally realises, when he says that this would be a "merrier" world if more people valued food and drink and song.
I love the way Tolkien shows that ordinary people can be heroes.
Tolkien doesn't do much with women, because he lived in a man's world - or, rather, a boys' club! In this novel women don't take part at all, except for a brief mention of Lobelia Sackville-Baggins trying to buy Bag End. But when he does include women, they're women you can respect, even Lobelia, who ends up a heroine to her people when she stands up to the invaders in the "Scouring Of The Shire".
Anyway, I will read some more Hobbit before breakfast and head off to meet family and friends for the movie. I do hope it's as wonderful as it looks!
I always get something out of a reading of Tolkien. There's a strength and beauty even in this short novel intended for younger readers. The hero develops over the course of the novel, from a man glued to his home into one who can do far more than he would ever have thought, yet remains himself - and in the end, it's his love of the ordinary things of life that is most important, as ever Thorin finally realises, when he says that this would be a "merrier" world if more people valued food and drink and song.
I love the way Tolkien shows that ordinary people can be heroes.
Tolkien doesn't do much with women, because he lived in a man's world - or, rather, a boys' club! In this novel women don't take part at all, except for a brief mention of Lobelia Sackville-Baggins trying to buy Bag End. But when he does include women, they're women you can respect, even Lobelia, who ends up a heroine to her people when she stands up to the invaders in the "Scouring Of The Shire".
Anyway, I will read some more Hobbit before breakfast and head off to meet family and friends for the movie. I do hope it's as wonderful as it looks!
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