{"id":698,"date":"2011-12-22T06:00:59","date_gmt":"2011-12-22T14:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/markreads.net\/reviews\/?p=698"},"modified":"2011-12-13T22:20:13","modified_gmt":"2011-12-14T06:20:13","slug":"mark-reads-the-fellowship-of-the-ring-chapter-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/markreads.net\/reviews\/2011\/12\/mark-reads-the-fellowship-of-the-ring-chapter-4\/","title":{"rendered":"Mark Reads ‘The Fellowship of the Ring’: Chapter 4"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the fourth chapter of The Fellowship of the Ring<\/em>, Sam, Pippin, and Frodo learn just how complicated their journey really is. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to read The Lord of the Rings<\/em>.<\/p>\n

CHAPTER FOUR: A SHORT CUT TO MUSHROOMS<\/strong><\/p>\n

I love<\/em> mushrooms!<\/p>\n

I can already guess that there have been volumes of fanfiction written about Frodo, Sam, and Pippin, and I base that claim solely on the fact that the dynamic between this trio is so infectious and well-written. I don’t want to sound like I’m slamming The Hobbit<\/em>, since I enjoyed it quite a bit, but the character development is much more detailed in The Fellowship of the Ring<\/em>. Well, on that note, everything<\/em> is more detailed here, but I already feel like more side characters are being fleshed out in this book than the last one.<\/p>\n

Pippin is the most carefree of the bunch, and he seems to approach life with this senseless whimsy to him, as if he’s oblivious to the effects he has on others or the dangers that he faces. I mean, he outright tells Frodo that he had to be convinced<\/em> to save breakfast for him. On top of that, he seems\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6fuck, really joyous<\/em> about seeing more Black Riders? Okay, Pippin, you will probably regret that later, but for now, I fully support your endless glee<\/em>.<\/p>\n

‘And now leave me in peace for a bit! I don’t want to answer a string of questions while I am eating. I want to think!’<\/p>\n
‘Good heavens!’ said Pippin. ‘At breakfast?’ He walked away towards the edge of the green.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
BLESS MY BEARD THIS HOBBIT IS AMAZING.<\/p>\n
Frodo is not experiencing anything close to joy at all. In fact, he’s quite upset at the prospect of continuing on. It’s not that he fears the danger and uncertainty of it all. However, he’s bringing his best friend along with him, and that means he is risking his life, too. He even brings it up to Sam, who quickly squashes Frodo’s well-intentioned concern. This is<\/em> what he wants to do, and he’s aware of the risks that come with it. But seeing Elves for the first time–and spending time with them, no less–has changed Sam Gamgee, and I was pretty stoked to get some character development this early. In a way, it’s like the Elves helped Sam to grow up. They weren’t a myth or a fairy tale to him anymore. He met them, and despite cultural differences, they really weren’t all that different from himself or other hobbits. So when Frodo asks him if he feels a need<\/em> to leave the Shire as well, since he’s now satisfied a life goal, Sam’s answer is a natural response to what’s happened to him.<\/p>\n
‘I don’t know how to say it, but after last night I feel different. I seem to see ahead, in a kind of way. I know we are going to take a very long road, into darkness; but I know I can’t turn back. It isn’t to see Elves now, nor dragons, nor mountains, that I want–I don’t rightly know what I want: but I have something to do before the end, and it lies ahead, not in the Shire. I must see it through, sir, if you understand me.’<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
You could easily read this as a form of foreshadowing from Tolkien, and I’m sure you’d be right. To me, it’s a statement about Sam deciding to acknowledge how serious this situation is, to cast aside some childish preconceptions about where they’re going and why. I think he viewed the Elves in such a fantastical way that he was then grounded when he met them.<\/p>\n
And then Pippin shows up and he has no idea what’s going on, and he just wants to get going. So they do! Traveling out of the Shire is fascinating to me because this world seems even bigger than it did in The Hobbit<\/em>, and I know part of that is because I’ve spent time reading about Middle-earth. I know that was just a small part of the whole, and this is still quite new to me. Given this, I have no idea who I’d side with when it came down to the direction in which they should travel. Pippin insists the way straight across the country is bad, and it’s best to take the road, and Frodo disagrees, thinking the shortest way is best. Generally, though, that is the worst idea, isn’t it? When is the shortest way the best? Rarely. It’s Frodo’s journey, though, and he ultimately makes the decision in his favor. Well, I suppose Pippin’s desire to visit the Golden Perch<\/em> for beer played a part in that, too. WHO COULD BLAME HIM. So I was not the least bit surprised to learn that the path Frodo chose is hardly easy at all. Then, it gets worse, because OF COURSE IT DOES.<\/p>\n
‘Look!’ he said, clutching Frodo by the arm. They all looked, and on the edge high above them they saw against the sky a horse standing. Beside it stooped a black figure.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
BY MERLIN’S BEARD, THIS IS TOO MUCH. How does he seem to know where they are going or where they’ll be??? WHAT IS THIS THING. Is it a man? CAN IT SMELL HOBBITS OR SOMETHING. Thankfully, they manage to avoid this thing<\/em> again, but the trip really doesn’t get easier. My first thought was that they’d actually get lost, and it didn’t help that Pippin decided to casually mention that the woods should only be a mile wide, so it might be possible that they’re traveling diagonally south and THIS IS REALLY WONDERFUL. It’s totally what’s happening, isn’t it?<\/p>\n
But Tolkien isn’t content with strange cloaked men and their horses, OR getting lost, OR traveling the wrong way. Because then there’s this:<\/p>\n
They stopped short suddenly. Frodo sprang to his feet. A long-drawn wail came down the wind, like the cry of some evil and lonely creature. It rose and fell, and ended on a high piercing note. Even as they sat and stood, as if suddenly frozen, it was answered by another cry, fainter and further off, but no less chilling to the blood. There was then a silence, broken only by the sound of the wind in the leaves.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
AT THIS POINT I WOULD HAVE TURNED AROUND AND ALLOWED SAURON TO BURN ALL OF HOBBITON TO THE GROUND. <\/strong>Holy shit, why does this exist? <\/em>And WHY IS IT NOT IMMEDIATELY EXPLAINED SO THAT I DON’T HAVE TO DREAM ABOUT THIS. You don’t understand. I hike all the time<\/em> and I learned to attune my ears to picking up any<\/em> sort of sound just to stay aware and if I heard this shit, I would just give up on life. Like JUST TAKE ME, STRANGE FOREST CREATURE. END ME NOW.<\/p>\n
PS: They did turn too far to the south. FUUUUUUUUUUUUU. Four chapters in, and this is already a challenge. And yet, I could not help but laugh because\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6look, I know this is immature, but: FARMER MAGGOT. It is so distracting to me! How can his name be<\/em> that??? Okay, I’ll get past that, because it’s honestly the best part of this chapter. Long ago, Frodo used to trespass on this land in order to steal mushrooms from Maggot, so he’s built up a thirty-year scare of the man’s dogs. Leave it to the wonderful, always-cheerful Pippin to ease things over, as it also<\/em> turns out that he’s actually quite fond of Farmer Maggot.<\/p>\n
It’s really like Tolkien is constantly lulling us into a state of trust and security, and then he takes great glee in destroying that. I initially thought Maggot gave Frodo a weird look because he remembered his mushroom-thieving days, but nope! Turns out that wonderfully delightful man in all black also<\/em> visited the farm, looking for “Baggins.” Maggot turned the man and his horse away, knowing that he meant no good to come of Frodo. This horse rider in black really isn’t subtle at all, is he? He is either that desperate to find him or that confident that no one can really stand in his way.<\/p>\n
Frodo wants to leave as soon as possible (WHICH IS ACTUALLY A GOOD IDEA), but Maggot does manage to not only convince them to stay, but also offers up his waggon to give them a ride to the Ferry. This scene makes me wonder if George R.R. Martin got his obsession with food that’s in the A Song of Ice and Fire<\/em> series from Tolkien. Because sweet lord<\/em> these characters are always eating, and it never fails to make me hungry.<\/p>\n
Dinner is uneventful, and the entirety of the waggon ride to the Ferry is as well, until the very, very end, when a dark, hooded figure rides up to the waggon at the entrance lane to the Ferry. I, of course, completely expected the same man to appear, but was pleasantly surprised that it was Merry Brandybuck, ready to take Frodo across. WHEW. In truth, the end of the fourth chapter is kind of nice, since Maggot hands over a basket of mushrooms his wife prepared for Frodo, but I know that this is probably one of the very few left. Because shit’s going to get real, isn’t it?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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