Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Novel Passage (316)
Gandalf walked in front, and with him went Aragorn, who knew this land even in the dark. The others were in file behind, and Legolas whose eyes were keen was the rearguard. The first part of their journey was hard and dreary, and Frodo remembered little of it, save the wind. For many sunless days an icy blast came from the Mountains in the east, and no garment seemed able to keep out its searching fingers. Though the Company was well clad, they seldom felt warm, either moving or at reast. They slept uneasilly during hte middle of the day, in some hollow of the land, or hidden under the tangled thorn-bushes that grew in thickets in many places. In the late afternoon they were roused by the watch, and took their chief meal: cold and cheerless as a rule, for they could seldom risk the lighting of a fire. In the evening they went on again, always as nearly southward as they could find a way. (Paragraph) At first it seemed to the hobbits that although they walked and stumbled until they were weary, they were creeping forward like snails, and getting nowhere. Each day the land looked much the same as it had the day before. Yet steadily the mountains were drawing nearer. South of Rivendell they rose ever higher, and bent westwards; and about the feet of the main range there was tumbled an ever wider land of bleak hills, and deep valleys filled with turbulent waters. Paths were few and winding, and led them often only to the edge of some sheer fall, or down into the treacherous swamps (Tolkien. 316)
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Although the argument demonstrated by this passage about how power and temptation can ruin group dynamics is feasible, in the current context, a stronger argument could be made. The seemingly endless nature of this fellowship’s journey actually exemplifies the hardships caused by the isolation of a journey. Even should the journey be made by a small group, such diversity and isolation from a larger society adds to the tension and disintegration within the group. Another thought that can be examined in this passage is that innocence can be a hindrance. This stipulation is shown through Tolkien’s contrast between the different characters.
ReplyDeleteTolkien developed his characters with strategic distinctions to emphasize the differences between the innocence of the hobbits, and their consequent struggles along the journey, with the experience of the others and their greater ease in their task. “Aragorn, who knew this land even in the dark,” was portrayed as experienced (Tolkien 316). This line clearly shows that Aragorn has been on this terrain before and knows what he is doing. Due to his experience, he is able to stay at the front of the group—and even rise up and excel as a leader in the group. In contrast, the hobbits are portrayed throughout Tolkien’s novel as more innocent creatures, creatures ignorant of corruption, who spend their days eating, chatting, and merry-making. As a result, when faced with a true challenge, such as that of an “icy blast” from mountains or “a treacherous swamp” (Tolkien 316), the hobbits are unable to cope with the perils of the journey as well as those characters who are more experienced. Instead, they “walked and stumbled until they were weary” (Tolkien 316) and still made little progress. As evidenced here, the innocence and inexperience of the hobbits is actually a hindrance to their journey. And this stipulation is strategically developed by Tolkien through his contrasting descriptions of the hobbits and the others in the Fellowship in this passage—an argument which seems more prevalent than that of power changing group dynamics in this specific textual example.