How to simplify the Lord of the Rings and Silmarillion? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Belegorn · 08-26-2013, 05:21 PM

I'd say in the LotR think of Gandalf as the mover, a kindler of spirits with his Ring of Fire [one of the 3 Elven Rings], Frodo and his Hobbit companions along with people like Éowyn as small people doing big things, and people like Aragorn, and the Dunedain of the North and South as echoes from an enchanted past, where there were High Men as opposed to other Men like the Middle Men of Rohan or descendants of the Edain who never went to Númenor.

Mornorngûr · 08-29-2013, 08:53 AM

Even if you did manage to summarise everything in short description; the only way to really appreciate the beauty of Tolkiens work is to read it all many times.

Pervinca Took · 08-29-2013, 09:06 AM

I'd start with LOTR, which is more accessible and less distant. And I'd start with the hobbits, who discover their wider world as we do. Probably with a passage from "The Shadow Of The Past," in which Gandalf introduces, really, what the story is going to be about.

Or play her that passage from the BBC dramatisation.

Welcome to the Downs, Mornorngur.

Mornorngûr · 08-29-2013, 09:35 AM

Or possibly the last part of the Silmarillion: 'Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age'; its only about 20 pages and reads quite nicely.

Greetings Pervinca Took, thanks for the welcome

, glad to be aboard.

Thinlómien · 08-29-2013, 01:16 PM

Honestly, I think you should just hand her the Lord of the Rings and tell her to read it. There's no way to really describe it.

Or if she's not a massive reader (and to be fair, LotR is a massive book), why not make a shared project out of it. Listen to the BBC adaptation or an audiobook version together, or maybe you could read the book to her as bedtime-stories.

If this still seems too much, read her your favourite poems, show your favourite pieces from Tolkien illustrators and if you fancy the PJ or the Bakshi movies, watch them with her. Most importantly, don't flood her with information and names of people and places, and stick to LotR first. If she reads it and gets enthusiastic, then you can start talking about the Silmarillion, but mind you there are many people who love LotR but don't really care about Sil.

All in all, if she's already curious about it, it shouldn't be too difficult. Don't stress about it!

Mornorngûr · 08-30-2013, 06:44 AM

Quote:

Honestly, I think you should just hand her the Lord of the Rings and tell her to read it. There's no way to really describe it.

Or if she's not a massive reader (and to be fair, LotR is a massive book), why not make a shared project out of it. Listen to the BBC adaptation or an audiobook version together, or maybe you could read the book to her as bedtime-stories.

If this still seems too much, read her your favourite poems, show your favourite pieces from Tolkien illustrators and if you fancy the PJ or the Bakshi movies, watch them with her. Most importantly, don't flood her with information and names of people and places, and stick to LotR first. If she reads it and gets enthusiastic, then you can start talking about the Silmarillion, but mind you there are many people who love LotR but don't really care about Sil.

All in all, if she's already curious about it, it shouldn't be too difficult. Don't stress about it!

I would also add that to make her read the Hobbit first would be a bad idea; great book and story, but is nothing like LOTR and is rather childish in general.

Belegorn · 08-30-2013, 10:19 PM

The Hobbit got the whole thing started for me 16 years ago and is an excellent read.

08-26-2013, 05:21 PM	#1
Belegorn Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Henneth Annûn, Ithilien Posts: 462	I'd say in the LotR think of Gandalf as the mover, a kindler of spirits with his Ring of Fire [one of the 3 Elven Rings], Frodo and his Hobbit companions along with people like Éowyn as small people doing big things, and people like Aragorn, and the Dunedain of the North and South as echoes from an enchanted past, where there were High Men as opposed to other Men like the Middle Men of Rohan or descendants of the Edain who never went to Númenor. __________________ "For believe me: the secret for harvesting from existence the greatest fruitfulness and the greatest enjoyment is - to live dangerously!" - G.S.; F. Nietzsche

08-29-2013, 08:53 AM	#2
Mornorngûr Animated Skeleton Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Angband Posts: 36	Even if you did manage to summarise everything in short description; the only way to really appreciate the beauty of Tolkiens work is to read it all many times. __________________ Then Sauron laughed: 'Patience! Not long shall ye abide. But first a song I will sing to you, to ears intent.' Then his flaming eyes he on them bent, and darkness black fell round them all.

08-29-2013, 09:06 AM	#3
Pervinca Took Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: The Treetops, C/O Great Smials Posts: 5,035	I'd start with LOTR, which is more accessible and less distant. And I'd start with the hobbits, who discover their wider world as we do. Probably with a passage from "The Shadow Of The Past," in which Gandalf introduces, really, what the story is going to be about. Or play her that passage from the BBC dramatisation. Welcome to the Downs, Mornorngur. __________________ "Sit by the firelight's glow; tell us an old tale we know. Tell of adventures strange and rare; never to change, ever to share! Stories we tell will cast their spell, now and for always."

08-29-2013, 09:35 AM	#4
Mornorngûr Animated Skeleton Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Angband Posts: 36	Or possibly the last part of the Silmarillion: 'Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age'; its only about 20 pages and reads quite nicely. Greetings Pervinca Took, thanks for the welcome , glad to be aboard. __________________ Then Sauron laughed: 'Patience! Not long shall ye abide. But first a song I will sing to you, to ears intent.' Then his flaming eyes he on them bent, and darkness black fell round them all.

08-29-2013, 01:16 PM	#5
Thinlómien Shady She-Penguin Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: In a far land beyond the Sea Posts: 8,093	Honestly, I think you should just hand her the Lord of the Rings and tell her to read it. There's no way to really describe it. Or if she's not a massive reader (and to be fair, LotR is a massive book), why not make a shared project out of it. Listen to the BBC adaptation or an audiobook version together, or maybe you could read the book to her as bedtime-stories. If this still seems too much, read her your favourite poems, show your favourite pieces from Tolkien illustrators and if you fancy the PJ or the Bakshi movies, watch them with her. Most importantly, don't flood her with information and names of people and places, and stick to LotR first. If she reads it and gets enthusiastic, then you can start talking about the Silmarillion, but mind you there are many people who love LotR but don't really care about Sil. All in all, if she's already curious about it, it shouldn't be too difficult. Don't stress about it! __________________ Like the stars chase the sun, over the glowing hill I will conquer Blood is running deep, some things never sleep Double Fenris

08-30-2013, 10:19 PM	#7
Belegorn Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Henneth Annûn, Ithilien Posts: 462	The Hobbit got the whole thing started for me 16 years ago and is an excellent read. __________________ "For believe me: the secret for harvesting from existence the greatest fruitfulness and the greatest enjoyment is - to live dangerously!" - G.S.; F. Nietzsche