The Fellowship of the Ring by JRR Tolkien
This scene isn't depicted as such in the book. If you were sitting here with me by my fireside, or ideally outside fire ring this time of year, I would tell you that I became attached to the Lord of the Rings movies long ago and am only on my second read of the books. I'm deeply grateful to Peter Jackson for making Arwen the heroine in the dramatic rescue scene shown above.
I get that Tom Bombadil and Goldberry perhaps detracted from the action of the narrative, but they are a whimsical addition to the novel!
This story reinforces my notion that If I were suddenly transported to an alternative time and place (please! and be careful what you wish for!) I would be a hunter/gatherer - with feathers or flowers in my hair and a nestbed in a tree. This was my childhood fantasy and it lives on in the recesses of my soul (the part that has survived daily meal planning and the occult intrusion of technology). I was contemplating this during the description of elfland LothLorien. As the elves were passing out Lembas bread to the travelers, I was thinking someone had to bake that - suddenly my romantic fantasy was shattered by the vision of:
I tried to make it go away but it was too late! The shadowy glades and majestic vision of Galadriel passing by in her boat became tainted with visions of a kitchen tucked away in the woodlands, where plump cheeked elves muttered to each other as they bake lembas bread for hobbits. sigh..
Wilderland is safe though. Aragorn can wander (unlost) there in his lonely rugged quest to protect middle earth without the encroachment of any commercialized modern intruders.
Tolkien throws so many names into this book that it can be quite daunting to keep track of people and places that are referenced. I kind of get that though. In fact, I have often felt that I wished for more children, primarily so I could name them. Upon reflection, I figure that's probably not a good motivation. Better to randomly insert delicious names into a fantasy narrative.
One of my favorite parts of this read was the poem|/prophesy about Aragorn.
There was a passage where Aragorn sheds light on how the little villagers have managed to stay safe because of the rangers' protection. The rangers are mocked by "fat inkeepers" and given nicknames like Strider and are unaware of this safety that they enjoy. I'm paraphrasing here because my daughter has the book in her backpack at school. This really struck me. I was thinking of the military, police, and other societal warriors - the buffer that they provide by their presence and vigilance. I don't think many of us truly grasp how the reality of evil and how quickly it can sweep in and destroy. Not to mention spiritual powers that be.
Enough has been said about Tolkien and spirituality. I know he didn't believe in direct allegory. I think he conveys a lovely belief in mystery, magic, and tapping into an awareness of a greater congruent force. There is a harmonious blend of tiny threads that weave into a gorgeous tapestry, It's making however, is fraught with peril. In an age of humanistic "who cares" ness, Tolkien's book exudes a refreshing message about what is important: each life, paying attention, making wise choices, having guidance from trusted mentors, blending prophesy and magic with common sense, and everyone has a contribution - you may be a wizard or (some people just make lembas bread?) but lembas bread is vitally important to the quest. People surprise you: dwarves can compliment, a possessed goblin may have value, hobbits can be surprisingly tough, women can vanquish wraiths, and enjoying your senses is as spiritual as wielding a staff (none of that protestant austerity if you please)
