| When shall we meet in game this week? |
| Saturday, 6 p.m. |
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20% |
[ 1 ] |
| Sunday, 2 p.m. |
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20% |
[ 1 ] |
| Sunday, 8 p.m. |
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60% |
[ 3 ] |
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| Total Votes : 5 |
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LennidhrenRannaDylinHigh Officer
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re: LMB Book Club, The Hobbit Chapter 2: Roast Mutton
 by RannaDylin on 2010/12/01 7:43 pm
At last we see Bilbo set off on adventure, and what an adventure it opens with - the Trolls! A note in The Annotated Hobbit reads that:
| Quote: | | In a 1977 speech to the Tolkien Society in England, Tolkien's second son, Michael, said that as children, he, his two brothers, and his sister had each, at some point in their development, thought that the Troll chapter was the best chapter in the book. He continued, "We thought there was something rather nice about Trolls, and it was a pity they had to be turned to stone at all." |
So what is it that makes this the "best chapter in the book"? Let's discuss! Here are suggested topics:
(1) How does Bilbo advance his career as a burglar in this chapter? He shows a desire to prove himself as such to the Dwarves, but perhaps also to himself. What do we learn about his understanding of Burglary and about his developing skills in this area?
(2) The comedy of danger: I believe it was Lindorieh who commented on this at last week's meeting, that even in dangerous scenes Tolkien keeps the tale humorous. The run-in with the Trolls is a great example of this.
(3) Racial tension? OK, tension is not quite the right word. But I found Bilbo's description of "all this dwarvish racket", whereas the narrator says a human would not have noticed the dwarves' noise, quite interesting. And then Bilbo's own passage through the woods is not enough noise to even make a weasel notice. How does Tolkien play up the differences between the races?
(4) The geography of the journey: This chapter takes us from Bag-End all the way to the Trollshaws! In LOTRO terms that would be a journey of some 35 or more levels but Bilbo and the Dwarves traverse that road in around a month. I thought it would be interesting to compare the description of places such as "Hobbit lands" and the "Lone-lands" with what we know of these places in game. On another interesting note - Tolkien's use of "Lone-lands" was introduced into the 1966 edition of The Hobbit (the area was not named in the original edition) and was a literal translation of the Sindarin Elvish name "Eriador" - meaning "wilderness" - which actually refers to all the lands from the Blue Mountains to the Misty Mountains, of which the Shire was near the center.
For this week's reading in The Silmarillion, let's look at the wonderful tale of the city of Gondolin (chapter 23: Of Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin; also of interest is chapter 16: Of Maeglin). What does Gondolin have to do with The Hobbit? As we will learn when the travelers reach Rivendell in the next chapter, this Elven city was the origin of the swords Orcrist and Glamdring, and Bilbo's Sting, that they find in the Trolls' hoard at the end of chapter 2!
Oh, and one more thought...Once at Ales and Tales, Dovie Harper played and sang a fine rendition of the "Troll sat alone" poem that Sam recites in the Stone Trolls Glade in LOTR. I don't suppose anyone has the abc and lyrics for that song? Or maybe we can talk Dovie into joining us for the meeting this week, as that song would go great with this chapter!
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re: Re: LMB Book Club, The Hobbit Chapter 2: Roast Mutton
by KeptWandering on 2010/12/02 3:15 pm
| RannaDylin wrote: | | Oh, and one more thought...Once at Ales and Tales, Dovie Harper played and sang a fine rendition of the "Troll sat alone" poem that Sam recites in the Stone Trolls Glade in LOTR. I don't suppose anyone has the abc and lyrics for that song? Or maybe we can talk Dovie into joining us for the meeting this week, as that song would go great with this chapter! |
The five part ABC was prepared by The Eriador Music Society member/bandleader, Tirigifu "Catfish" and can be found, with the lyrics (and a solo version) here:
http://s1.zetaboards.com/Songbook_of_Laurelin/topic/3644259/1/
Enjoy,
Keptwise
_________________ “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."
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LindoriehMorfindielOfficer
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re: LMB Book Club, The Hobbit Chapter 2: Roast Mutton
by Morfindiel on 2010/12/03 4:09 pm
I am on vacation this week, so I won't be able to make it. Have fun!
Lindorieh
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Qullex
Joined: 06 Apr 2009
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re: LMB Book Club, The Hobbit Chapter 2: Roast Mutton
by Qullex on 2010/12/04 12:08 pm
Working on reading trough the book to catch up with you. Sadly, weekends are not the best time for me to be in game so can't join for the event but will try to follow along on the forums.
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LennidhrenRannaDylinHigh Officer
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re: LMB Book Club, The Hobbit Chapter 2: Roast Mutton
by RannaDylin on 2010/12/04 12:16 pm
Looks like Sunday 8 p.m. is it for the in game meeting. Those who can't make it, certainly do join in the discussion here in the thread!
Oh, and instead of meeting at Bag End this week, let's gather at the Green Dragon Inn in Bywater, where Bilbo met the dwarves to set out on the adventure at the beginning of this chapter!
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LindoriehMorfindielOfficer
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re: LMB Book Club, The Hobbit Chapter 2: Roast Mutton
by Morfindiel on 2010/12/04 4:22 pm
One of the brilliant things about Tolkien's different races is that you understand something about the character based on their race. For instance, you know that if someone is a hobbit, they will love food, walk quietly, and be courageous in a pinch. If someone is an elf, they will love music and speak in riddles. If they are a dwarf they will love gold and crafty things. In this way he has already developed a basis for the character and just has to add a few individual things to fully flesh the person out so they become believable.
Having the different races gives the story some additional drama as well, especially dwarves vs. elves. One of the overarching themes throughout the Silmarillion and the Lord of the Rings, and even in The Hobbit, is the "race relations" between the dwarves and the elves. We will see some of this in the next chapter, when the dwarves come to Rivendell.
Lindorieh
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Qullex
Joined: 06 Apr 2009
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re: LMB Book Club, The Hobbit Chapter 2: Roast Mutton
by Qullex on 2010/12/06 1:00 pm
I am glad I was able to make it after all, despite initially thinking I would not be able to. I had a lot of fun and hope more people will join.
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`Tinki`Officer
Joined: 30 Nov 2008
Posts: 3848
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re: LMB Book Club, The Hobbit Chapter 2: Roast Mutton
by `Tinki` on 2010/12/07 10:33 am
dont think I am not lurking...
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MairghreadToanstationMember
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re: LMB Book Club, The Hobbit Chapter 2: Roast Mutton
by Toanstation on 2010/12/07 12:10 pm
| Qullex wrote: | | I am glad I was able to make it after all, despite initially thinking I would not be able to. I had a lot of fun and hope more people will join. |
Our performance at this week's Ales & Tales will hopefully help with that.
_________________ Mairghread, Tullyn, Fuinador and Weril
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LindoriehMorfindielOfficer
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re: LMB Book Club, The Hobbit Chapter 2: Roast Mutton
by Morfindiel on 2010/12/07 9:18 pm
Wish I could have been there! Count me in for the Book Club Band!
Lindorieh
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AldekimOfficer
Joined: 07 Jun 2010
Posts: 3340
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re: LMB Book Club, The Hobbit Chapter 2: Roast Mutton
by Aldekim on 2010/12/08 12:47 am
If "The Book Club Band" decides to play at Ales & Tales you can count me in once I get a chance to learn your system.
~Aldekim
_________________ Working together we all benefit ~ Aldekim, Brambel - Lonely Mountain Band ~ Doribolger - Harp and Dragon (LMB alt kin) ~ Athilrond, Ahtook, Nellan, Elye, Sylduril, Nitnoy, Elduryl, Dironen - Clan Etal ~ Kaesy - Lonely Mountain Treasures (Byrdie alt kin)
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re: LMB Book Club, The Hobbit Chapter 2: Roast Mutton
System? I don't think we have a system. Stumbling, yes. System, not so much. :D
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AldekimOfficer
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Posts: 3340
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re: LMB Book Club, The Hobbit Chapter 2: Roast Mutton
by Aldekim on 2010/12/08 12:03 pm
By system I am referring to how one selects and keys in a song. I am in two different bands and each has it's own method of setting up songs. Each also has it's own method of picking up the songs to the music file. My point then, is that I would prefer one practice session to learn how this band handles those details.
btw I can't begin to tell you how thrilled I was to see Byrdie appearing at A & T in a band!!
_________________ Working together we all benefit ~ Aldekim, Brambel - Lonely Mountain Band ~ Doribolger - Harp and Dragon (LMB alt kin) ~ Athilrond, Ahtook, Nellan, Elye, Sylduril, Nitnoy, Elduryl, Dironen - Clan Etal ~ Kaesy - Lonely Mountain Treasures (Byrdie alt kin)
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gaiagilOfficer
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re: LMB Book Club, The Hobbit Chapter 2: Roast Mutton
by gaiagil on 2010/12/10 3:29 pm
Hmmm. Well.... Since many of the players in the so called "Book club Band" performed for the very first time last week, we haven't gotten to the system thing yet. Basically, we used a file provided by Keptwise of Dovie's fox song, and I did my best to keep up with the singing. I was bandleader. When everyone's instruments were ready, I hit the playstart button and away we went...
I think Byrdie's description of stumbling through it is the best....
You could always help us devise a system, Lord Aldekim. We would be most appreciative of help in this matter!
Gaiagil
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LindoriehMorfindielOfficer
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re: LMB Book Club, The Hobbit Chapter 2: Roast Mutton
by Morfindiel on 2010/12/10 8:24 pm
Perhaps he means multi-part files, where you have to select a number to get the right instrument? I'm sure you did it the "normal" way, where every file is named something different for each instrument.
Lindorieh
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