LOTR: what did you NOT like in the books?

[Boo Radley]

Ah, yes. That's the one. My mistake.

Something Aganzir said, I wanted to touch upon; the fate of Saruman. What finally happened to him didn't bother me at all, and as far as I'm concerned he got what was coming to him.
By his actions, he gave up the right for a "noble death" and by being stabbed in the back by Wormtongue (just as he had stabbed everyone in the back whom he had dealt with before), it proved to be a classic example of "what goes round...".
In a literary sense, what he did to the Shire had to be done to show that even someplace as safe and idyllic as the Shire wasn't immune to what had happened in the great wide world. And it was the final tempering for the Hobbits of the Fellowship.

[Aganzir]

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

I have always found it difficult to read Sam's battle with Shelob without a smirk or two.

Bêthberry you naughty lady! You ruined my innocence!

Originally Posted by Boo Radley

I've been thinking back about things that bothered me, and I remembered the scene in Fellowship, when the Hobbits are captured by the Barrow Wights and upon being freed, Tom extols them to run around naked.

All cultures aren't as gymnophobic as the Anglo-American. I mean, that isn't something I couldn't do with my friends.

Originally Posted by Boo Radley

Something Aganzir said, I wanted to touch upon; the fate of Saruman. What finally happened to him didn't bother me at all, and as far as I'm concerned he got what was coming to him.

I know. It was fair and made perfect sense. I'm just something of a sentimentalist when it comes to Saruman.

[Pomegranate]

Agreed with Agan concerning running naked, that is very Finnish of us though. Could be questioned why the Nordic people, who definitely should keep their clothes on in order to stay warm, are the ones who are the most comfortable in taking them off. Hmm...

As for me, I've more than once just skipped the fourth book (shame on me), I never found that storyline (/characters I think) interesting enough to hold me for the length of the whole book. It's been a while, though, so maybe if I read it now (which I can't do, my copy is in Finland :/) I'd like it better.

[Mithalwen]

Originally Posted by Pomegranate

Agreed with Agan concerning running naked, that is very Finnish of us though. Could be questioned why the Nordic people, who definitely should keep their clothes on in order to stay warm, are the ones who are the most comfortable in taking them off. Hmm...

And the English aren't as bad as the Americans. I thought the communal bathroom at Crickhollow was a bit odd but there were communal showers at school even in my day.. and nude bathing is an Oxford tradition
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parson's_Pleasure

There is a story of a group of dons who rushed to cover their err embarassment when a boat party of ladies appeared. Most wrapped their towels around their waists but one took the swifter action of throwing his towel over his head. When his companions asked him what he was doing he replied "I don't know about you chaps, but in this town I am known by my face..".

[Boo Radley]

Wow, we Yanks are taking some hits here (Not really, I know). We have communal showers in gyms and swimming pools and schools (Unless they've changed the layouts in college dorms, that is). BUT! Unlike some Hobbits, for the most part, if a person were to tell a group of grown men to run around outside, nekkid... chances are they'd demure.
And I don't believe we Americans are alone in this.

[Mithalwen]

Well you guys do seem particularly hung up on nudity. Though I agree the Brits are more reticent than the continentals. And I don't disagree but privacy is a relatively modern notion. I just think it probably wasn't so weird then as it seems now. Maybe it was some skyclad ritual ; ) . But I think it was probably a bit parky in October for such shenanigans.

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Mithalwen

Well you guys do seem particularly hung up on nudity. Though I agree the Brits are more reticent than the continentals. And I don't disagree but privacy is a relatively modern notion. I just think it probably wasn't so weird then as it seems now. Maybe it was some skyclad ritual ; ) . But I think it was probably a bit parky in October for such shenanigans.

To be fair, it is nude hobbits we're talking. Three feet high, hairy feet...and my fear is that there could be attributes other then stature and feet where they might differ anatomically from Men.

[Bêthberry]

Originally Posted by Aganzir

Bêthberry you naughty lady! You ruined my innocence!

moi?

Actually, I think it was Freud who ruined a lot of things.

Originally Posted by Boo Radley

Oh, I don't know. Thinking about how much Sam loved Frodo, I could see him getting into a berserkers rage easily enough.

Oh, it isn't the rage that makes me smirk, not at all. That's perfectly understandable. (My comment to Agan probably answers your other question--and Galadriel's EEK!)

Originally Posted by Agan

I know. It was fair and made perfect sense. I'm just something of a sentimentalist when it comes to Saruman.

Do you mean you feel pity for him and wish he had had someone to hold back his killer, as Gandalf had discussed with Frodo about Gollem? Or . . . mawkish emotion for a dude you thought was cool for challenging the hegemony?

Originally Posted by Boo Radley

I've been thinking back about things that bothered me, and I remembered the scene in Fellowship, when the Hobbits are captured by the Barrow Wights and upon being freed, Tom extols them to run around naked.

By Jove, you've got it! The real reason PJ omitted Tom and the Barrow Wight from the movie! Scandalous nekkidness and the Hollywood ratings code.

[Galadriel]

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

(My comment to Agan probably answers your other question--and Galadriel's EEK!)

Oh my...